Hi, I am using FormView control to display a form for inserting and updating user records. I have not problem populating the form with the correct user record etc. but for some reason I can't get the data in the form to pass to my UpdateUserDetails method in the UserDB class. I am setting my object by using DataObjectTypeName. The class looks like this:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;


namespace FPEN_Objects
{
    public class User {

        // declare the class members
        private Guid userID;
        private string username;
        private string password;
        private string emailAddress;
        private string salutation;
        private string title;
        private string firstName;
        private string lastName;
        private string companyName;
        private string street;
        private string street2;
        private string city;
        private string state;
        private int zip;
        private string country;
        private string phoneNumber;
        private string faxNumber;
        private int allowedLogins;
        private DateTime expirationDate;
        private DateTime lastLoginDate;
        private bool recieveUpdateEmails;
        private string comments;
        private bool isProspect;
        private bool isActive;
        private bool isDeleted;
        private bool isRequest;
        private bool hasAgreed;
        private DateTime dateAgreed;
        
        private string roles;

        // default constructor
        public User() {
        }

        // constructor for login/session purposes
        public User(Guid userID, string userName, string password, string roles)
        {
            this.userID = userID;
            this.username = userName;
            this.password = password;
            this.roles = roles;
        }

        public Guid UserID
        {
            get { return userID; }
            set { userID = value; }
        }

        public string Username
        {
            get { return username; }
            set { username = value; }
        }

        public string Password
        {
            get { return password; }
            set { password = value; }
        }

        public string EmailAddress
        {
            get { return emailAddress; }
            set { emailAddress = value; }
        }

        public string Salutation
        {
            get { return salutation; }
            set { salutation = value; }
        }

        public string Title
        {
            get { return title; }
            set { title = value; }
        }

        public string FirstName
        {
            get { return firstName; }
            set { firstName = value; }
        }

        public string LastName
        {
            get { return lastName; }
            set { lastName = value; }
        }

        public string CompanyName
        {
            get { return companyName; }
            set { companyName = value; }
        }

        public string Street
        {
            get { return street; }
            set { street = value; }
        }

        public string Street2
        {
            get { return street2; }
            set { street2 = value; }
        }

        public string City
        {
            get { return city; }
            set { city = value; }
        }

        public string State
        {
            get { return state; }
            set { state = value; }
        }

        public int Zip
        {
            get { return zip; }
            set { zip = value; }
        }

        public string Country
        {
            get { return country; }
            set { country = value; }
        }

        public string PhoneNumber
        {
            get { return phoneNumber; }
            set { phoneNumber = value; }
        }

        public string FaxNumber
        {
            get { return faxNumber; }
            set { faxNumber = value; }
        }

        public int AllowedLogins
        {
            get { return allowedLogins; }
            set { allowedLogins = value; }
        }

        public DateTime ExpirationDate
        {
            get { return expirationDate; }
            set { expirationDate = value; }
        }

        public DateTime LastLoginDate
        {
            get { return lastLoginDate; }
            set { lastLoginDate = value; }
        }

        public bool RecieveUpdateEmails
        {
            get { return recieveUpdateEmails; }
            set { recieveUpdateEmails = value; }
        }

        public string Comments
        {
            get { return comments; }
            set { comments = value; }
        }

        public bool IsProspect
        {
            get { return isProspect; }
            set { isProspect = value; }
        }

        public bool IsActive
        {
            get { return isActive; }
            set { isActive = value; }
        }

        public bool IsDeleted
        {
            get { return isDeleted; }
            set { isDeleted = value; }
        }

        public bool IsRequest
        {
            get { return isRequest; }
            set { isRequest = value; }
        }

        public bool HasAgreed
        {
            get { return hasAgreed; }
            set { hasAgreed = value; }
        }

        public DateTime DateAgreed
        {
            get { return dateAgreed; }
            set { dateAgreed = value; }
        }

        public string Roles
        {
            get { return roles; }
            set { roles = value; }
        }

    }
}

My FormView tag looks like this:

<asp:FormView ID="FormView1" runat="server" DataSourceID="userDetails" 
        DefaultMode="Edit">
        <ItemTemplate>
            <asp:Button ID="Button3" runat="server" Text="Edit User" CommandName="Edit" />
        </ItemTemplate>
        <InsertItemTemplate>
            insert user.
        </InsertItemTemplate>
        <EditItemTemplate>
            <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                <tr>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <table class="formTbl" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                           
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">First Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="firstName" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("FirstName") %>' />                                    
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Last Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="lastName" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("LastName") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                        </table>
                    </td>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <asp:Button ID="updateUser" runat="server" Text="Update" CommandName="Update" />
                        <asp:Button ID="cancelUpdate" runat="server" Text="Cancel" onclick="cancelUpdate_Click" />
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </EditItemTemplate>
    </asp:FormView>

Also, I have noticed that the fields are not available on my codebhind pages unless I move them out of the formview control. Is that expected behavior?

