Question

If I want to combine asp.net code with html (mark up) file, I need to open <% %> and execute teh code.

What If I want to iterate over a database with select query while feeding information and creating rows. For example:

<table>

<%
   foreach(DataRow dr in dataset.Tables["empoloyees"].Rows)
   {
%>
<tr>
<td>
      <asp:Label runat="Server" Text="<% dr[FirstName].toString(); %>"/>
</td>
<td>
      <asp:Label runat="Server" Text="<%dr[LastName].toString();%>"/>
</td>
</tr>
<%
   }
%>
</table>

Is the syntax correct..and is that practice good (it is always used in php) ? or should I bind the data to the label somehow?(no idea how. but somehow)?

Answer 1

First and most important thing – do not mix business logic and data access functionality with the data representation markup!

Supposing you are using WebForms, you can use Repeater control which is bound in the code behind of a page/control (aspx.cs/ascx.cs) so View stay decoupled and just bound to specific properties of data source:

ASPX:

<asp:Repeater ID="employees" runat="server">   
<HeaderTemplate>   
<table> 
</HeaderTemplate>   
<ItemTemplate>   
<tr>   
<td>   
   <asp:Label runat="Server" 
              Text="<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "FirstName") %>"/> 
</td> 
<td>        

   <asp:Label runat="Server" 
              Text="<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem, "LastName") %>"/> 
</td>   
</tr>   
</ItemTemplate>   
<FooterTemplate>   
</table>
</FooterTemplate>   
</asp:Repeater>   

Code Behind: (Page_Load() for instance)

employees.DataSource = dataset.Tables["empoloyees"].Rows;
employees.DataBind();