c# - ASP.NET DropDownList in ListView's OnItemUpdating method always has a SelectedIndex of 0 -

in listview's edittemplate, have dropdownlist control. dropdownlist populated in itemdatabound method of listview (only way found list populate in edittemplate....the dropdownlist exists in edittemplate; must label in itemtemplate).

the list populates, , works. issue have when update button clicked , itemupdating method called, selectedindex of dropdownlist always zero, no matter value selected @ time.

the aspx code, minus templates looks this:

<asp:listview id="listview1" runat="server" onitemdatabound="listview1_itemdatabound" onitemupdating="listview1_itemupdating" onitemediting="listview1_itemediting"> <edititemtemplate>     <tr style="">     <td><asp:dropdownlist cssclass="vaultdropdownlist" id="editstafflist" runat="server" autopostback="false" causesvalidation="true"></asp:dropdownlist></td>     <td>        <asp:linkbutton id="updatebutton" runat="server" commandname="update" text="update" />        <asp:linkbutton id="cancelbutton" runat="server" commandname="cancel" text="cancel" />     </td>     </tr>     </edititemtemplate> </asp:listview> 

and codebehind:

protected void listview1_itemediting(object sender, listviewediteventargs e) {                 listview1.editindex = e.neweditindex; }  protected void listview1_itemdatabound(object sender, listviewitemeventargs e) {     if (e.item.displayindex == listview1.editindex)     {         dropdownlist ddl = e.item.findcontrol("editstafflist") dropdownlist;         binddropdownlist(ddl);     } }  protected void listview1_itemupdating(object sender, listviewupdateeventargs e) {    dropdownlist staff = listview1.items[e.itemindex].findcontrol("editstafflist") dropdownlist;     //sql update stuff go here    listview1.editindex = -1; } 

if try populate dropdownlist in page_load method use ispostback, dropdown control returns null.

any appreciated!

edit: listview bind:

protected void displaylistview(object sender, eventargs e)  {      string connstring = sqlstringtoolong;      sqlconnection sqlconnection = new sqlconnection(connstring);      datatable initialtable = new datatable();      string querystatement = "select lotsastuff";      sqldataadapter dataadapter = new sqldataadapter(querystatement, sqlconnection);      dataadapter.fill(initialtable);      listview1.datasource = initialtable;      listview1.databind();  } 

edit2: here's dropdownlist bind method:

public static void createstafflist(dropdownlist list, string searchgroup)  {      arraylist userlist = new arraylist();      //more sql stuff      list.datasource = userlist;      list.databind();  } 

make sure aren't binding listview on every postback. wrap in condition check that.

protected void page_load(object sender, eventargs e) {     if (!ispostback)     {         displaylistview();     } } 

if don't, entire listview, including dropdownlists rebind. cause dropdownlist reset selectedindex 0.