How to get Selected Value in FormView Control? - asp.net

Question

I'm working with an application develop by ASP.NET, the problem I face is using FormView control, the FormView Control has ItemTemplate, InsertItemTemplate and EditItemTemplate.
Below is the code fragment of InsertItemTemplate:
<asp:FormView ID="FormView1" runat="server" DefaultMode="ReadOnly">
<InsertItemTemplate>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td>
<asp:Label id="lblPS" runat="server" Text="Process Status"></asp:Label>
</td>
<td>
<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlPS" runat="server"></asp:DropDownList>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<asp:Label id="lblAP" runat="server" Text="Action Plan"></asp:Label>
</td>
<td>
<asp:TextBox id="txtAP" runat="server" Width="230px" TextMode="MultiLine" Rows="5"></asp:TextBox>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<asp:Button ID="btnSubmit" runat="server" Text="Submit" onclick="btnSubmit_Click" />
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</InsertItemTemplate>
</asp:FormView>
In Page_Load event, I do DataSource Binding into the DropDownList as below:
FormView1.ChangeMode(FormViewMode.Insert);
DropDownList ddlPS = FormView1.FindControl("ddlPS") as DropDownList;
ddlPS.DataSource=GetProcessStatus();
ddlPS.DataBind();
ddlPS.Items.Insert(0, new System.Web.UI.WebControls.ListItem("- Please Select -", "- Please Select -"));
The data binding into DropDownList and the "- Please Select -" was ok.
Here the problem comes, when Submit Button click, I wanted to get user selected DropDownList Value, but the DropDownList.SelectedItem.Text always return me "- Please Select -".
Please advise how can I get the user selected value in InsertItemTemplate.

Answer 1

The problem is with your DataBind on Page Load event.
When you DataBind you clear the existing values and hence loose the selected value.
A drop down list remembers the items in it, so you don't need to DataBind on every postback.
Your could should be like this.
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if(!IsPostBack)
{
DropDownList ddlPS = FormView1.FindControl("ddlPS") as DropDownList;
ddlPS.DataSource=GetProcessStatus();
ddlPS.DataBind();
ddlPS.Items.Insert(0, new System.Web.UI.WebControls.ListItem("- Please Select -", "- Please Select -"));
}
}