if statement in asp.net ASP.DataList vb.net - asp.net

Question

In Classic ASP I was able to display a section break based on state. I have an SQL table with menu items, columns:(ListOrder(int),BeginUrl(varchar(20),ShowDate(varchar(20),EndUrl(varchar(20),Section(varchar(20)) BeginURL,ShowDate,EndUrl concatenate to create the link. Section is state (WA,OR,ID).
In classic I created a var nLevel set to "" then proceed to loop through the RS.
Do While NOT menuRS.EOF
If menuRS.Fields("Section") <> nLevel Then
Response.Write("<br><br>" & menuRS.Fields("Section"))
nLevel = menuRS.Fields("Section")
End If
If menuRS.Fields("Display") = 0 Then
Response.Write("<br>"& menuRS.Fields("BeginUrl")&menuRS.Fields("ShowDate")&menuRS.Fields("EndUrl")) & VbCrLf
End If
menuRS.MoveNext
Loop
Which would give me (roughly)
WA
[date]
[date]
OR
[date]
[date]
ID
[date]
Trying to duplicate that in .Net using a DataList, ItemTemplate, and ASP:Label of course using VB, is giving me fits on the 'section' break.
I have the main menu items looping out. Just failing on the Section Break.
<asp:DataList ID="MenuList1" runat="server" DataSourceID="NwccMenuList">
<ItemTemplate>
<asp:Label ID="SectionBreak" runat="server"
Text='<%# If(Eval("Section") <> Me.nLevel) Then (Eval("Section") Me.nLevel= Eval("Section") End If%>' />
</ItemTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<asp:Label ID="BeginUrlLabel" runat="server"
Text='<%# Eval("MenuUrl") %>' />
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
<asp:SqlDataSource ID="NwccMenuList" runat="server"
ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:nwcctanningConnectionString %>"
SelectCommand="SELECT ([BeginUrl]+[ShowDate]+[EndUrl]) AS MenuUrl, Section
FROM [Menu] WHERE ([Display] = 0) ORDER BY [Section] DESC, [ListOrder]">
<SelectParameters>
<asp:Parameter DefaultValue="0" Name="Display"
Type="Byte" />
</SelectParameters>
</asp:SqlDataSource>
Not sure the nLevel variable (in codefile) is reachable or not cannot get past the If statement!
I appreciate any pointers or where I went wrong!

Answer 1

Generally, you want to replace one dinosaur code with another ancient code. OK, Let's do it in ASP.NET way. First, asp:DataList is not the best choice because it renders table. Use the simplest databound control like asp:Repeater. This is a sample code which do the work declarativelly.
<asp:Repeater ID="rptMenu" runat="server" DataSource="NwccMenuList">
<HeaderTemplate>
<ul>
</HeaderTemplate>
<FooterTemplate></ul></FooterTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<li>
<asp:Literal runat="server" ID="ltrSection" Text='<%#Eval("Section") %>'></asp:Literal>
<asp:Repeater runat="server" DataSource="sqlSubmenu">
<HeaderTemplate>
<ul>
</HeaderTemplate>
<FooterTemplate></ul></FooterTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<li>
<asp:HyperLink runat="server" Text='<%#Eval("MenuUrl") %>' NavigateUrl='<%#Eval("MenuUrl") %>'></asp:HyperLink>
</li>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
<%-- Note that a child datasource is inside parent ItemTemplate --%>
<asp:SqlDataSource ID="sqlSubmenu" runat="server"
ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:nwcctanningConnectionString %>"
SelectCommand="SELECT ([BeginUrl]+[ShowDate]+[EndUrl]) AS MenuUrl
FROM [Menu] WHERE ([Display] = 0 and Section=#section) ORDER BY [ListOrder]">
<SelectParameters>
<%-- literal control from parent ItemTemplate --%>
<asp:ControlParameter ControlID="ltrSection" Name="section" Type="String" />
</SelectParameters>
</asp:SqlDataSource>
</li>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
<asp:SqlDataSource ID="NwccMenuList" runat="server"
ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:nwcctanningConnectionString %>"
SelectCommand="SELECT distinct Section FROM [Menu] WHERE ([Display] = 0) ORDER BY [Section] DESC">
<SelectParameters>
<asp:Parameter DefaultValue="0" Name="Display"
Type="Byte" />
</SelectParameters>
</asp:SqlDataSource>
Again, this approach is more than 10 year old.