ASP.NET DataList controls
DataList control, similar to the Repeater control, used to repeat the list Show Bindings items on this control. However, DataList control will default to add a table to the data item.
Bind DataSet to the DataList control
DataList control, similar to the Repeater control, used to repeat the list Show Bindings items on this control. However, DataList control will default to add a table to the data item. DataList control may be bound to a database table, XML file, or another list of items. Here, we will demonstrate how to bind an XML file to a DataList control.
In our example, we will use the following XML document ( "cdcatalog.xml"):
<catalog>
<cd>
<title>Empire Burlesque</title>
<artist>Bob Dylan</artist>
<country>USA</country>
<company>Columbia</company>
<price>10.90</price>
<year>1985</year>
</cd>
<cd>
<title>Hide your heart</title>
<artist>Bonnie Tyler</artist>
<country>UK</country>
<company>CBS Records</company>
<price>9.90</price>
<year>1988</year>
</cd>
<cd>
<title>Greatest Hits</title>
<artist>Dolly Parton</artist>
<country>USA</country>
<company>RCA</company>
<price>9.90</price>
<year>1982</year>
</cd>
<cd>
<title>Still got the blues</title>
<artist>Gary Moore</artist>
<country>UK</country>
<company>Virgin records</company>
<price>10.20</price>
<year>1990</year>
</cd>
<cd>
<title>Eros</title>
<artist>Eros Ramazzotti</artist>
<country>EU</country>
<company>BMG</company>
<price>9.90</price>
<year>1997</year>
</cd>
</catalog>
Check the XML file: cdcatalog.xml
First, import the "System.Data" namespace. We need this namespace to work with DataSet objects. The following instruction is included in the top of the .aspx page:
Next, create a DataSet for the XML file, and when the page first loads this XML file loading DataSet:
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
end if
end sub
Then we create a DataList control in an .aspx page. <HeaderTemplate> element content is rendered first and only once in the output, and <ItemTemplate> element contents corresponding to the DataSet each "record" is repeated, and finally, <FooterTemplate> element content output appear only once:
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog" runat="server">
<HeaderTemplate>
...
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
...
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
...
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Then we add the script to create a DataSet, and binds mycdcatalog DataSet to the DataList control. Then containing header <HeaderTemplate>, containing the data to be displayed items <ItemTemplate> and contain text <FooterTemplate> to populate the DataList control. Note that you can set the DataList gridlines property to "both" to show table borders:
Examples
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog"
gridlines="both" runat="server">
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
Copyright Hege Refsnes
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>
The demonstration >>
Using styles
You can also add style to the DataList control, so output is more fancy:
Examples
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog"
runat="server"
cellpadding="2"
cellspacing="2"
borderstyle="inset"
backcolor="#e8e8e8"
width="100%"
headerstyle-font-name="Verdana"
headerstyle-font-size="12pt"
headerstyle-horizontalalign="center"
headerstyle-font-bold="true"
itemstyle-backcolor="#778899"
itemstyle-forecolor="#ffffff"
footerstyle-font-size="9pt"
footerstyle-font-italic="true">
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
Copyright Hege Refsnes
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>
The demonstration >>
Use <AlternatingItemTemplate>
You can post <ItemTemplate> element to <AlternatingItemTemplate> element is used to describe the appearance of alternating rows of output. You can add styles to the data <AlternatingItemTemplate> DataList control area in the interior:
Examples
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog"
runat="server"
cellpadding="2"
cellspacing="2"
borderstyle="inset"
backcolor="#e8e8e8"
width="100%"
headerstyle-font-name="Verdana"
headerstyle-font-size="12pt"
headerstyle-horizontalalign="center"
headerstyle-font-bold="True"
itemstyle-backcolor="#778899"
itemstyle-forecolor="#ffffff"
alternatingitemstyle-backcolor="#e8e8e8"
alternatingitemstyle-forecolor="#000000"
footerstyle-font-size="9pt"
footerstyle-font-italic="True">
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<AlternatingItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</AlternatingItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
© Hege Refsnes
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>
The demonstration >>