Repeater within Repeater

Download NestedRepeater.zip

Introduction

This article is usefull to show hierarchical data using repeater control.

Description

Basically this project shows how to embed one repeater into another repeater.A parent repeater is used to display the main headings and child repeater populates the data according to headings. An xml file is used as datasource to display data.

XML File

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Groups>
<category GroupId="1">
  <Name>Test 1</Name> 
  <Name>Test 2</Name> 
  </category>
 <category GroupId="2">
 <Name>Test 3</Name> 
  </category>
<category GroupId="3">
  <Name>Test 4</Name> 
  <Name>Test 5</Name> 
  </category>
</Groups>

Aspx File

<asp:Repeater id="ParentRepeater" runat="server" OnItemDataBound="ParentRepeater_ItemDataBound"><
HeaderTemplate>
<h2>Group Information</h2><ul>
</HeaderTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
</ul>
</FooterTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<li><b><%# Eval("GroupID") %></b></li>
<%-- adding one more repeater within this item template --%>
<asp:Repeater id="ChildRepeater" runat="server"> <HeaderTemplate>
<ul>
</HeaderTemplate> <FooterTemplate>
</ul>
</FooterTemplate>
<ItemTemplate>
<li><%# Eval("Name_Text") %></li> </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>

Codebehind File

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!IsPostBack)
{
DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.ReadXml(HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("./Group.xml"));
ParentRepeater.DataSource = ds;
ParentRepeater.DataBind();
 }
}
protected void ParentRepeater_ItemDataBound(object sender,RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
{
RepeaterItem item = e.Item;
if (item.ItemType == ListItemType.Item || item.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem)
{
Repeater ChildRepeater = (Repeater)item.FindControl("ChildRepeater");
DataRowView drv = (DataRowView)item.DataItem;
ChildRepeater.DataSource = drv.CreateChildView("category_Name");
// here u can also bind the Child Repeater with DataTable like 
//ChildRepeater.DataSource = datatableName;
ChildRepeater.DataBind();
}
}

In the above code a dataset is used to read the xml file from path. MapPath() is used to find the path of xml file and repeater binds from dataset.Now onItemDataBound event of the ParentRepeater we find the main heading and binds childrepeater based on the GroupId.
Download this project to view more information.

Conclusion

This is nice to show hirarchical data using repeaters. 

1. Search Engine
2. ASP.NET Resources

Download Source Code

• Download NestedRepeater.zip

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