Lifecycle question

[MBursill]

Probably a simple question. I have a form with a search button. The click event of the button calls a method for preforming a search. The search method returns a collection of business objects which I bind to a DataList. The binding only appears to work properly when done in the OnInit event. That's fine. The issue is in the order of the events. When the user clicks the search button the buttons click event isn't fired until after the init event. protected void btnSearch_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { List customersList = Search(); // now what? It's not bound because the OnInit (where the binding code is) has already fired } I need to trigger a second post back to get the OnInit to fire again. Or do I? :confused: -Mike.

[Uwe Keim]

Doing ASP.NET for several years, I never needed to handle OnInit(). Is there a reason you use it? Usually my code looks something like this:

protected void Page_Load( object sender, EventArgs e )
{
if ( !IsPostBack )
{
List customersList = Search();
...
}
}

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[MBursill]

Reading the MSDN articles I was under the impression that dynamic content (in this case the template of my DataList has a custom control) needs to be created during the init event. But, if you say you can do it through the Page_Load I believe ya. However, so far that has not worked. This is what I have now tried:

protected void Page\_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!IsPostBack)
    {
        if (SearchResults != null)
        {
	        SearchResultsList.DataSource = SearchResults;
        SearchResultsList.DataBind();
    }
    }
}

protected void btnSearch\_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    SearchResults = Search();
}

private List<Customer> SearchResults
{
    get
    {
        return Session\["SearchResults"\] as List;
    }

    set
    {
        Session\["SearchResults"\] = value;
    }
}

When I hit search, nothing shows up. It doesn't appear as though the bind is ever happening. It's probably something obvious. Usually is the case. ;P -Mike.

[Uwe Keim]

I guess you need to do something like this:

protected void btnSearch_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SearchResults = Search();

SearchResultsList.DataSource = SearchResults;
SearchResultsList.DataBind();

}

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[MBursill]

That got it! I was actually already doing this when I first started, but nothing was showing up. Turns out the problem wasn't the order of where I set my DataSource but rather where I render my HTML in my custom control (the one in the template of the DataList). Thanks for your help. :-D -Mike.