How to use DataList Control n asp.net?

DataList  is a bound list control that displays items using templates. It is a customized control.which doesn’t have a default representation of data.so we have to provide structure.

DataList is Templeted based control.

HeaderTemplet,FooterTemplet,SperatorTemplet,ItemTemplet,AlternativeItemTemplet….are properties of DataList control. To represent data in customized format.

DataList has good Properties:

RepeatDirection,RepeatColumns,EditItemIndex=-1,and many style properties.

DataList shows all the data Items as a List.so we don’t required any pagging for datalist control.

DataList is more customized control.which supports Editing,Updating,Command,…ect events

DataList Overview

DataList members

public const string CancelCommandName = "Cancel";

public const string DeleteCommandName = "Delete";

public const string EditCommandName = "Edit";

public const string SelectCommandName = "Select";

public const string UpdateCommandName = "Update";

when we customize our DataList then take commandName as “Cancle,Delete,Edit,Select,Update are DataList events 

public event DataListCommandEventHandler CancelCommand;

public event DataListCommandEventHandler DeleteCommand;

public event DataListCommandEventHandler EditCommand;

public event DataListCommandEventHandler ItemCommand;

public event DataListItemEventHandler ItemCreated;

public event DataListItemEventHandler ItemDataBound;

public event DataListCommandEventHandler UpdateCommand;

DataList classes:

DataListItem: Represents an item in a System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataList control.(like gridviewRow, DetailsViewRow)

ListItemType(DataRowType):

Header = 0,

Footer = 1,

Item = 2,

AlternatingItem = 3,

SelectedItem = 4,

EditItem = 5,

Separator = 6,

Pager = 7,

DataList Demo:

Source

<asp:DataList ID="DataList1" runat="server" DataKeyField="Empid" AlternatingItemStyle-BorderStyle="Dashed" BackColor="Aquamarine"

                    AlternatingItemStyle-BackColor="ButtonFace" OnItemDataBound="DataList1_ItemDataBound"

OnEditCommand="DataList1_EditCommand"

RepeatDirection="Horizontal" ShowFooter="False" ShowHeader="False" RepeatColumns="1"

                    SelectedIndex="4">

                    <ItemTemplate>

                        <table>

                            <tr>

                                <td colspan="2">

                                    <b>Name

                                        <%# Eval("Empname")%></b>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td colspan="2">

                                    Designation :

                                    <%# Eval("EmpDesignation")%>

                                    Address :

                                    <%# Eval("EmpAddress")%><br />

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td>

                                    country:

                                </td>

                                <td>

                                    <%# Eval("EmpJoindate")%>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td>

                                    <asp:LinkButton ID="LinkButton1" runat="server" Text="Edit" CommandName="edt" CommandArgument='<%#Eval("Empid") %>'></asp:LinkButton>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                        </table>

                    </ItemTemplate>

                    <AlternatingItemStyle BorderStyle="Dashed"></AlternatingItemStyle>

                    <EditItemTemplate>

                        <table>

                            <tr>

                                <td colspan="2">

                                    <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("Empname")%>'></asp:TextBox>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td colspan="2">

                                    <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox2" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("EmpDesignation")%>'></asp:TextBox>

                                    <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox3" runat="server" Text='  <%# Eval("EmpAddress")%>'></asp:TextBox>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td>

                                    country:

                                </td>

                                <td>

                                    <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox4" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("EmpJoindate")%>'></asp:TextBox>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                            <tr>

                                <td>

                                    <asp:LinkButton ID="LinkButton2" runat="server" CommandName="upt" CommandArgument='<%#Eval("Empid") %>'>Update</asp:LinkButton>

                                </td>

                            </tr>

                        </table>

                    </EditItemTemplate>

                </asp:DataList>

Design

Code Behind

SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("uid=sa;pwd=zolt123$;database=PropercodeDB");

    DataSet ds;

    SqlDataAdapter da;

    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

    {         

    }

    public void EmployeeDetails()

    {

        da = new SqlDataAdapter("select * from dbo.EmployeeDetails", con);

        ds = new DataSet();

        da.Fill(ds);

        DataList1.DataSource = ds;

        DataList1.DataBind();

    }

  protected void DataList1_ItemDataBound(object sender, DataListItemEventArgs e)

    {

   if (e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Header || e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem)

        {

            e.Item.ForeColor = Color.Red;      

        }

    }

    protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

    {

        EmployeeDetails();

    }

    protected void DataList1_EditCommand(object source, DataListCommandEventArgs e)

    {

        DataList1.EditItemIndex = e.Item.ItemIndex;

        EmployeeDetails();

    }

Note: Don’t use ItemCommand evnet for Crud operations.Itemcommand event for handling Inner controls/child control events.