Thanks! 

Hello ,

Can you please Edit Your Post and  format the code using the Source code button ()

one more Note : I noticed that you didn't set the DataKeyNames property for your FormView ,you must set that property to your Object Identifier Name ,

Like this :

<asp:FormView DataKeyNames="UserId" ..... 

Ok, so do I need to list every single field in that as a comma delimeted list?

Thanks for your help! 

nwahlberg:

Ok, so do I need to list every single field in that as a comma delimeted list?

No , you just need to list the Field that maps to the Primary key for the table ( and i think its the UserId Field .. right ?).. so you just need to add the userid as i mentioned ,

For now , i have some notes :

you used Eval to Bind the TextBoxes to the Underlying Fields in your object , Note that Eval is used to implement a one-way binding , which means that any modifications on the Text boxes will not passed back to the ObjectDataSource, So please for Edit and Insert Templates , you should replace Eval with Bind ..

nwahlberg:

Also, I have noticed that the fields are not available on my codebhind pages unless I move them out of the formview control. Is that expected behavior? 

Yes , that's a normal behavior ,when the controls placed inside a Template controls  you can't access them directly ,instead you need to use the formView  Findcontrol function to get a reference to them.

note that Findcontrol search the current displayed FormView Template , for example , you can't use it to find a control that is in EditTemplate while the formViw in insertTemplate ...

Now , after applying the mentioned modifications , see if it worked , if not add a break point to ItemUpdated event handler for your formview and check the value of e.Exception , it must contains a details about the exception . try to paste that exception here..

 Great, this seems to work great! I am a little confused as to the DataKeyNames needing just the primary key...how does that work? Also, I didn't realize the difference on Bind vs. Eval...also great to know.

Thanks again for the information!

nwahlberg:

I am a little confused as to the DataKeyNames needing just the primary key...how does that work?

The DataKeyNames used as a Temporary Storage for the Fields that is no going to be bound to a control inside the Template , what i mean is that to remember the value of any field that is not dispalyed in the FormView , you need to add that field to datakeynames property , so that the FormView will be able to send its value back to the ObjectDataSource ...

That's why you faced a problem in update , you didn't displayed the UserId in the FormView Insert and edit templates , and so the FormView will not able to Get the Origianl Value of the UserId ,

so a null value was passed for the UserId parameter ....

the DataKeyNames is not just for the PrimayKeys , you can use it to store the value for any other fields of your object, for example if you have a property in your object which is not displayed on the FormView ( hidded or doesn't bound to a control like TextBox or Label ... you must add it to the dataKeyNames property to avoid setting it as null when the object updated !

anas:

what i mean is that to remember the value of any field that is not dispalyed in the FormView , you need to add that field to datakeynames property , so that the FormView will be able to send its value back to the ObjectDataSource

Ok, but I wasn't getting the value of ANY of the fields until I added the DataKeyNames property. So, even if you are not trying to access a hidden field this needs to be there, correct? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but the relationship between the fields in the FormView and the DataKeyNames is not clear to me yet. I'm sure it will be once I have spent more time with these concepts. Or, was I just doing something else wrong?

Thanks! 

at the risk of sourding stupid here, now I am running into a problem with my InsertMethod instead!

Here's ther error that I am seeing:

ObjectDataSource 'userDetails' has no values to insert. Check that the 'values' dictionary contains values.

