How to get cell index by clicking on GridView column in asp.net - simple method

I know this question have been asked many times and with my limited knowledge of JS I have tried everything, I simply can not make any solutions work. So I've bound my data to GridView :

            Dim dt As DataTable = New DataTable()
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("ID"))
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("NAME"))
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("CITY"))
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("CURRENT JOB"))
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("@COMPANY"))
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("C")) ' communication
            dt.Columns.Add(New DataColumn("S")) 'select

            Dim ID As String
            Dim name As String
            Dim city As String
            Dim current_job As String
            Dim company As String
            Dim com As String

            For i = 0 To ds.Tables(0).Rows.Count - 1
                ID = ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(1).ToString()
                name = ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(2).ToString()
                city = ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(3).ToString()
                current_job = ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(9).ToString()
                company = ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(10).ToString()

                If ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(12).ToString() = "" Then
                    com = ""
                Else
                    com = "X"
                End If

                dt.Rows.Add(ID, name, city, current_job, company, com, "S")

            Next

            candidate_grid_view.DataSource = dt
            candidate_grid_view.DataBind()

I've registered cell click on candidate_grid_view.OnRowDataBound event :

Protected Sub Candidate_OnRowDataBound(sender As Object, e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridViewRowEventArgs)
    If e.Row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
        e.Row.Attributes("onclick") = Page.ClientScript.GetPostBackClientHyperlink(candidate_grid_view, "Select$" & e.Row.RowIndex)
        e.Row.Attributes("style") = "cursor:pointer"
    End If
End Sub

I can easy get row index by candidate_grid_view.SelectedRow.RowIndex in OnSelectedIndexChanged event, but I need click event for column (cell) that will register cell index (column index). There is no cellindex propery!?

Protected Sub Candidate_OnSelectedIndexChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
    Dim index As Integer = candidate_grid_view.SelectedRow.RowIndex
End Sub

Why something that easy as getting column index in VB.NET so complicated in ASP.NET?

Well, havng a row click - very easy.

So, lets work our way though this.

first, a gv - simple markup like this:

    <div style="padding:25px;width:50%">
        <asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" 
            AutoGenerateColumns="False" DataKeyNames="ID"  CssClass="table">
            <Columns>
                <asp:BoundField DataField="FirstName" HeaderText="FirstName" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="LastName" HeaderText="LastName"  />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="HotelName" HeaderText="HotelName" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="City" HeaderText="City" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="Description" HeaderText="Description" />

                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="View" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="Center">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:Button ID="cmdView" runat="server" Text="View" CssClass="btn"
                            OnClick="cmdView_Click" />
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>
            </Columns>

        </asp:GridView>
    </div>

Our code to fill is this:

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

    If Not IsPostBack Then
        LoadGrid
    End If

End Sub

Sub LoadGrid()

    Using conn As New SqlConnection(My.Settings.TEST4)

        Dim strSQL As String = "SELECT * FROM tblHotelsA ORDER BY HotelName"

        Using cmdSQL As New SqlCommand(strSQL, conn)
            conn.Open()
            Dim rstData As New DataTable
            rstData.Load(cmdSQL.ExecuteReader())
            GridView1.DataSource = rstData
            GridView1.DataBind()
        End Using
    End Using

End Sub

Protected Sub cmdView_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

    Dim btn As Button = sender
    Dim gRow As GridViewRow = btn.NamingContainer

    Debug.Print("Row click index = " & gRow.RowIndex)

    ' get primary key (hidden by datakeys
    Dim PKID As Integer = GridView1.DataKeys(gRow.RowIndex).Item("ID")
    Debug.Print("Data base row PKID = " & PKID)
    Debug.Print("hotel name of this row = " & gRow.Cells(2).Text)


End Sub

And now if we click on view button (for the row), then we have this:

Ok, so that so far - very easy.

Now, what about a row click anywhere - not necessary on the button?

Gee, all controls? I would dump "cells" and drop in standard asp.net controls into that GV - (such as I did for the button). However, with a lot of columns, this becomes a pain - (too many messy "templatefield" tags - I don't like those).

As a result, I would dump the GV, and go to a listview.

However, lets just force code our way though this. But, I been doing this for a long time - never had to just get the cell information.

