Question

I have a dropdownlist, whose datasource is from SQL server.

<asp:DropDownList ID="State" runat="server" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource1" DataTextField="STATE_NAME" DataValueField="STATE_FIPS">
</asp:DropDownList>
                                   <asp:SqlDataSource ID="SqlDataSource1" runat="server" ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:ConnectionString %>"
                                       SelectCommand="SELECT DISTINCT [STATE_NAME], [STATE_FIPS] FROM [county] order by [STATE_NAME]">
                                   </asp:SqlDataSource>

I want to prepopulate the value in the list. i use DropDownList.SelectedIndex = DropDownList.Items.IndexOf(DropDownList.Items.FindByValue(YourValueHere)). but it’s not working. it gives me a null from DropDownList.Items.FindByValue(YourValueHere).

The same code works fine if i use static listitem, like:

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddl" runat="server">
                <asp:ListItem>item1</asp:ListItem>
                <asp:ListItem>item2</asp:ListItem>
                <asp:ListItem>item3</asp:ListItem>
                <asp:ListItem>item4</asp:ListItem>
</asp:DropDownList>

Any ideas? Thanks!

Answer 1

What about directly using the SelectedValue property of the dropdown: DropDownList.SelectedValue = YourValueHere; ?

Edit: I got your problem, you have to Select DropDownList Class instead of the id of your dropdownlist control. The code below code is working, I tested it.

ddl.SelectedIndex = ddl.Items.IndexOf(ddl.Items.FindByValue("item3"));