Again, here is my FormView

   <asp:FormView ID="FormView1" runat="server" DataSourceID="userDetails" 
        DefaultMode="Edit"
        DataKeyNames="userID">
        <ItemTemplate>
            <asp:Button ID="Button3" runat="server" Text="Edit User" CommandName="Edit" />
        </ItemTemplate>        
        <InsertItemTemplate>
            <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                <tr>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <asp:HiddenField ID="userID" Visible="false" runat="server" />
                        <table class="formTbl" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Recieve Email Updates</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:CheckBox ID="recieveEmailUpdates" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Salutation</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:DropDownList ID="salutation" runat="server">
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Dr.">Dr.</asp:ListItem>
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Mr.">Mr.</asp:ListItem>                                       
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Mrs.">Mrs.</asp:ListItem>
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Miss">Miss</asp:ListItem>
                                    </asp:DropDownList>
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">First Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="firstName" Text="" runat="server" />                                    
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Last Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="lastName" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Email Address</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="emailAddress" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Username</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="username" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Password</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="password" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Company Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="companyName" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Title</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="title" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Address</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="street" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Address 2</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="street2" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">City</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="city" Text="" runat="server"/>
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">State</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="state" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Zip Code</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="zip" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Country</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="country" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Phone Number</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="phoneNumber" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Fax Number</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="faxNumber" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Comments</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox Rows="5" ID="comments" Text="" runat="server" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Expiration Date</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox Rows="5" ID="expirationDate" Text="" runat="server" /> <asp:Image runat="server" ToolTip="Pick Date" ImageUrl="~/images/btn_cal.gif" id="expirationDate_b" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                        </table>
                    </td>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <asp:Button ID="insertUser" runat="server" Text="Insert" CommandName="Insert" />
                        <asp:Button ID="cancelUpdate" runat="server" Text="Cancel" onclick="cancelUpdate_Click" />
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
            
            <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
                Calendar.setup(
                    {
                        inputField     :    '<%=FormView1.FindControl("expirationDate").ClientID%>',
                        ifFormat       :    '%m/%d/%Y %I:%M:%S %p',
                        button         :    '<%=FormView1.FindControl("expirationDate_b").ClientID%>',
                        align          :    'Br',
                        singleClick    :    true,
                        showsTime      :    true
                    }
                );
            </script>
        </InsertItemTemplate>
        <EditItemTemplate>
            <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                <tr>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <asp:HiddenField ID="userID" Visible="false" Value='<%# Bind("UserID") %>' runat="server" />
                        <table class="formTbl" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Salutation</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:DropDownList ID="salutation" runat="server" SelectedValue='<%# Bind("Salutation") %>'>
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Dr.">Dr.</asp:ListItem>
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Mr.">Mr.</asp:ListItem>                                       
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Mrs.">Mrs.</asp:ListItem>
                                       <asp:ListItem Value="Miss">Miss</asp:ListItem>
                                    </asp:DropDownList>
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">First Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="firstName" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("FirstName") %>' />                                    
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Last Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="lastName" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("LastName") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Email Address</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="emailAddress" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("EmailAddress") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Username</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="username" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Username") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Password</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="password" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Password") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Company Name</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="companyName" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("CompanyName") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Title</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="title" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Title") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Address</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="street" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Street") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Address 2</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="street2" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Street2") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">City</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="city" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("City") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">State</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="state" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("State") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Zip Code</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="zip" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Zip") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Country</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="country" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Country") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Phone Number</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="phoneNumber" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("PhoneNumber") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Fax Number</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox ID="faxNumber" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("FaxNumber") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Comments</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox Rows="5" ID="comments" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("Comments") %>' />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                            <tr>
                                <td class="label">Expiration Date</td>
                                <td class="field">
                                    <asp:TextBox Rows="5" ID="expirationDate" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("ExpirationDate") %>' /> <asp:Image runat="server" ToolTip="Pick Date" ImageUrl="~/images/btn_cal.gif" id="expirationDate_b" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                        </table>
                    </td>
                    <td valign="top">
                        <asp:Button ID="updateUser" runat="server" Text="Update" CommandName="Update" />
                        <asp:Button ID="cancelUpdate" runat="server" Text="Cancel" onclick="cancelUpdate_Click" />
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
            
            <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
                Calendar.setup(
                    {
                        inputField     :    '<%=FormView1.FindControl("expirationDate").ClientID%>',
                        ifFormat       :    '%m/%d/%Y %I:%M:%S %p',
                        button         :    '<%=FormView1.FindControl("expirationDate_b").ClientID%>',
                        align          :    'Br',
                        singleClick    :    true,
                        showsTime      :    true
                    }
                );
            </script>
        </EditItemTemplate>
    </asp:FormView>