Bind ASP.NET DropDownList DataTextField to method?

Question

Is there anyway to have items in an ASP.NET DropDownList have either their Text or Value bound to a method on the source rather than a property?

Answer 1

This is my solution:

<asp:DropDownList ID="dropDownList" runat="server" DataSourceID="dataSource" DataValueField="DataValueField" DataTextField="DataTextField" />
<asp:ObjectDataSource ID="dataSource" runat="server" SelectMethod="SelectForDataSource" TypeName="CategoryDao" />

public IEnumerable<object> SelectForDataSource()
{
    return _repository.Search().Select(x => new{
        DataValueField = x.CategoryId, 
        DataTextField = x.ToString() // Here is the trick!
    }).Cast<object>();
}

Answer 2

Here's 2 examples for binding a dropdown in ASP.net from a class

Your aspx page

    <asp:DropDownList ID="DropDownListJour1" runat="server">
    </asp:DropDownList>
    <br />
    <asp:DropDownList ID="DropDownListJour2" runat="server">
    </asp:DropDownList>

Your aspx.cs page

    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
    //Exemple with value different same as text (dropdown)
    DropDownListJour1.DataSource = jour.ListSameValueText();            
    DropDownListJour1.DataBind();

    //Exemple with value different of text (dropdown)
    DropDownListJour2.DataSource = jour.ListDifferentValueText();
    DropDownListJour2.DataValueField = "Key";
    DropDownListJour2.DataTextField = "Value";
    DropDownListJour2.DataBind();     
    }

Your jour.cs class (jour.cs)

public class jour
{

    public static string[] ListSameValueText()
    {
        string[] myarray = {"a","b","c","d","e"} ;
        return myarray;
    }

    public static Dictionary<int, string> ListDifferentValueText()
    {
        var joursem2 = new Dictionary<int, string>();
        joursem2.Add(1, "Lundi");
        joursem2.Add(2, "Mardi");
        joursem2.Add(3, "Mercredi");
        joursem2.Add(4, "Jeudi");
        joursem2.Add(5, "Vendredi");
        return joursem2;
    }
}