RadGrid for ASP.NET
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Insert/Update/Delete records > Insert records > Inserting values using UserControl/FormTemplate

Glossary Item Box

Inserting values through WebUserControl Edit Form and FormTemplate can be done in exactly the same way as updating values from these custom edit forms. The only difference is that you need to create a new record in the grid data source instead of updating an already existing one. 
To handle the actual insert operation when the user hits the Insert button, you can hook the InsertCommand event of Telerik RadGrid or the ItemCommand event (checking whether e.CommandName is RadGrid.PerformInsertCommandName).

The forthcoming code snippets show how this can be done with user control custom edit form:

C# Copy Code
protected void RadGrid1_InsertCommand(object source, GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
           GridEditableItem editedItem = e.Item as GridEditableItem;
           UserControl userControl = (UserControl)e.Item.FindControl(GridEditFormItem.EditFormUserControlID);

           //Create new row in the DataSource
           DataRow newRow = this.Employees.NewRow();

           //Insert new values
           Hashtable newValues = new Hashtable();

           newValues["Country"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox7") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["City"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox8") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["Region"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox9") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["HomePhone"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox10") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["BirthDate"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox11") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["TitleOfCourtesy"] = (userControl.FindControl("ddlTOC") as DropDownList).SelectedItem.Value;

           newValues["Notes"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox1") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["Address"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox6") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["FirstName"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox2") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["LastName"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox3") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["HireDate"] = (userControl.FindControl("Textbox5") as TextBox).Text;
           newValues["Title"] = (userControl.FindControl("TextBox4") as TextBox).Text;

           //make sure that unique primary key value is generated for the inserted row
           newValues["EmployeeID"] = (int)this.Employees.Rows[this.Employees.Rows.Count - 1]["EmployeeID"] + 1;
           try
           {
               foreach (DictionaryEntry entry in newValues)
               {
                   newRow[(string)entry.Key] = entry.Value;
               }
               this.Employees.Rows.Add(newRow);
               this.Employees.AcceptChanges();
           }
           catch (Exception ex)
           {
               RadGrid1.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("Unable to update/insert Employees. Reason: " + ex.Message));
               e.Canceled = true;
           }
}
VB.NET Copy Code
Protected Sub RadGrid1_InsertCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.InsertCommand

            Dim editedItem As GridEditableItem = CType(e.Item, GridEditableItem)
            Dim userControl As UserControl = CType(e.Item.FindControl(GridEditFormItem.EditFormUserControlID), UserControl)

            'Prepare new row to add it in the DataSource
            Dim newRow As DataRow = Me.Employees.NewRow

            'Insert new values
            Dim newValues As Hashtable = New Hashtable

            newValues("Country") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox7"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("City") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox8"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("Region") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox9"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("HomePhone") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox10"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("BirthDate") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox11"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("TitleOfCourtesy") = CType(userControl.FindControl("ddlTOC"), DropDownList).SelectedItem.Value

            newValues("Notes") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("Address") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox6"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("FirstName") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox2"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("LastName") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox3"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("HireDate") = CType(userControl.FindControl("Textbox5"), TextBox).Text
            newValues("Title") = CType(userControl.FindControl("TextBox4"), TextBox).Text

            'make sure that unique primary key value is generated for the inserted row
            newValues("EmployeeID") = (CType(Me.Employees.Rows((Me.Employees.Rows.Count - 1))("EmployeeID"), Integer) + 1)
            Try
                For Each entry As DictionaryEntry In newValues
                    newRow(CType(entry.Key, String)) = entry.Value
                Next
                Me.Employees.Rows.Add(newRow)
                Me.Employees.AcceptChanges()
            Catch ex As Exception
                RadGrid1.Controls.Add(New LiteralControl(("Unable to update/insert Employees. Reason: " + ex.Message)))
                e.Canceled = True
            End Try
End Sub

and with form template custom edit form (note that with form template you may prefer the codeless approach by enabling the automatic operations supported by Telerik RadGrid):
C# Copy Code
private void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
           if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.PerformInsertCommandName)
           {
               GridEditableItem editedItem = e.Item as GridEditableItem;

               //Create new row in the DataSource
               DataRow newRow = this.Employees.NewRow();

