Looping SQL results C# into dropdown

Question

Can anyone help me with a C# loop to populate an ASP:DropDownList. I am using the following code to bind the data to my dropdown. However, the first result doesn't populate in the drop down list. There should be 3 however, there is only 2 in the dropdown list.

Any help is great.

        SqlDataReader dr;
        dr = sqlcmd.ExecuteReader();
        dropdown.DataSource = dr;

        while (dr.Read())
        {
            dropdown.DataValueField = "ID";
            dropdown.DataTextField = "Description";
            dropdown.DataBind();
        }

Jordão · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-24 03:14:49Z

1

Since you're binding the data reader to the drop down, you don't need to loop at it explicitly (the call to dr.Read() is effectively eating the first element).

Try this:

SqlDataReader dr = sqlcmd.ExecuteReader();
dropdown.DataSource = dr;
dropdown.DataValueField = "ID";
dropdown.DataTextField = "Description";
dropdown.DataBind();

UPDATE

To add a default item, do this after the code above:

dropdown.Items.Insert(0, new ListItem("Please Select",""));

edited Oct 24, 2012 at 3:14

answered Oct 24, 2012 at 3:03

Jordão

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2 Comments

JS1986 Over a year ago

is there a way to have a "Please Select" option on the drop down. It is being overwritten by the databind.

Jordão Over a year ago

@claw: added that to the answer

awright18 · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-24 03:04:22Z

1

Instead of

dropdown.DataValueField = "ID";
dropdown.DataTextField = "Description";

use

dropdown.DataValueField = dr["ID"].ToString();
dropdown.DataTextField = dr["Description"].ToString();

answered Oct 24, 2012 at 3:04

awright18

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