How do I lookup a value from a selected text in a dropdown?

[ajoyprabhu]

I am trying to create a file name based upon the firs name, last name and job applied for ("JobType"- which is in a separate table)

In the VB code, "JobTypeID.SelectedItem.Text" gives me the first item of the dropdownlist, not the selected one!!

If I put Request.Form("JobTypeID") in the VB code, it gives me the correct index number, how do I convert it into the it text value?

The code is as follows:

<form enctype="multipart/form-data" runat="server" name="form1" method="POST" action="">
<table width="75%" border="0">
<tr>
<td nowrap>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><div align="right">Contractor:</div></td>
<td> <% ContractorTypeID.SelectedIndex = ContractorTypeID.Items.IndexOf(ContractorTypeID.Items.FindByValue(dsCandidates.FieldValue("ContractorTypeID", Nothing) )) %> <asp:dropdownlist ID="ContractorTypeID"
DataSource="<%# dsSubContractor.DefaultView %>"
DataTextField="Contractor"
DataValueField="ContractorID"
runat="server"> </asp:dropdownlist></td>
</tr>
<tr valign="baseline">
<td nowrap align="right">JobType:</td>
<td> <% JobTypeID.SelectedIndex = JobTypeID.Items.IndexOf(JobTypeID.Items.FindByValue(dsCandidates.FieldValue("JobTypeID", Nothing) )) %> <asp:dropdownlist id="JobTypeID"
DataSource="<%# dsJobs.DefaultView %>"
DataTextField="JobType"
DataValueField="JobID"
runat="server"> </asp:dropdownlist> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><div align="right">First Name: </div></td>
<td><input type="text" id="FirstName" name="FirstName"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><div align="right">Last Name: </div></td>
<td><input type="text" id="LastName" name="LastName"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap><div align="right">Upload Resume:</div></td>
<td><input id="uploadedFile" type="file" runat="server">
<input type="hidden" name="MM_insert" value="form1"></td>
</tr><input type="hidden" name="Status" value="New">
<tr>
<td nowrap><div align="right"></div></td>
<td><p>
<input name="button" type=button id="button3"
value="Upload"
onserverclick="Upload_Click"
runat="server">
</p>
<p>
<asp:label text='<%# ContractorTypeID.SelectedItem.Text %>' runat="server"/>
<asp:label ID="message" runat="server"/>
</p>
<p></p></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>

<script language="VB" runat="server">

Dim savePath As String = "C:\Inetpub\

http://wwwroot\resumes\candidates\"

Sub Upload_Click(source As Object, e As EventArgs)
Page.DataBind

If Not (uploadedFile.PostedFile Is Nothing) Then
Try
Dim postedFile = uploadedFile.PostedFile
'Dim filename As String = Path.GetFileName(postedFile.FileName)
Dim filename As String = JobTypeID.SelectedItem.Text & "_" & Request.Form("FirstName") & "_" & Request.Form("LastName") & ".doc"

Dim contentType As String = postedFile.ContentType
Dim contentLength As Integer = postedFile.ContentLength
'postedFile.SaveAs(savePath & filename)
message.Text = savePath & filename & " uploaded" & _
"<br>Name: " & filename & "Type: " & contentType & _
"<br>Length: " & contentLength.ToString() & _
Catch exc As Exception
message.Text = "Failed uploading file"
End Try
End If
End Sub
</script>

 

[Veep]

Looks like you're calling Page.Bind and rebinding your controls which is going to reset the JobType DropDown. You need to do that after you get the value.

 

[ajoyprabhu]

I have removed the page.bind and it still does the same thing

 

[Veep]

Try adding EnableViewState="True" to your DropDownList properties. Seems like you're losing your ViewState somewhere along the way. Also, why don't you add runat="server" to the FirstName and LastName text boxes? You should be able to access their values with FirstName.Value & " " & LastName.Value & ".doc". If you can get a hold of a copy of Visual Studio 2003 do it. DW is no way to go with .NET.

 

[ajoyprabhu]

still nothing. DO I need Page.Bind at all? I took it out of my Sub and was wondering if that needed as a Sub under Page.Load() ??

I am a neubie at .NET, so just baby steps...maybe I should go right into VS and try it...