               //Insert new values
               Hashtable newValues = new Hashtable();

               newValues["Country"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox7") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["City"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox8") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["Region"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox9") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["HomePhone"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox10") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["BirthDate"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox11") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["TitleOfCourtesy"] = (editedItem.FindControl("ddlTOC") as DropDownList).SelectedItem.Value;

               newValues["Notes"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox1") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["Address"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox6") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["FirstName"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox2") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["LastName"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox3") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["HireDate"] = (editedItem.FindControl("Textbox5") as TextBox).Text;
               newValues["Title"] = (editedItem.FindControl("TextBox4") as TextBox).Text;

               //make sure that unique primary key value is generated for the inserted row
               newValues["EmployeeID"] = (int)this.Employees.Rows[this.Employees.Rows.Count - 1]["EmployeeID"] + 1;
               try
               {
                   foreach (DictionaryEntry entry in newValues)
                   {
                       newRow[(string)entry.Key] = entry.Value;
                   }
                   this.Employees.Rows.Add(newRow);
                   this.Employees.AcceptChanges();
               }
               catch (Exception ex)
               {
                   RadGrid1.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("Unable to update/insert Employees. Reason: " + ex.Message));
                   e.Canceled = true;
               }
           }
}
VB.NET Copy Code
 Private Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
            If e.CommandName = RadGrid.PerformInsertCommandName Then

                Dim editedItem As GridEditableItem = CType(e.Item, GridEditableItem)

                'Create new row in the DataSource
                Dim newRow As DataRow = Me.Employees.NewRow
                Dim newValues As Hashtable = New Hashtable

                'Insert new values
                newValues("Country") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox7"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("City") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox8"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("Region") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox9"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("HomePhone") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox10"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("BirthDate") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox11"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("TitleOfCourtesy") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("ddlTOC"), DropDownList).SelectedItem.Value

                newValues("Notes") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox1"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("Address") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox6"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("FirstName") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox2"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("LastName") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox3"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("HireDate") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("Textbox5"), TextBox).Text
                newValues("Title") = CType(editedItem.FindControl("TextBox4"), TextBox).Text

                'make sure that unique primary key value is generated for the inserted row
                newValues("EmployeeID") = (CType(Me.Employees.Rows((Me.Employees.Rows.Count - 1))("EmployeeID"), Integer) + 1)
                Try
                    Dim entry As DictionaryEntry
                    For Each entry In newValues
                        newRow(CType(entry.Key, String)) = entry.Value
                    Next
                    Me.Employees.Rows.Add(newRow)
                    Me.Employees.AcceptChanges()
                Catch ex As Exception
                    RadGrid1.Controls.Add(New LiteralControl(("Unable to update/insert Employees. Reason: " + ex.Message)))
                    e.Canceled = True
                End Try

            End If
End Sub

Additionally, review the online demos linked below to see the approach in real-life example:

User control custom edit form

Form template custom edit form

Important detail when inserting with WebUserControl as edit form

If you use WebUserControl as edit form in Telerik RadGrid and populate the values inside the user control with DataItem property (defined in the code-behind of this user control), you have to make sure that this DataItem property is of type Object. Thus the automatic insert operation (when clicking Add new record from the link button inside the CommandItem) will be performed as expected.

C# Copy Code
public object DataItem
{
 get
 {
   return this._dataItem;
 }
 set
 {
   this._dataItem = value;
 }
}
VB.NET Copy Code
Public Property DataItem() As Object
    Get
         Return Me._dataItem
    End Get
    Set(ByVal Value As Object)
           Me._dataItem = Value
    End Set
End Property

Setting predefined values for controls inside user control on item insertion

When you want to access controls inside the currently inserted item, having user control as an edit form in Telerik RadGrid, you should do the following:

  1. Cancel the default action if e.CommandName is RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName;
  2. Insert the new item and rebind the grid;
  3. Obtain reference to the newly inserted item using the GetInsertItem() method for the respective GridTableView;
  4. Locate the respective control inside the user control calling the FindControl() method of this user control.

