How to set DataNavigateUrlFormatString from a function

[cmn2]

Could someone please help me understand what I am doing wrong. I have tried endlessly trying to get this to work.
All I get is errors.
Thank you.

Here is what I want to do:

I have a gridview with a hyperlink field. I want to set the DataNavigateUrlFormatString with a function call while passing it a parameter thus building a proper hyperlink.

Here is the hyperlink:

<asp:HyperLinkField DataNavigateUrlFields="Account" DataTextField="AccountName" HeaderText="Account" DataNavigateUrlFormatString='<%# GetURL(account={0}) %>'>
</asp:HyperLinkField>

and here is my function:

Public Function GetURL(ByVal userAccount As String) As String
Dim strReturn As String = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings
("PortalProfileURL").ToString & "'" & userAccount & "'"
Return strReturn
End Function

 

[jbenson001]

What isn't working?
Why not just use the RowDataBoundEvent, and use findcontrol() to find the hyperlink, and then set the property?

 

[cmn2]

Thanks for the quick reply. Here is a little more background.

I am getting a build error:
Databinding expressions are only supported on object that have a DataBinding event. HyperLinkField does not have a DataBinding event.

When I hard-code the DataNavigateUrlFormatString it works fine.
<asp:HyperLinkField DataNavigateUrlFields="Account" DataTextField="AccountName" HeaderText="Account" DataNavigateUrlFormatString="

http://myserver/mywebapp/userpage.aspx?account={0}"

>
</asp:HyperLinkField>

In my case this is an app I did not write, but need to modify quickly as we go from test to staging to production etc. That is why I would like to set the string in the web config file. It will be changing a lot.

 

[jbenson001]

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Languages/.NET/ASP.NET/Q_23065639.html

 

[cmn2]

Thanks Jbenson001, but experts-exchange is a pay site looking for cc info etc. I really rather not go down that path. Still looking for a solution.

 

[jbenson001]

It is not a pay site. You can sign up for free.

 

[cmn2]

I appreciate your sticking with me jbenson001, but as far as expert-exchange goes it is only free for 7 days and only if I give them my cc info.