DotNetOcean: Using ASP.Net GridView EmptyDataTemplate and FooterTemplate Add record to Database

In this article I will explain how to insert new records to SQL Server database using ASP.Net GridView’s Empty Data Template.

Database

The below screenshot displays the structure of the database table that will store the customer records

HTML Markup

Below is the HTML Markup of the ASP.Net GridView control

<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" Width="550px" AutoGenerateColumns="false"

AlternatingRowStyle-BackColor="#C2D69B" HeaderStyle-BackColor="green" ShowFooter="true">

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Customer Name">

<%# Eval("CustomerName") %>

</ItemTemplate>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCustomerName" runat="server" />

</FooterTemplate>

</asp:TemplateField>

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Company Name">

<%# Eval("CompanyName") %>

</ItemTemplate>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCompanyName" runat="server" />

</FooterTemplate>

</asp:TemplateField>

<asp:TemplateField HeaderText="City">

<%# Eval("City") %>

</ItemTemplate>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCity" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>

</FooterTemplate>

</asp:TemplateField>

<asp:TemplateField>

</ItemTemplate>

<asp:Button ID="btnAdd" runat="server" Text="Add" OnClick="Add" CommandName = "Footer" />

</FooterTemplate>

</asp:TemplateField>

</Columns>

Customer Name

</th>

Company Name

</th>

City

</th>

</th>

</tr>

<tr>

<td>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCustomerName" runat="server" />

</td>

<td>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCompanyName" runat="server" />

</td>

<td>

<asp:TextBox ID="txtCity" runat="server" />

</td>

<td>

<asp:Button ID="btnAdd" runat="server" Text="Add" OnClick="Add" CommandName = "EmptyDataTemplate" />

</td>

</tr>

</EmptyDataTemplate>

</asp:GridView>

Above you will notice that the ASP.Net GridView is displaying 3 columns, Customer Name, Company Name and City. I have added textboxes and button to add new records in the <FooterTemplate> and <EmptyDataTemplate>.

Binding the GridView

Below is the code to bind the data from the SQL Server database to the ASP.Net GridView control

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

if (!IsPostBack)

{

this.BindData();

}

private void BindData()

{

string strConnString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["conString"].ConnectionString;

DataTable dt = new DataTable();

using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(strConnString))

{

string strQuery = "SELECT * FROM Customers";

SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(strQuery);

using (SqlDataAdapter sda = new SqlDataAdapter())

{

cmd.Connection = con;

con.Open();

sda.SelectCommand = cmd;

sda.Fill(dt);

GridView1.DataSource = dt;

GridView1.DataBind();

}

VB.Net

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

If Not IsPostBack Then

Me.BindData()

End If

End Sub

Private Sub BindData()

Dim dt As DataTable = New DataTable

Dim strConnString As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("conString").ConnectionString

Using con As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(strConnString)

Dim strQuery As String = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

Using cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(strQuery)

Dim sda As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter

cmd.Connection = con

con.Open()

sda.SelectCommand = cmd

sda.Fill(dt)

GridView1.DataSource = dt

GridView1.DataBind()

End Using

End Sub

The below screenshot displays GridView when there is no data in the database, you will notice that it is displaying the <EmptyDataTemplate> with three textboxes and a button.

Add new record to database using GridView

Below is the code that gets called when the Add button is clicked. This code snippet fires an insert query in the database and inserts the record in the SQL Server database table

protected void Add(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

Control control = null;

if (GridView1.FooterRow != null)

{

control = GridView1.FooterRow;

}

else

{

control = GridView1.Controls[0].Controls[0];

}

string customerName = (control.FindControl("txtCustomerName") as TextBox).Text;

string companyName = (control.FindControl("txtCompanyName") as TextBox).Text;

string city = (control.FindControl("txtCity") as TextBox).Text;

string strConnString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["conString"].ConnectionString;

using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(strConnString))

{

using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand())

{

cmd.Connection = con;

cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text;

cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO [Customers] VALUES(@CustomerName, @CompanyName, @City)";

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CustomerName", customerName);

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CompanyName", companyName);

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@City", city);

con.Open();

cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();

con.Close();

}

Response.Redirect(Request.Url.AbsoluteUri);

}

VB.Net

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

Dim control As Control = Nothing

If (Not (GridView1.FooterRow) Is Nothing) Then

control = GridView1.FooterRow

Else

control = GridView1.Controls(0).Controls(0)

End If

Dim customerName As String = CType(control.FindControl("txtCustomerName"), TextBox).Text

Dim companyName As String = CType(control.FindControl("txtCompanyName"), TextBox).Text

Dim city As String = CType(control.FindControl("txtCity"), TextBox).Text

Dim strConnString As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("conString").ConnectionString

Using con As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(strConnString)

Using cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand

cmd.Connection = con

cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text

cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO [Customers] VALUES(@CustomerName, @CompanyName, @City)"

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CustomerName", customerName)

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CompanyName", companyName)

cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@City", city)

con.Open()

cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()

con.Close()

Response.Redirect(Request.Url.AbsoluteUri)

End Using

End Sub

Above after the record is inserted in the database, the page is redirected to itself so that GridView is loaded with the newly inserted record. The below screenshot displays the GridView with the newly added record and now it is displaying the <FooterTemplate> with three textboxes and add button.