wont display drop down - asp.net

Question

<form>
<asp:Repeater id="rptComments" runat="server">
<HeaderTemplate>
<table class="detailstable FadeOutOnEdit">
<tr>
<th style="width:200px;">Answers</th>
</tr>
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<tr>
<th style="width:200px;"><asp:DropDownList ID="dropDownForChecklistAnswers" runat="server" /></th>
</tr>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
</table>
<asp:Button id="button" text="Submit" OnClick="Page_Load" runat="server" />
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</form>
Code Behind:
List<Checklist_Record_Choice> CLRC =
(from choice in db.Checklist_Record_Choices
select choice).ToList();
dropDownForChecklistAnswers.DataSource = CLRC;
DropDownList1.DataTextField = Text;//Text being the name of column2 in the table (which contains yes, no, n/a)
dropDownForChecklistAnswers.DataBind();
ERROR: dropDownForChecklistAnswers does not exist in the current context???
please advise
EDIT;
thanks for reply. I have
public void OnReptDataBound(object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
{
ClarkeDBDataContext db1 = new ClarkeDBDataContext();
List<string> CLRC =
(from choice in db1.Checklist_Record_Choices
select choice.Text).ToList();
DropDownList ddl = (DropDownList)e.Item.FindControl("dropDownForChecklistAnswers");
ddl.DataSource = CLRC;
}
but DropDownList ddl is coming back as object ref not set to instance of an object...why is it null??

Answer 1

You need to use FindControl to access a control which is part of a Repeater's template.
Subscribe to the OnItemDataBound of the Repeater (set the attribute OnItemDataBound="OnReptDataBound")
And then in your code behind do the following
void OnReptDataBound(object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
{
if(e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Item)
{
DropDownList ddl = (DropDownList )e.Item.FindControl("dropDownForChecklistAnswers");
ddl.DataSource = ....