Here is an example which will change the text for TextBox with ID txtEmployeeID inside insertion form user control of Telerik RadGrid:

C# Copy Code
private void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
 if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName)
 {
   e.Canceled = true;
   e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem();

   GridEditableItem insertedItem = e.Item.OwnerTableView.GetInsertItem();
   String MyUserControlId = GridEditFormItem.EditFormUserControlID;
   UserControl MyUserControl = insertedItem.FindControl(MyUserControlId) as UserControl;
   TextBox box = MyUserControl.FindControl("txtEmployeeID") as TextBox;
   box.Text = "11";
 }
}
VB.NET Copy Code
Private Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
         If (e.CommandName = RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName) Then
            e.Canceled = True
            e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem()

             Dim insertedItem As GridEditableItem = e.Item.OwnerTableView.GetInsertItem()
             Dim MyUserControlId As String = GridEditFormItem.EditFormUserControlID
             Dim MyUserControl As UserControl = insertedItem.FindControl(MyUserControlId)
             Dim box As TextBox = CType(MyUserControl.FindControl("txtEmployeeID"), TextBox)
            box.Text = "11"
         End If
 End Sub

Setting predefined values for controls inside FormTemplate on item insertion

When you want to access controls inside the currently inserted item, having FormTemplate as an edit form in Telerik RadGrid, you should do the following:

  1. Cancel the default action if e.CommandName is RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName;
  2. Insert the new item and rebind the grid;
  3. Obtain reference to the newly inserted item using the GetInsertItem() method for the respective GridTableView;
  4. Locate the respective control inside the FormTemplate calling the FindControl() method of the corresponding GridEditableItem.

Here is an example which will change the text for TextBox with ID txtEmployeeID inside insertion form user control of Telerik RadGrid:


C# Copy Code
private void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
  if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName)
  {
     e.Canceled = true;
     e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem();

     GridEditableItem insertedItem = e.Item.OwnerTableView.GetInsertItem();
     TextBox box = insertedItem.FindControl("txtEmployeeID") as TextBox;
     box.Text = "11";
  }
}
VB.NET Copy Code
Private Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
  If (e.CommandName = RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName) Then
     e.Canceled = True
     e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem()

     Dim insertedItem As GridEditableItem = e.Item.OwnerTableView.GetInsertItem()
     Dim box As TextBox = CType(insertedItem.FindControl("txtEmployeeID"), TextBox)
     box.Text = "11"
  End If
End Sub

When you have dropdown list/checkbox in the grid make sure that you specify the field to which you bind the control inside the form template as key for the dictionary object (passed to the InsertItem(newValues) method). For example:

VB.NET Copy Code
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
        If (e.CommandName = RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName) Then
            e.Canceled = True
            'Prepare an IDictionary with the predefined values
            Dim newValues As System.Collections.Specialized.ListDictionary = New System.Collections.Specialized.ListDictionary()

            'set initial selection for the dropdown list on init insert
            newValues("Country") = "Germany"

            'set initial checked state for the checkbox on init insert
             newValues("Bool") = False

            'Insert the item and rebind
            e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem(newValues)
        End If
End Sub

 

C# Copy Code
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, Telerik.WebControls.GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.InitInsertCommandName)
{
 // cancel the default operation
 e.Canceled = true;

 //Prepare an IDictionary with the predefined values
 System.Collections.Specialized.ListDictionary newValues = new System.Collections.Specialized.ListDictionary();
 newValues["ContactName"] = "default contact name";
 newValues["CompanyName"] = " default company name";

 //set default value for the dropdown list inside the EditItemTemplate
 newValues["Country"] = "Germany";

 //set default checked state for the checkbox inside the EditItemTemplate
 newValues["Bool"] = false;

 //Insert the item and rebind
 e.Item.OwnerTableView.InsertItem(newValues);

}
}


The other option is to set AppendDataBoundItems="true" for a dropdown list (residing in form template custom edit form) and add default empty item in the dropdown control to avoid exception generation on initial insert:

ASPX/ASCX Copy Code
<EditFormSettings EditFormType="Template">
 <FormTemplate>
      -------------
       <asp:DropDownList ID="DropDownList1" AppendDataBoundItems="true" DataSourceID="AccessDataSource2"
       DataTextField="ProductID" DataValueField="ProductID" SelectedValue='<%# Bind("ProductID") %>' runat="server">
         <asp:ListItem Text="" Value="" />
       </asp:DropDownList>
     --------------
 </FormTemplate>
</EditFormSettings>

This is a codeless approach, however have in mind that this empty option will be displayed in the dropdown editor of an existing edited grid row as well.