Allocate number of columns to repeater when the page is loaded - asp.net

Question

I am binding a dataset to asp repeater.
<asp:Repeater id="rptDataset" runat="server">
<table>
<HeaderTemplate>
<tr>
<th>Col1</th>
<th>Col2</th>
</tr>
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<tr>
<td><%# Eval("c1") %></td>
<td><%# Eval("c2") %></td>
</tr>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
Now I have varying number of columns, that won't be known until the page is loaded. So I'm modifying the header like this
<HeaderTemplate>
<tr>
<th>Col1</th>
<th>Col2</th>
<% for (int i=0; i<NoOfColumn; i++){
Response.Write("<th>ColN</th>")
} % >
</tr>
</HeaderTemplate>
Which correctly showed all column headers.
What should I modify <ItemTemplate> so it could show all the column data?
I've tried something like
<% Response.Write("<td><%# Eval("c1") %></td>") %>
which would result an error due to the nested <% %> sign.
Also tried
<% Response.Write(DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "c1")) %>
but it said Container cannot be resolved.

Answer 1

So you have two options, quick hack and proper pretty solution.
Quick hack
Create all necessary html in a string and output it in Literal control. Make sure to use PassThrough mode not to have html encoded:
<ItemTemplate>
<%# GetDataRow(Container.DataItem) %>
</ItemTemplate>
protected string GetDataRow(object dataItem)
{
StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
output.Append("<tr>");
for (int i=0; i<NoOfColumn; i++)
{
output.Append("<td>");
output.Append(DataBinder.Eval(dataItem, "c"+i));
output.Append("</td>");
}
output.Append("</tr>");
return output.ToString();
}
Pretty solution
Define your own custom template implementing ITemplate. A complete example of how this is done can be found here. It will take more work, but, as it's usually the case with pretty solutions, result will be much more readable, maintainable and reusable.

Answer 2

Finally I have it solved by applying nested Repeater.
<asp:Repeater runat="server" ID="rptRow">
<ItemTemplate>
<tr>
<td><%# Eval("c1") %></td>
<td><%# Eval("c2") %></td>
<asp:Repeater runat="server" ID="rptCol">
<ItemTemplate>
<td><%# Eval("cn") %></td>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</tr>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>