THanks for your help so far....did not work... I put bouth in there... run at server and enableviwstate ...any other tips?

 

[Veep]

Create a Page_Load() sub. Put the code that creates your DataSet and Binds your DropDownList in there. This way you're only populating the DropDown on the initial page load.

Sub Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
If Not Page.IsPostBack
   'Create your database call and dataset here...
   JobTypeID.DataSource = dsJobs
   JobTypeID.DataBind()
End If
End Sub

If you are just starting out with .NET and can use VSNet go for it. You'll be glad you did. DW does't support 99% of the stuff that you need to create "real" ASP.NET applications and once you start letting it write code for you it really clouds things up.

 

[ajoyprabhu]

sorry, for this dumb question. DO you mean to say that I need to have my 'variables' that i use int he form preloaded through the page_load subroutine?

Still trying hard to understand this s/w! ...and also looking to see if I can at least get a trial version of VS

 

[Veep]

Variable scope is limited to the Sub/Function that it's declared in.

dim a as string = "I'm a page level variable." ' Page Level
Sub Sub1()
  dim b as string = "Hello World!" ' can only be used here
  Response.Write(a & "<br/>") 'writes out the contents of variable a
  Response.Write(b & "<br/>") ' writes out "Hello World!"
End Sub

Response.Write(b) ' throws an error - b doesn't exist here

Go here and check out some of the code examples starting with the WebForms category. They
should clear some things up.

http://asp.net/Tutorials/quickstart.aspx

 

[ajoyprabhu]

ok got that, was wondering about how to insert the dataset and db calls into a page_load()? These are currently like so--

<MMataSet
id="dsCandidates"
runat="Server"
IsStoredProcedure="false"
ConnectionString='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_STRING_connCandidates") %>'
DatabaseType='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_DATABASETYPE_connCandidates") %>'
CommandText='<%# "SELECT * FROM Candidates" %>'
Debug="true"
>
</MMataSet>

<MMataSet
id="dsSubContractor"
runat="Server"
IsStoredProcedure="false"
ConnectionString='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_STRING_connCandidates") %>'
DatabaseType='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_DATABASETYPE_connCandidates") %>'
CommandText='<%# "SELECT Contractor, ContractorID FROM Subcontrators" %>'
Debug="true"
>
</MMataSet>

<MMataSet
id="dsJobs"
runat="Server"
IsStoredProcedure="false"
ConnectionString='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_STRING_connCandidates") %>'
DatabaseType='<%# System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_DATABASETYPE_connCandidates") %>'
CommandText='<%# "SELECT * FROM Jobs" %>'
Debug="true"
> </MMataSet>

<MMageBind runat="server" PostBackBind="true" />

do you mean these??

SOrry about sounding dumb in .net. will look up asp.net wite too...can i use webmatrix instead? will that be better than MM??

Thanks!

 

[Veep]

Start by not using Dreamweaver
In VB it goes something like this:

Sub Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
If Not Page.IsPostBack
   Dim strConn as string
   strConn = System.Configuration.ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("MM_CONNECTION_STRING_connCandidates")
   Dim conn as SqlConnection = new SqlConnection(strConn)
   Conn.Open()
   Dim strSql as string = "SELECT JobTypeID,JobType FROM tbl_JobTypes"
   Dim da as SqlDataAdapter = new SqlDataAdapter(strSql,conn)
   Dim ds as DataSet = new DataSet()
   da.Fill(ds,"JobTypes")
   Dim dt as DataTable 
   dt = ds.Tables("JobTypes")
   JobTypeID.DataSource = dt
   JobTypeID.DataBind()   
   JobTypeID.DataSource = dsJobs
   JobTypeID.DataBind()
End If
End Sub

Here's an article that may help.

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/071101-1.shtml

For that matter take a look at the whole site. It will answer any question that you may have.

http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/

The first thing that you need to do is get away from DreamWeaver and letting it set up your Connection String, DataSources etc.
Good Luck

 

[ajoyprabhu]

ok. calls for a re-thinking of the tools to use! I think that that is the bottom-line.

I'll try webmatrix and see if that helps, if not, then try and get VS to help.

THanks a ton for your advice!