DotNetOcean: JQuery Bind images to dropdownlist in asp.net

Introduction:

In this article I will explain how to bind images to dropdownlist in asp.net using JQuery.

Description:

In previous articles I explained about how to implement cascading dropdownlist and Ajax Cascading dropdownlist. Now I will explain how to bind dropdownlist with images dynamically in asp.net using JQuery. In one of website I saw one dropdownlist that contains Country names along with country flags. I feel it’s better to write post to explain how to bind images to dropdownlist in asp.net. To implement this concept by using JQuery plugin we can achieve this easily.

To implement concept first design table in your database and enter data as shown below

Column Name	Data Type	Allow Nulls
ID	int(set identity property=true)	No
CountryName	varchar(50)	Yes
CountryImage	varchar(50)	Yes

After completion of table creation enter data in table like as show in below.

Here I am getting images data from already inserted data if you want to dynamically insert images in database check this post insert images in folder and images path in database.

Now open Visual Studio and create new website after that right click on your website and add new folder and give name as Images and insert country flag image in that folder you should get it from attached folder.After that write the following code in your aspx page

<title>Dropdownlist with Images</title>

$(document).ready(function(e) {

try {

$("#ddlCountry").msDropDown();

} catch (e) {

alert(e.message);

}

});

</script>

</head>

<body>

<table>

<tr>

<b>Country:</b>

</td>

<td>

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlCountry" runat="server" Width="150px" onselectedindexchanged="ddlCountry_SelectedIndexChanged" AutoPostBack="true"></asp:DropDownList>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>

<b>Seelcted Country:</b>

</td>

<td>

<asp:Label ID="lbltext" runat="server"></asp:Label>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

</form>

</body>

</html>

If you observe above code in header section I added some of script files and css file by using those files we have a chance to add images in dropdownlist. To get those files download attached sample code and use it in your application.

After completion of aspx page design add following namespaces in code behind

C#.NET Code

using System;

using System.Data;

using System.Data.SqlClient;

using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

After add namespace write the following code

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

if (!IsPostBack)

{

BindDropDownList();

BindTitles();

lbltext.Text = ddlCountry.Items[0].Text;

}

/// <summary>

/// This Method is used to bind titles to each element of dropdown

/// </summary>

protected void BindTitles()

{

if (ddlCountry != null)

{

foreach (ListItem li in ddlCountry.Items)

{

li.Attributes["title"] = "Images/" + li.Value; // setting text value of item as tooltip

}

/// <summary>

/// Bind Dropdownlist Data

/// </summary>

protected void BindDropDownList()

{

SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("Data Source=SureshDasari;Initial Catalog=MySampleDB;Integrated Security=true");

con.Open();

SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("select * from CountryImages", con);

SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd);

DataSet ds = new DataSet();

da.Fill(ds);

ddlCountry.DataTextField = "CountryName";

ddlCountry.DataValueField = "CountryImage";

ddlCountry.DataSource = ds;

ddlCountry.DataBind();

con.Close();

}

protected void ddlCountry_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

lbltext.Text = ddlCountry.SelectedItem.Text;

BindTitles();

}

VB.NET Code

Imports System.Data

Imports System.Data.SqlClient

Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls

Partial Class VbSample

Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load

If Not IsPostBack Then

BindDropDownList()

BindTitles()

lbltext.Text = ddlCountry.Items(0).Text

End If

End Sub

''' <summary>

''' This Method is used to bind titles to each element of dropdown

''' </summary>

Protected Sub BindTitles()

If ddlCountry IsNot Nothing Then

For Each li As ListItem In ddlCountry.Items

' setting text value of item as tooltip

li.Attributes("title") = "Images/" & li.Value

End If

End Sub

''' <summary>

''' Bind Dropdownlist Data

''' </summary>

Protected Sub BindDropDownList()

Dim con As New SqlConnection("Data Source=SureshDasari;Initial Catalog=MySampleDB;Integrated Security=true")

con.Open()

Dim cmd As New SqlCommand("select * from CountryImages", con)

Dim da As New SqlDataAdapter(cmd)

Dim ds As New DataSet()

da.Fill(ds)

ddlCountry.DataTextField = "CountryName"

ddlCountry.DataValueField = "CountryImage"

ddlCountry.DataSource = ds

ddlCountry.DataBind()

con.Close()

End Sub

Protected Sub ddlCountry_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

lbltext.Text = ddlCountry.SelectedItem.Text

BindTitles()

End Sub

End Class

If you observe above code I am binding title to dropdownlist elements by using BindTitles() method. Here our JQuery plugin will take the title of dropdownlist elements and display the images beside of the text.

Now run your application and check how your dropdownlist will be

Demo