asked on

bind blank item to combo box

how do i bind a blank item to a combo box?

here is my code with what i do for the web but this doesn't work for desktop

protected void getFiles()
        {
            string[] filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(filePath, "*.xml");
            cmbxFiles.DataSource = filePaths;

            //ListItem itm = new ListItem(); //namespace web.ui
            //itm.Text = "";
            //itm.Value = "-1";
            //itm.Selected = true;
            //cmbxFiles.Items.Insert(0, itm);
            //cmbxFiles.SelectedIndex = 0;
        }

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Obadiah Christopher

You cannot insert items when you have set the DataSource property in WIndows APplication.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x8160f6f(v=vs.90).aspx

You need to do something alternative.

string[] blank = new string[]{""};
string[] filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(filePath, "*.xml");

string[] strDataSource = blank.Union(filePaths);

cmbxFiles.DataSource = strDataSource;

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fwstealer

ASKER

Error	1	Cannot implicitly convert type 'System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<string>' to 'string[]'. An explicit conversion exists (are you missing a cast?)

string[] strDataSource = blank.Union(filePaths);

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fwstealer

ASKER

I did something different:

 string[] filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(filePath, "*.xml");
            cmbxFiles.DataSource = filePaths;
            cmbxFiles.SelectedIndex = -1;

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now nothing is selected - works fine

fwstealer

ASKER

well may not when the user makes a selection like:

private void cmbxFiles_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "-1")
            {
                cmbxFiles.Focus();
                pnlPic.Visible = false;
            }
            else
            {
                pnlPic.Visible = true;
                getPic();
            }
        }

        protected void getPic()
        {
            MessageBox.Show(cmbxFiles.SelectedValue.ToString());
        }

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crashes when i launch the program - not good

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Obadiah Christopher

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fwstealer

ASKER

i did the following:

protected void getFiles()
        {
            string[] blank = new string[] { "" };
            string[] filePaths = Directory.GetFiles(filePath, "*.xml");

            cmbxFiles.DataSource = blank.Union(filePaths).ToArray();
            cmbxFiles.SelectedIndex = 0;                                             
        }

        private void cmbxFiles_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "0" || cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "-1" || cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "")
            {
                //do nothing
                cmbxFiles.Focus();
                pnlPic.Visible = false;
            }
            else
            {
                //go get value of xml file
                pnlPic.Visible = true;
                getPic();
            }
        }

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so i think this works

Obadiah Christopher

I don't think this is required. Is it?

cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "0" || cmbxFiles.SelectedValue == "-1"