ASP.NET DropDownList default value field validation

I needed to add a DropDownList to a ASP.NET form.  Unlike forms I had used before, I wanted to make sure a different value was selected other than the top one in the list.  So, the first solution I researched was to set a default value.  This was accomplished with the Selected=”True” attribute.

The second condition I wanted to figure out was how to make sure something else besides the default value wasn’t still selected.  That was handled using a RequiredFieldValidor and setting the InitialValue field.

<asp:DropDownList ID=”dropELLIPTICALCOMETScometname” runat=”server” Width=”270px” Height=”22px”>
     <asp:ListItem Value=”Select Comet” Selected=”True”>–Select Comet–</asp:ListItem>
     <asp:ListItem Value=”Encke”>Encke</asp:ListItem>
     <asp:ListItem Value=”Halley”>Halley</asp:ListItem>
</asp:DropDownList>

<asp:RequiredFieldValidator ID=”RequiredFieldValidator9″ runat=”server” ControlToValidate=”dropELLIPTICALCOMETScometname” CssClass=”ErrorMessage” Display=”Dynamic” ErrorMessage=”Select Comet Name” InitialValue=”Select Comet”></asp:RequiredFieldValidator>

References:

• https://dillieodigital.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/using-a-requiredfieldvalidator-for-a-dropdownlist-in-asp-net/
• https://www.codeproject.com/Questions/238923/default-value-in-dropdownl-list