Get Text from listbox in VB.net - asp.net

Question

in my aspx page I have
<asp:listbox class="myClass" id="lbFamilies" OnSelectedIndexChanged="lbFamilies_SelectedIndexChanged" runat="server" SelectionMode="Multiple"
Height="137px" AutoPostBack="True" EnableViewState="True"></asp:listbox>
And the following is in my codebehind
Protected Sub lbFamilies_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
What I am trying to do is to get the text from the selected element, but I can't figure out how to do this

Answer 1

You just have to use the listbox.SelectedItem.Text property:
Protected Sub lbFamilies_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Dim text As String = Nothing
If lbFamilies.SelectedItem IsNot Nothing Then
text = lbFamilies.SelectedItem.Text
End If
End Sub
Thanks, if I have multiselect how would I go through separate elements
Then you have to use a loop:
Protected Sub lbFamilies_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Dim allSelectedTexts As New List(Of String)
For Each item As ListItem In lbFamilies.Items
If item.Selected Then
allSelectedTexts.Add(item.Text)
End If
Next
' following is just a bonus if you want to concatenate them with comma '
Dim result = String.Join(",", allSelectedTexts)
End Sub
or with a LINQ one-liner:
Protected Sub lbFamilies_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
Dim result = String.Join(",", From item In lbFamilies.Items.Cast(Of ListItem)()
Where item.Selected
Select item.Text)
End Sub