how to reference to a fileupload control in a dataset

Question

In my program, when user wants to edit a record, and presses Edit button, a new window opens up with all the fields and record information is rendered into the respective fields giving user an option to edit any field information they require.

I have added a fileupload control to my webform fields. But I am not sure how to reference fileupload control on my new popped up window .. I am not sure if I am explaining my problem very clearly or not but I will try to explain it with the help of following code:

protected void GridView1_RowEditing(object sender, GridViewEditEventArgs e)
{
     lblSet.Text = GridView1.Rows[e.NewEditIndex].Cells[2].Text;
     MultiView1.SetActiveView(vRecord);

     btnSave.Visible = false;
     btnBacktoHome.Visible = true;
     //this.lblMedium.Text = GridView1.Rows[e.NewEditIndex].Cells[1].Text;


     using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("Data Source=MEHDI-PC\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=PIMS;Integrated Security=True"))
     {
         using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand())
         {
             String sql = "select [DocumentID],[Ref],[Subject],[Src],[Dst],[Medium],[Date_Printed],[Date_Received],[Document_Type],[Action_Required],[Due_Date],[Actual_Date],[Content],[Tag],[Issue_No],[Attachment],[Notes],[Assigned_To],[Reply_Ref],[Priority],[Status],[Response],[Physical_File_No],[Physical_Rack_Location] from dbo.Documents1 where [DocumentId]=N'" + GridView1.Rows[e.NewEditIndex].Cells[2].Text + "'";
             cmd.Connection = con;
             cmd.CommandText = sql;
             con.Open();

             //SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(sql,con);
             //DataTable dt = new DataTable();
             DataSet ds = new DataSet();
             using (SqlDataAdapter adp = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd))
             {
                 adp.Fill(ds);
             }


             this.txtRef.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][1].ToString();
             this.txtSubject.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][2].ToString();
             this.ddlSource.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][3].ToString();
             this.ddlDestination.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][4].ToString();
             this.ddlMedium.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][5].ToString();
             this.txtDatePrinted.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][6].ToString();
             this.txtDateReceived.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][7].ToString();
             this.ddlDocumentType.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][8].ToString();
             this.cbxAction.Checked = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][9].Equals(cbxAction.Checked);
             this.txtDueDate.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][10].ToString();
             this.txtActualDate.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][11].ToString();
             this.txtContent.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][12].ToString();
             this.txtTag.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][13].ToString();
             this.txtIssue.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][14].ToString();

             //this.fileupload1 = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][15] ;

             this.txtNotes.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][16].ToString();
             this.ddlAssignedTo.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][17].ToString();
             this.txtReplyRef.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][18].ToString();
             this.ddlPriority.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][19].ToString();
             this.ddlStatus.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][20].ToString();
             this.ddlResponse.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][21].ToString();
             this.txtPhysicalFileNo.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][22].ToString();
             this.txtPhysicalRackLocation.Text = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][23].ToString();

             if (con != null)
             {
                 con.Close();
             }
             btnUpdate.Visible = true;
             btnSearch.Visible = false;
             BindGrid();
         }
     }
}

Basically when user clicks edit, what my code does is, reads the relevant record in the sql server and loads it from there to a new popped up window in my webform .. puts all the information in the related fields. I read online that reading varbinary data from sql and binding it into the webform is not as simple as calling text data. (maybe I am wrong, please correct me if i am). I am not really worried about fetching data from sql server into the webform, I am worried about referring to the upload control in the new window because if user add a new file in fileupload control in the popped up window and if its not referenced in my code, my program ignores the new uploaded file which is a big flaw in my code. Problem is with this line of code:

//this.fileupload1 = ds.Tables[0].Rows[0][15] ;

I have commented it out for other code to run. I am stuck with it for a whole week. Any help will be so much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can't bind a record to a file upload control, this control is for uploading files not downloading.

Have a look at this link for how to download files.

The upload control should be used to replace the existing file,when the user chooses to replace it i.e. the user will upload a new file and in your business logic you need to update this record using the existing record ID.

In your case I'd bind the ID of the attachment to a hidden field in the grid and leave the upload control alone. When the record is updated check if the file upload control has a file and then using the value of the attachment update the attachment.

Edit: From here I believe you would need to add something along the lines of:

FileUpload file = ((FileUpload)(GridView1.Rows[e.NewEditIndex].FindControl("myFileUploadControl")));

You need to give your file upload control an ID of myFileUploadControl (or whatever you want)

This question also discusses using a fileupload control in a gridview.