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First Posted 28 Sep 2003
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Sort Method for an ASP.NET DropDownList

By | 28 Sep 2003 | Article
This code will show you how to implement a sort feature on an ASP.NET DropDownList control.

Introduction

I recently found a requirement in my ASP.NET application that needed to be able to sort a DropDownList control. Oddly enough I couldn't find a sort method within the framework, so I made my own. The code below shows what I did as a quick option, but you can of course use similar code to create a custom control that inherits from the DropDownList control.

Code

    Private Sub SortDropDown(ByVal dd As DropDownList)
        Dim ar As ListItem()
        Dim i As Long = 0
        For Each li As ListItem In dd.Items
            ReDim Preserve ar(i)
            ar(i) = li
            i += 1
        Next
        Dim ar1 As Array = ar

        ar1.Sort(ar1, New ListItemComparer)
        dd.Items.Clear()
        dd.Items.AddRange(ar1)
    End Sub
    Private Class ListItemComparer _
        Implements IComparer
        
        Public Function Compare(ByVal x As Object, _
              ByVal y As Object) As Integer _
              Implements System.Collections.IComparer.Compare
            Dim a As ListItem = x
            Dim b As ListItem = y
            Dim c As New CaseInsensitiveComparer
            Return c.Compare(a.Text, b.Text)
        End Function
    End Class

Summary

As I mentioned, this can easily be put into a custom control by simply creating a new class. Inherit from the DropDownList control and add the above code to the class. That's all. When you create your ASP.NET web form, you can drag and drop a normal DropDownList to your form, and edit the declaration in your code behind form, to use your custom class. Enjoy!

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

About the Author

Domenic

Web Developer

United States United States

Member

I've been writing software applications since the early 90's from ASP and VB5 to C# and ASP.NET. I am currently working on law enforcement and criminal justice applications delivered over the web. I've always been astounded by the fact that the only 2 industries that refer to customers as "users" are narcotics and software development. Wink | ;-)

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Comments and Discussions

 
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GeneralDropDown List Selected Index Change Problem Pinmemberjahirhstu4:49 29 Aug '09  
GeneralPreserve VALUE while sorting Pinmemberprouhiaw@guerrillamailblock.com0:18 30 Jul '09  
GeneralThanks! Pinmemberdsilk10:52 3 Jul '08  
GeneralError Pinmemberhalliej2x21:45 1 Aug '06  
GeneralRe: Error PinmemberDomenic2:27 2 Aug '06  
GeneralRe: Error Pinmemberhalliej2x19:16 2 Aug '06  
GeneralRe: Error PinmemberDomenic9:41 3 Aug '06  
QuestionRe: Error PinmemberGregorio Cybill17:58 11 Aug '08  
GeneralRe: Error PinmemberMohammed Aziz Elnahrawi20:31 5 Oct '06  
GeneralShortcut using CopyTo method on prealloced array Pinmemberhafthor5:22 27 Feb '06  
GeneralRe: Shortcut using CopyTo method on prealloced array PinmemberLouvaras3:43 4 Feb '09  
GeneralGood code, but let's make it even better PinmemberHamidTheProgrammer10:34 9 Aug '05  
GeneralRe: Good code, but let's make it even better PinmemberDomenic2:08 10 Aug '05  
GeneralWould just like to say... PinsussAnonymous0:51 4 Aug '05  
GeneralRe: Would just like to say... PinmemberDomenic2:18 4 Aug '05  
GeneralSyntax error Pinmemberchatelainj8:41 1 Sep '04  
GeneralRe: Syntax error PinsussAnonymous8:21 3 May '05  
Public Class ListItemComparer
Implements IComparer _
 
remove the _
 
Then it will work.
Generalc# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList PinmemberSteinar Herland22:57 2 Apr '04  
GeneralRe: c# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList PinmemberPaul Rogan0:32 10 Jan '06  
GeneralRe: c# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList PinPopularmemberbanditking4:41 20 Apr '06  
GeneralRe: c# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList PinmemberRyan McFarren6:25 14 Jul '06  
GeneralRe: c# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList Pinmemberashushere11:56 8 Jun '07  
GeneralRe: c# version wrapped in a SortableDropDownList Pinmemberruileier21:15 18 Sep '07  
Questionhello!?? Pinsussnoahart22:05 24 Feb '04  
AnswerRe: hello!?? PinsussAnonymous0:45 4 Aug '05  

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