Question

I tried to Solution suggested here, but it didn’t work in my case. using Page.Controls.IndexOf() for any of the elements on my page, when called in the ItemDataBound event method, returns -1.

I need to insert a linebreak based on certain conditions for stuff generated by my Data repeater. Here is the method:

private String lastCharacter = "";
public void users_ItemDataBound(Object Sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
{
    HyperLink link = (HyperLink)e.Item.FindControl("micrositeLink");

    Tuple<String, String> user = (Tuple<String, String>)e.Item.DataItem;
    link.NavigateUrl = "/" + user.Item1;
    link.Text = user.Item2;

    // makes a break in the data when going from one bunch of data to another.
    if (user.Item1.Length >= 2)
    {
        if (lastCharacter == "")
            lastCharacter = user.Item1[1].ToString().ToLower();
        else if (lastCharacter != user.Item1[1].ToString().ToLower())
        {
            HtmlGenericControl lineBreak = new HtmlGenericControl("br");
            if (Page.Controls.IndexOf(link) >= 0)
                Page.Controls.AddAt(Page.Controls.IndexOf(link), lineBreak);

            lastCharacter = user.Item1[1].ToString().ToLower();
        }
    }
}

The bound data is a list of users in my system with names beginning with a particular letter. My goal is to further sub-divide this data with a line break between groups of data that have the same second letter. For instance:

AaPerson    Aarad    AaStuff
Aathing

AbItem    AbStuff

Acan    Achandle     

To me, inserting a line break before the elements where the second letter changes is the obvious solution, but other suggestions are also appreciated.

Answer 1

Try using e.Item.Controls.IndexOf instead:

if (e.Item.Controls.IndexOf(link) >= 0) 
    e.Item.Controls.AddAt(e.Item.Controls.IndexOf(link), lineBreak);