Create dynamic control inside Repeater using placeholder in Asp.Net(c#)?

In this article I will explain how to create dynamic control inside repeater using placeholder. Using placeholder we can add dynamic control from code behind like TextBox, RadioButtonList, Checkbox etc (depending upon the requirement).

In this Example, I am creating small Question form with different options to give your answer, Like Textbox to enter your answer, Radio button list to select answer and checkboxlist to select multiple answers.

Click on image to enlarge view

Follow these steps:

      1. Create a simple web form in your application.

      2. Now add a Repeater control to this web form.

      3. Customize repeater control as per your requirement and add a Placeholder control where you want     to insert Input control.

      4. No add ItemDataBound event handler.

      5. Bind Repeater and write code on ItemDataBound event handler to generate Dynamic control.


Create a Table in database:

Design or Html Part of Demo Application:

<asp:Repeater ID="rptPrint" runat="server" OnItemDataBound="rptPrint_ItemDataBound">

<ItemTemplate>

  <table style="width: 7.6in">

     <tr>

<td colspan="5" style="width: 7in">

 <strong>

  <asp:Label ID="LblQuestion" Text='<%#Eval("Question")%>'         runat="server"></asp:Label></strong><br />

<asp:HiddenField ID="hfAnswer" Value='<%#Eval("Answer") %>' runat="server" />

<asp:HiddenField ID="hfType" Value='<%#Eval("Type") %>' runat="server" />

 </td>

     </tr>

     <tr>

<td colspan="4">

<asp:PlaceHolder ID="phRow" runat="server" />

 <br />

 </td>

     </tr>

   </table>

</ItemTemplate>

<FooterTemplate>

</FooterTemplate>

</asp:Repeater>

Now write the following code in Code behind:

Add Following Namespace:

using System.Data.SqlClient;

using System.Data;

using System.Configuration;

Now Bind Repeater on Page Load and Generate Dynamic control on ItemDataBound:

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

if (!IsPostBack)

Fill_Repeater();

}

private void Fill_Repeater()

{

SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["con"].ToString());

if (con.State == ConnectionState.Open)

con.Close();

con.Open();

SqlDataAdapter adp = new SqlDataAdapter("Select * from Question", con);

DataTable dt = new DataTable();

adp.Fill(dt);

if (dt.Rows.Count > 0)

{

rptPrint.DataSource = dt;

rptPrint.DataBind();

}

}

protected void rptPrint_ItemDataBound(object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)

{

if (e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Item || e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem)

{

string options = ((HiddenField)e.Item.FindControl("hfAnswer")).Value;

string type = ((HiddenField)e.Item.FindControl("hfType")).Value;

Label lblquestion = ((Label)e.Item.FindControl("LblQuestion"));

PlaceHolder phRow = (PlaceHolder)e.Item.FindControl("phRow");

if (type == "Text")

{

TextBox txtAnswer = new TextBox();

phRow.Controls.Add(txtAnswer);

}

//Check Box Options for Questions

else if (type == "Check")

{

CheckBoxList chklist = new CheckBoxList();

chklist.RepeatDirection = RepeatDirection.Horizontal;

chklist.Font.Italic = true;

chklist.RepeatColumns = 4;

foreach (string option in options.Split(','))

{

ListItem items = new ListItem();

items.Text = option;

items.Value = option;

chklist.Items.Add(items);

}

phRow.Controls.Add(chklist);

}

//Radio options for Question

else

{

RadioButtonList rdblist = new RadioButtonList();

rdblist.RepeatDirection = RepeatDirection.Horizontal;

rdblist.Font.Italic = true;

rdblist.RepeatColumns = 4;

foreach (string option in options.Split(','))

{

ListItem items = new ListItem();

items.Text = option;

items.Value = option;

rdblist.Items.Add(items);

}

phRow.Controls.Add(rdblist);

}

}

}

Note: In case you have any doubt in above post , you can leave your query in comment section or Email me on programmerskill@gmail.com.