So what is data binding? It’s a technique to fill a Asp Control with values from a source. This source could be an XML, or a database. Why would you want that? To create dynamic websites of course!
With data binding techniques, you can separate the way you make data visible, and the actual data.
More posts about this, you can find by tag.
Possibilities for the different Data Bind Controls
| Repeater | DataList | GridView | |
| Templates | X | X | |
| Styles | X | ||
| Columns | X | ||
| Select Items | X |
Templates
Yes, to show the items from the collection or datasource, we will use templates. This is how we transform the data, to for example, a link. Every Control in the Data Controls, has his own set of templates it can use. What each template does, and wich control use them, you can see in the table below:
| Repeater Control | DataList Control | ||||
| HeaderTemplate | X | X | Text above all the items | ||
| ItemTemplate | X | X | Each item | ||
| AlternatingItemTemplate | X | X | |||
| SeparatorTemplate | X | X | Between items. | ||
| FooterTemplate | X | X | At the end of the collection. | ||
| SelectedItemTemplate | X |
Styles
Styles help you with the layout, the colours. What kind of styles are there? A list:
- ItemStyle
- AlternatingItemStyle
- SeparatorStyle
- HeaderStyle
- FooterStyle
- SelectedItemStyle
- EditItemStyle