Populating a Dropdownlist from a SQL table

Hello guys, I am trying to populate a ddlist on my form from a sql table, but am having trouble coming up with the code.
Here is what i got so far. Im not sure what goes after the read? Thanks you very much.

Sub GetCauseofLoss()

Dim connAs SqlClient.SqlConnection
Dim cmdAs SqlClient.SqlCommand

Dim drAs SqlClient.SqlDataReader

Dim intFieldAsInteger

conn =New SqlClient.SqlConnection

conn.ConnectionString = Replace(Application("ConnectStage"), "Driver={SQL Server}; ", "")

cmd = conn.CreateCommand

conn.Open()

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM CauseOfLoss"

dr = cmd.ExecuteReader

While dr.Read

dgddLossCode.SelectedValue &= vbNewLine

For intField = 0To dr.FieldCount - 1

?????

Next

EndWhile

dr.Close()

conn.Close()

EndSub

' Assume myDDL is an established web control
Dim myDS as DataSet
' Populate DataSet however you want.
Dim currRecord as DataRow
myDDL.Items.Add(new ListItem("", "blank")) ' Just addin
for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
myDDL.Items.add(new ListItem(currRecord(0)))
next
The index in parenthesis after Tables can be replaced with a string of a table name you proved.
The index in parenthesis after currRecord can be replaced with a string of a column name you proved or the name of the column from the database.
I haven't used DataReader before, thus my example above with a DataSet. Looking at the documentation for it, you would do something similar (and in this case, probably easier).

While dr.Read()
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(COLUMN_INDEX_OR_NAME_HERE)) ' assuming that is you DropDownList
End While
The above example is assuming you only want 1 column. If you want multiple columns from the same row, you can name each column individually, or you can iterate through them or use a method of the class. You can find those athttp://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfsystemdatasqlclientsqldatareadermemberstopic.asp
If you do that, use a String variable and then add the String to the DropDownList

check this

The table Cause of Loss has a Loss _Code, and a Loss_Description. I would need to populate the ddlist with both columns. I also didnt mention that this ddlist is part of a datagrid. Thank you very much guys for your help. Does this look OK?

Sub GetCauseofLoss()

Dim conn As SqlClient.SqlConnection
Dim cmd As SqlClient.SqlCommand
Dim myDS as DataSet
Dim currRecord as DataRow

Dim dr As SqlClient.SqlDataReader
Dim intField As Integer
conn = New SqlClient.SqlConnection
conn.ConnectionString = Replace(Application("ConnectStage"), "Driver={SQL Server}; ", "")
cmd = conn.CreateCommand
conn.Open()

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM CauseOfLoss"

dr = cmd.ExecuteReader
While dr.Read

for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Code))
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Description))
next

End While
dr.Close()
conn.Close()

End Sub

Each add call on the dropdownlist.item will add a new list item. What you need to do is similar, but more like
Dim strToAdd as String
While dr.Read
strToAdd = ""
for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
strToAdd &= dr.Item(Loss_Code)
strToAdd &= dr.Item(Loss_Description)
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(strToAdd)
next
End While
You may want to space them somehow, but I'm not sure the best method on that. As for the ddl being in a DataGrid, I'm not sure that would change this part of the code. It's still DropDownList, just encapsulated within a DataGrid.

vin1127 wrote:

Sub GetCauseofLoss()

Dim conn As SqlClient.SqlConnection
Dim cmd As SqlClient.SqlCommand
Dim myDS as DataSet
Dim currRecord as DataRow

Dim dr As SqlClient.SqlDataReader
Dim intField As Integer
conn = New SqlClient.SqlConnection
conn.ConnectionString = Replace(Application("ConnectStage"), "Driver={SQL Server}; ", "")
cmd = conn.CreateCommand
conn.Open()

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM CauseOfLoss"

dr = cmd.ExecuteReader
While dr.Read

for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Code))
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Description))
next

Hi, your DataSet was not filled and it is empty and uninstantiated, your foreach loop would not run. Try this
protected void dgrd_ItemDataBound(Object sender, DataGridItemEventArgs e)
{
// if in <EditItemTemplate>, use ListItemType.EditItem
if(e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Item ||
e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem)
{

// open connection here
// DataSet declaration

// retrieve the fields needed only
string strSQL = "SELECT Loss_Code, Loss_Description FROM CauseOfLoss";
SqlDataAdapter daCOL = new SqlDataAdapter(strSQL,conn);

daCOL.Fill(myDS,"COL");
DataColumn dcol = new DataColumn();
dcol.ColumnName = "CompositeCol";
dcol.ColumnType = System.Type.GetType("System.String");
dcol.Expression = "Loss_Code + ' - ' + Loss_Description";
myDS.Tables["COL"].Columns.Add(dcol);
// locate DDL in DataGrid
DropDownList ddl = (DropDownList)e.Item.FindControl("ddlIDInGrid");
ddl.DataSource = myDS.Tables["COL"];
ddl.DataTextField = "CompositeCol";
ddl.DataValueField = "Loss_Code";
ddl.DataBind();
}
}


Hope this helps...

vin1127 wrote:

The table Cause of Loss has a Loss _Code, and a Loss_Description. I would need to populate the ddlist with both columns. I also didnt mention that this ddlist is part of a datagrid. Thank you very much guys for your help. Does this look OK?

Sub GetCauseofLoss()

Dim conn As SqlClient.SqlConnection
Dim cmd As SqlClient.SqlCommand
Dim myDS as DataSet
Dim currRecord as DataRow

Dim dr As SqlClient.SqlDataReader
Dim intField As Integer
conn = New SqlClient.SqlConnection
conn.ConnectionString = Replace(Application("ConnectStage"), "Driver={SQL Server}; ", "")
cmd = conn.CreateCommand
conn.Open()

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM CauseOfLoss"

dr = cmd.ExecuteReader
While dr.Read

for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Code))
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item(Loss_Description))
next

End While
dr.Close()
conn.Close()

End Sub

Your code should be this.

Sub GetCauseofLoss()

Dim conn As SqlClient.SqlConnection
Dim cmd As SqlClient.SqlCommand
Dim myDS as DataSet
Dim currRecord as DataRow

Dim dr As SqlClient.SqlDataReader
Dim intField As Integer
conn = New SqlClient.SqlConnection
conn.ConnectionString = Replace(Application("ConnectStage"), "Driver={SQL Server}; ", "")
cmd = conn.CreateCommand
conn.Open()

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT * FROM CauseOfLoss"

dr = cmd.ExecuteReader
While dr.Read

for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item("Loss_Code"),dr.Item("Loss_Description"))
next

End While
dr.Close()
conn.Close()

End Sub

for each currRecord in myDS.Tables(0).Rows
dgddLossCode.Items.Add(new ListItem(dr.Item("Loss_Code"),dr.Item("Loss_Description"))
next
The above will actually add a new ListItem to your DDL with a Text of the value in Loss_Code and a Value of "Loss_Description". If this is what you want, thent that is correct. If you want them to both be added, you'll need to make them 1 string, then add that string. On a note, if you only supply on parameter to ListItem, it is made both the Text and Value property.