[Solved] Convert XML string values before binding to grid

[Mustafa Hussain]

Hi I have some transactions that I am trying to bind to a radgrid. The transactions are being read from an XML file. I am using VB.NET and would like to change some of the values being bound from string to decimal.

Here is my code for the grid.

            <telerik:RadGrid ID="_pastItemsGrid" runat="server" AllowMultiRowSelection="true"
                ShowFooter="true" AutoGenerateColumns="false" OnItemDataBound="_pastItemsGrid_ItemDataBound">
                <HeaderStyle Font-Bold="true" HorizontalAlign="Left" />
                <PagerStyle Mode="NextPrevAndNumeric" />
                <ClientSettings>
                    <Selecting AllowRowSelect="true" />
                </ClientSettings>
                <MasterTableView DataKeyNames="TranID">
                    <Columns>
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Date" DataField="Date" />
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Description" DataField="Description" />
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Miles" DataField="Miles" DataType="System.Double" />
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Amount" DataField="Amount" DataType="System.Decimal"
                            DataFormatString="{0:C2}" />
                        <telerik:GridClientSelectColumn HeaderText="Select" UniqueName="checkSelect" />
                    </Columns>
                    <NoRecordsTemplate>
                        <div>
                            There were no records found.</div>
                    </NoRecordsTemplate>
                </MasterTableView>
            </telerik:RadGrid>

Here is the XML:

<Transcations>
  <Transaction TranID="01">
    <Date>01/22/09</Date>
    <Description>Target</Description>
    <Miles>50400</Miles>
    <Amount>504.46</Amount>
  </Transaction>
  <Transaction TranID="02">
    <Date>01/23/09</Date>
    <Description>Ann Taylor Loft</Description>
    <Miles>30500</Miles>
    <Amount>305.50</Amount>
  </Transaction>
  <Transaction TranID="03">
    <Date>01/24/09</Date>
    <Description>Dick's Sporting Goods</Description>
    <Miles>5000</Miles>
    <Amount>50.32</Amount>
  </Transaction>
</Transcations>

The grid is being bound with all the proper values but the miles value needs to be a long and the amount needs to be a decimal.

Here is how im binding the grid:

    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        Dim ds As New DataSet
        ds.ReadXml(Server.MapPath("../Transactions.xml"))
        _pastItemsGrid.DataSource = ds
        _pastItemsGrid.DataBind()
    End Sub

Now I tried the following to but it does not work.

    Protected Sub _pastItemsGrid_ItemDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.GridItemEventArgs) Handles _pastItemsGrid.ItemDataBound
        If TypeOf e.Item Is GridDataItem Then
            Dim accrued As New Double
            Dim amount As New Decimal
            accrued = CDbl(e.Item.DataItem(2))
            e.Item.DataItem(2) = accrued
            amount = CDec(e.Item.DataItem(3))
            e.Item.DataItem(3) = amount
        End If
    End Sub

Can anyone please point me in the right direction? The end reason is that I would like to have totals for those two columns in the footer and the Aggregate="Sum" does not work if the bound item is of type string. Thanks

Mustafa

[Mustafa Hussain]

using VB.NET
Telerik.Web.UI ver 2009:2:701:20
and Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5

[Tsvetoslav]

Hello Mustafa,

You need not do any conversion in code-behind - as the grid will take care of the fields' representation by itself. Attached is a sample demonstrating this.

Regards,
Tsvetoslav
the Telerik team

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[Mustafa Hussain]

Hey Tsvetoslav,

I am currently using the dataset.readxml to get the grid to bind. I still cannot format the amount by using the DataFormatString="{0:C2}" property. If the transaction amount returns 50.32 I want to display it in the grid as $50.32

I do have the grid working and am im using a GridTemplateColumn and formatting the string in code behind for one of the columns.

Here is what the columns look like currently:

                    <Columns>
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Date" DataField="Date" />
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Description" DataField="Description" />
                        <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="Amount" DataField="Amount" UniqueName="Amount" />
                        <telerik:GridTemplateColumn HeaderText="Reward Value" UniqueName="Value">
                            <ItemTemplate>
                                <div style="color: #0DAE4B;">
                                    <asp:Label ID="_milesLabel" runat="server" Text='<%# GetCurrency(Eval("Miles")) %>' />
                                </div>
                            </ItemTemplate>
                        </telerik:GridTemplateColumn>
                        <telerik:GridTemplateColumn UniqueName="checkSelect">
                            <HeaderTemplate>
                                <asp:CheckBox ID="_allCheck" runat="server" AutoPostBack="true" OnCheckedChanged="ToggleAll" />
                            </HeaderTemplate>
                            <ItemTemplate>
                                <asp:CheckBox ID="_rowCheck" runat="server" AutoPostBack="true" OnCheckedChanged="ToggleCheck" />
                            </ItemTemplate>
                        </telerik:GridTemplateColumn>
                    </Columns>

So now if the value column in the xml is 5000 the grid displays that as 5,000 Points. I am doing this in the code behind. I would like to avoid this if possible for the Amount column.

My Code Behind:

    Public Function GetCurrency(ByVal currencyRaw As Object) As String
        Dim currencyToShow As String
        Dim currencyInt As New Integer
        currencyInt = CInt(currencyRaw)
        currencyToShow = String.Format("{0:#,##}", currencyInt)
        Return currencyToShow & " " & Session.Currency
    End Function

    Protected Sub _pastItemsGrid_NeedDataSource(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.GridNeedDataSourceEventArgs) Handles _pastItemsGrid.NeedDataSource
        Dim ds As New DataSet
        ds.ReadXml(Server.MapPath("~/Transactions.xml"))
        _pastItemsGrid.DataSource = ds
    End Sub

I know I can apply the same logic as above to get a properly formatted amount string but I was hoping there was a way around that. Thanks again.

[Tsvetoslav]

Hello Mustafa,

I have prepared a small sample that demonstrates how to achieve the desired conversion. Please, find it attached to this post.

Greetings,
Tsvetoslav
the Telerik team

Instantly find answers to your questions on the new Telerik Support Portal.
Watch a video on how to optimize your support resource searches and check out more tips on the blogs.