ASP.NET - DataList Control

The DataList control, similar to the Repeater control, is used to display a repeated list of items limited to the control. However, the DataList control will add a table by default to the data items.

Example

DataList Control
Stylized DataList Control
DataList Control with <AlternatingItemTemplate>

Binding DataSet to DataList Control

The DataList control, similar to the Repeater control, is used to display a repeated list of items limited to the control. However, the DataList control will add a table by default to the data items. The DataList control can be bound to a database table, an XML file, or other item lists. Here, we will show how to bind an XML file to a DataList control.

We will use the following XML file ("cdcatalog.xml") in the example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<catalog>
<cd>
  <title>Empire Burlesque</title>
  <artist>Bob Dylan</artist>
  <country>USA</country>
  <company>Columbia</company>
  <price>10.90</price>
  <year>1985</year>
</cd>
<cd>
  <title>Hide your heart</title>
  <artist>Bonnie Tyler</artist>
  <country>UK</country>
  <company>CBS Records</company>
  <price>9.90</price>
  <year>1988</year>
</cd>
<cd>
  <title>Greatest Hits</title>
  <artist>Dolly Parton</artist>
  <country>USA</country>
  <company>RCA</company>
  <price>9.90</price>
  <year>1982</year>
</cd>
<cd>
  <title>Still got the blues</title>
  <artist>Gary Moore</artist>
  <country>UK</country>
  <company>Virgin records</company>
  <price>10.20</price>
  <year>1990</year>
</cd>
<cd>
  <title>Eros</title>
  <artist>Eros Ramazzotti</artist>
  <country>EU</country>
  <company>BMG</company>
  <price>9.90</price>
  <year>1997</year>
</cd>
</catalog>

Please view this XML file:cdcatalog.xml

First, import the "System.Data" namespace. We need this namespace to work with the DataSet object. Include the following directive at the top of the .aspx page:

<%@ Import Namespace="System.Data" %>

Next, create a DataSet for this XML file and load this XML file into the DataSet when the page is first loaded:

<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
  dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
  mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
end if
end sub

Then we create a DataList control in the .aspx page. The content of the <HeaderTemplate> element appears only once in the output, while the content of the <ItemTemplate> element corresponds to the repetition of "record" in the DataSet, and finally, the content of the <FooterTemplate> appears only once in the output:

<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog" runat="server">
<HeaderTemplate>
...
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
...
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
...
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>

Then we add the script to create the DataSet and bind this mycdcatalog DataSet to the DataList control. We also use these elements to fill the DataList control: the <HeaderTemplate> containing the table header, the <ItemTemplate> containing the data items to be displayed, and the <FooterTemplate> containing text. Note that the gridlines property of the DataList is set to "both" to display the table borders:

<%@ Import Namespace="System.Data" %>
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
  dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
  mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
  cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
  cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog">
gridlines="both" runat="server">
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
Copyright codew3c.com
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>

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Using styles

You can also add styles to the DataList control to make it more stylish:

<%@ Import Namespace="System.Data" %>
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
  dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
  mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
  cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
  cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog">
runat="server"
cellpadding="2"
cellspacing="2"
borderstyle="inset"
backcolor="#e8e8e8"
width="100%"
headerstyle-font-name="Verdana"
headerstyle-font-size="12pt"
headerstyle-horizontalalign="center"
headerstyle-font-bold="true"
itemstyle-backcolor="#778899"
itemstyle-forecolor="#ffffff"
footerstyle-font-size="9pt"
footerstyle-font-italic="true"
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
Copyright codew3c.com
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>

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Using <AlternatingItemTemplate>

You can add an <AlternatingItemTemplate> element after the <ItemTemplate> element to describe the appearance of alternating rows. You can also style the data in the <AlternatingItemTemplate> section within the DataList control:

<%@ Import Namespace="System.Data" %>
<script runat="server">
sub Page_Load
if Not Page.IsPostBack then
dim mycdcatalog=New DataSet
mycdcatalog.ReadXml(MapPath("cdcatalog.xml"))
cdcatalog.DataSource=mycdcatalog
cdcatalog.DataBind()
end if
end sub
</script>
<html>
<body>
<form runat="server">
<asp:DataList id="cdcatalog">
runat="server"
cellpadding="2"
cellspacing="2"
borderstyle="inset"
backcolor="#e8e8e8"
width="100%"
headerstyle-font-name="Verdana"
headerstyle-font-size="12pt"
headerstyle-horizontalalign="center"
headerstyle-font-bold="True"
itemstyle-backcolor="#778899"
itemstyle-forecolor="#ffffff"
alternatingitemstyle-backcolor="#e8e8e8"
alternatingitemstyle-forecolor="#000000"
footerstyle-font-size="9pt"
footerstyle-font-italic="True">
<HeaderTemplate>
My CD Catalog
</HeaderTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</ItemTemplate>
<AlternatingItemTemplate>
"<%#Container.DataItem("title")%>" of
<%#Container.DataItem("artist")%> -
$<%#Container.DataItem("price")%>
</AlternatingItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
© codew3c.com
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:DataList>
</form>
</body>
</html>

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