But, you can say do this:

In our row data bound, just add a click event to each cell, say like this:

Protected Sub GridView1_RowDataBound(sender As Object, e As GridViewRowEventArgs) Handles GridView1.RowDataBound

    If e.Row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
        For i As Integer = 0 To e.Row.Cells.Count - 2   ' skip last button cell
            Dim MyCell As TableCell = e.Row.Cells(i)
            Dim RowCol As string = e.Row.RowIndex & "," & i
            MyCell.Attributes.Add("onclick", "MyClick('" & RowCol & "')")
        Next
    End If
End Sub

All we did was add a row, and col value.

So, now in our markup, we have this:

        </asp:GridView>

        <asp:HiddenField ID="HRowInfo" runat="server" />
        <asp:Button ID="cmdRowClick" runat="server" Text="Row click" ClientIDMode="Static"
            onclick="cmdRowClick_Click" CommandArgument="0" />
        <script>

            function MyClick(RowInfo) {

                $("#HRowInfo").val(RowInfo)
                $('#cmdRowClick').click()
            }
        </script>

So, we shove value into hidden field, and click our button - just a plane jane button below the grid (we would hide it with style="display:none"

And code behind is this:

Protected Sub cmdRowClick_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

    Debug.Print(HRowInfo.Value)

End Sub

Now, when I click on any cell, I get a output of the row, colum, say like this:

And from above, I can index into the Gridview.Rows and then cells the two values.

However, I am not convinced that we really need/want a click event on the cells - we "might", but then again, might be better to put some controls on that form - as a repating grid, and work on a row by row basis.

As noted, I tend to use ListView for this.

Say we have the above hotel list, but I want the user to enter a value in a "cell" for say the number of nights. But the grid displays the nightly rate, and when I enter the number of nights, I want another column to show the total cost.

We COULD try and deal and wire up say a cell, but is is VERY rare i need to do this.

But, with a standard control, it does become somewhat easy.

As I stated, I never really liked GV for doing this kind of thing, but lets add to above the nights text box, the night rate, and a total column.

(We ARE better to use a listview, but no big deal).

so, lets assume this markup:

        <asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" 
            AutoGenerateColumns="False" DataKeyNames="ID"  CssClass="table">
            <Columns>
                <asp:BoundField DataField="FirstName" HeaderText="FirstName" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="LastName" HeaderText="LastName"  />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="HotelName" HeaderText="HotelName" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="City" HeaderText="City" />
                <asp:BoundField DataField="Description" HeaderText="Description"  />
                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Nights">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:TextBox ID="txtNights" runat="server" TextMode="Number"
                            Text = '<%# Eval("Nights") %>'  Width ="40">
                        </asp:TextBox>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>
                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Per night">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:Label ID="LPrice" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("Price", "{0:C2}") %>' >
                        </asp:Label>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>

                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Total">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:Label ID="txtAmount" runat="server"
                            Text='<%# Eval("Tamount", "{0:c}") %>'
                            width="50"
                            >
                        </asp:Label>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>

            </Columns>

        </asp:GridView>

So, same code to fill - (no row data bound event).

Ok, so we now have this:

Now, lets assume I want to change the number of nights. I don't REALLY need a cell click, do I? I just want the user to type in the number of nights, and then say update the Total amount.

So, we just add a plane jane text changed event to that text box, (and auto post-back).

So, the markup becomes this:

                <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Nights">
                    <ItemTemplate>
                        <asp:TextBox ID="txtNights" runat="server" TextMode="Number"
                            Text = '<%# Eval("Nights") %>'  Width ="40"
                            OnTextChanged="txtNights_TextChanged"
                            AutoPostBack="true"
                            >
                        </asp:TextBox>
                    </ItemTemplate>
                </asp:TemplateField>

We now can just click on any "nights" cell in the grid, enter a new value and hit tab, or move out and click on another row.

the code for the text changed event looks like this:

Protected Sub txtNights_TextChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)

    Dim txtNights As TextBox = sender
    Dim gRow As GridViewRow = txtNights.NamingContainer

    Dim lPrice As Label = gRow.FindControl("LPrice")
    Dim TotalAmount As Label = gRow.FindControl("txtAmount")

    TotalAmount.Text = (lPrice.Text * txtNights.Text).ToString("C2")


End Sub

So, this is why I am suggesting that you in general don't needd a cell click event.

You "might", but in most cases I don't think you do.