Event Handler OnItemCommand with TextBox control

Question

I have Repeater that contains a TextBox and a LinkButton. When the LinkButton is clicked, I need to grab the TextBox.Text and do stuff …

Using the EVENT Repeater1_ItemDataBound(object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e) I am able to get the value of the TextBox using TextBox tx = e.Item.FindControl("txCode") as TextBox

However

Using the EVENT Repeater1_ItemCommand(object sender, RepeaterCommandEventArgs e) I am NOT getting anything back. The TextBox is empty.

How can I get the text/content from the TextBox using 'OnItemCommand'?

<asp:Repeater ID="Repeater1" runat="server" onitemdatabound="Repeater1_ItemDataBound" OnItemCommand="Repeater1_ItemCommand">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <li>                    
        <asp:TextBox ID="txCode" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
        <asp:LinkButton CommandName="verifyCode" ID="lbCode" runat="server">Submit<asp:LinkButton>
        </li>
    </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>

I am able to get the TextBox Value below

protected void Repeater1_ItemDataBound(object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
{
    TextBox tx = e.Item.FindControl("txCode") as TextBox;
    string myText = tx.Text; '<--- working
}

I am NOT able to get the TextBox Value below

protected void Repeater1_ItemCommand(object sender, RepeaterCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == "verifyCode")
    {
        TextBox tx = e.Item.FindControl("txCode") as TextBox;
        string myText = tx.Text;  '<--- NOT working
}

Have you debugged to see if this event is raised? Maybe you've missed to check for !IsPostBack in Page_Load. Bind the repeater not on postbacks to it's DataSource. — Tim Schmelter

Tim Schmelter Tim Schmelter · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-13T23:36:27

Do not bind your Repeater to it's DataSource on every postback. Otherwise ViewState cannot be reloaded correctly what causes issues like this.

So always check the IsPostBack property in Page_Load when ViewState is enabled(EnableViewState=true):

if(!IsPostBack)BindRepeaterToDataSource();

Event Handler OnItemCommand with TextBox control

1 Answers