I need to set the selected value in a drop down list to match the value from a database record so that the record can remain the same or be changed before submitting an update.  How can I get the control to ignore the case of the text when setting the selected value? If my database record value doesn't match the entries in the drop down list exactly, I don't get a match. The only way I can get it to work is if I convert both side to upper or lower case.  How can I get it to ignore the case?

    Protected Sub Branches_ItemDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListItemEventArgs) Handles Branches.ItemDataBound
        If e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.EditItem Then
            Dim tbID As TextBox = CType(e.Item.FindControl("tbID"), TextBox)
            Dim objBranch As New Branch
            Dim ds As New DataSet
            objBranch = objDataAccess.getBranch(tbID.Text)
            Dim LinkButtonDelete As LinkButton = CType(e.Item.FindControl("LinkButtonDelete"), LinkButton)
            Dim ddlEditRegion As DropDownList = CType(e.Item.FindControl("ddlEditRegion"), DropDownList)
            ds = objDataAccess.getRegions
            ddlEditRegion.DataSource = ds.Tables(0)
            ddlEditRegion.DataTextField = ds.Tables(0).Columns("Region").ColumnName.ToString
            ddlEditRegion.DataValueField = ds.Tables(0).Columns("Region").ColumnName.ToString
            ddlEditRegion.DataBind()
            ddlEditRegion.Items.Insert(0, "")

            ddlEditRegion.SelectedValue = objBranch.Region.ToString.ToUpper
            Utilities.CreateConfirmBox(LinkButtonDelete, _
            "Delete Branch?")
        End If
    End Sub

You can do it normal, but it wouldn't match up sometimes. it's better if you make a lower or upper case reference to it. for example: 

        Dim tofind As String = "tofind".ToLower
        Dim tmp As String = ListBox1.items(A).text.toLower
        If tmp = tofind Then
            ' It matched
        End If

Converting  both sides to upper before doing the compare solved the problem.

Protected Sub Branches_ItemDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListItemEventArgs) Handles Branches.ItemDataBound
        If e.Item.ItemType = ListItemType.EditItem Then
            Dim tbID As TextBox = CType(e.Item.FindControl("tbID"), TextBox)
            Dim objBranch As New Branch
            Dim ds As New DataSet
            objBranch = objDataAccess.getBranch(tbID.Text)
            Dim LinkButtonDelete As LinkButton = CType(e.Item.FindControl("LinkButtonDelete"), LinkButton)
            Dim ddlEditRegion As DropDownList = CType(e.Item.FindControl("ddlEditRegion"), DropDownList)
            ds = objDataAccess.getRegions
            ddlEditRegion.DataSource = ds.Tables(0)
            ddlEditRegion.DataTextField = ds.Tables(0).Columns("Region").ColumnName.ToString
            ddlEditRegion.DataValueField = ds.Tables(0).Columns("Region").ColumnName.ToString
            ddlEditRegion.DataBind()
            ddlEditRegion.Items.Insert(0, "")
            Dim itemRegion As New ListItem
            'Dim strTmp As String
            For Each itemRegion In ddlEditRegion.Items
                If itemRegion.Value.ToString.ToUpper = objBranch.Region.ToString.ToUpper Then
                    ddlEditRegion.SelectedValue = itemRegion.Text
                End If
            Next
            'ddlEditRegion.SelectedValue = objBranch.Region.ToString.ToUpper
            Utilities.CreateConfirmBox(LinkButtonDelete, _
            "Delete Branch?")
        End If
    End Sub

This seems a pretty ugly solution.  Is there a better way??

drpArea.DataTextField = "Area"

drpArea.DataValueField = "Area"