[Solved] Set GridDropDownColumn's DataSource when not in Editing mode

[d-cpt]

I have a GridDropDownColumn as
<telerik:GridDropDownColumn DataField="CategoryID" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource2" HeaderText="Category" ListTextField="CategoryName" ListValueField="CategoryID" UniqueName="Category"></telerik:GridDropDownColumn>
and the radgrid has DataSourceID="SqlDatSource1". EditMode=InPlace.
It works fine in Edit mode but when it is not in Edit mode, the Category column will show the first value of the DropDown if SqlDatSource1 SelectCommand returns a row with Category is null. How to keep the cell value blank in View mode in this case?
Thanks,
d-cpt

[Daniel]

Hello Duc,

The following approach may be appropriate for your case:

protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    GridEditFormItem item = e.Item as GridEditFormItem;
    if (item != null && item.IsInEditMode)
    {
        item["MyColumnName"].Visible = true;
    }
}

<telerik:GridDropDownColumn Visible="false" DataField="ProductName" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource1" UniqueName="MyColumnName">
</telerik:GridDropDownColumn>

Regards,
Daniel
the Telerik team

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[James]

Shouldn't there be a property on the GridDropDownColumn to show empty string if there is no match in the data source?  I don't understand the logic for wanting to show the first row. 

[Nikolay Rusev]

Hello James,

Actually selecting first item when no value to select is behavior of the RadComboBox/DropDownList controls. However GridDropDownColumn has two properties that enables you to specify what value and text to be shown for this empty item: EmptyListItemText,EmptyListItemValue

All the best,
Nikolay
the Telerik team

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