Use an array to populate a listbox?

Question

The website I am working on will contain a drop-down list that shows a number of reason codes.

Is it possible to populate a drop-down list with an array derived from a custom class?

Something like this:

ASPX Page

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlReasonsWhy" runat="server"></asp:DropDownList>

ASPX Code Behind

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    //instantiate custom class
    Class1 reasonsList = new Class1();
   //populate reasons list
   this.ddlReasonsWhy.Items.Add(reasonsList.getReasons);

Custom Class

public string[] getReasons()
    {
        string[] Reasons;
        Reasons[0] = "test";
        Reasons[1] = "test2";
        Reasons[2] = "test3";

        return Reasons;
    }

UPDATE1:

Thanks to the answers and this stack link my final solution is similar to Ahmet and silky answers.

Class

 public List<ListItem> getRejectReasons()
    {
        List<ListItem> reasons = new List<ListItem>();
        reasons.Add(new ListItem("Select Value", "0"));
        reasons.Add(new ListItem("Red", "1"));
        reasons.Add(new ListItem("Green", "2"));
        return reasons;

    }

Code Behind

 //instantiate custom class
 Class1 reject = new Class1();
 this.ddlReasonsWhy.DataSource = reject.getRejectReasons();
 this.ddlReasonsWhy.DataBind();

Ahmet Kakıcı · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-07 12:55:02Z

3

Use ListItem instead of string and Addrange for Add

edit: getReasons is not a variable so use getReasons()

ASPXPAGE

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlReasonsWhy" runat="server"></asp:DropDownList>

ASPX Code Behind

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    //instantiate custom class
    Class1 reasonsList = new Class1();
   //populate reasons list
   this.ddlReasonsWhy.Items.AddRange(reasonsList.getReasons());
}

Custom Class

public ListItem[] getReasons()
    {
        ListItem[] Reasons;
        Reasons[0] = "test";
        Reasons[1] = "test2";
        Reasons[2] = "test3";

        return Reasons;
    }

answered Jan 7, 2010 at 12:55

Ahmet Kakıcı

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1 Comment

John M Over a year ago

thanks - this was very helpful - please see my update1 for the correct class syntax.

Noon Silk · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-07 12:50:57Z

3

-- Edit:

I've noticed you specifically wanted to bind to an array. I don't believe that is possible (may be wrong); I leave my example below of how to do it for a custom class, perhaps it is of use, perhaps not. Hopefully someone else answers you more directly.

-- Old:

Certainly it is, like so:

ddlList.DataSource     = yourDataSource;
ddlList.DataTextField  = "DisplayProperty";
ddlList.DataValueField = "PropertyForValue";
ddlList.DataBind();

But note, in your example you've not posted the class, you've posted a method. In the example about 'yourDataSource' should be something like:

List<YourObjects> yourDataSource = new List<YourObjects>();

answered Jan 7, 2010 at 12:50

Noon Silk

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Comments

edosoft · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-07 12:50:38Z

1

(untested)

this.ddlReasonsWhy.DataSource = reasonsList.getReasons;
this.ddlReasonsWhy.DataBind();

answered Jan 7, 2010 at 12:50

edosoft

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Comments

kͩeͣmͮpͥ ͩ · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-07 12:50:40Z

0

Just a thought, but how about:

this.ddlReasonsWhy.Items.Add(reasonsList.getReasons().Select(r => new ListItem(r)));

answered Jan 7, 2010 at 12:50

kͩeͣmͮpͥ ͩ

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