How to find controls in a repeater header or footer

Question

As noted in the comments, this only works AFTER you've DataBound your repeater.

To find a control in the header:

lblControl = repeater1.Controls[0].Controls[0].FindControl("lblControl");

To find a control in the footer:

lblControl = repeater1.Controls[repeater1.Controls.Count - 1].Controls[0].FindControl("lblControl");

---

With extension methods

public static class RepeaterExtensionMethods
{
    public static Control FindControlInHeader(this Repeater repeater, string controlName)
    {
        return repeater.Controls[0].Controls[0].FindControl(controlName);
    }

    public static Control FindControlInFooter(this Repeater repeater, string controlName)
    {
        return repeater.Controls[repeater.Controls.Count - 1].Controls[0].FindControl(controlName);
    }
}

Better solution

You can check item type in ItemCreated event:

protected void rptSummary_ItemCreated(Object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e) {
    if (e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Footer) {
        e.Item.FindControl(ctrl);
    }
    if (e.Item.ItemType == ListItemType.Header) {
        e.Item.FindControl(ctrl);
    }
}

You can take a reference on the control on the ItemCreated event, and then use it later.

Find control into Repeater (Header, Item, Footer)

public static class FindControlInRepeater
{
    public static Control FindControl(this Repeater repeater, string controlName)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < repeater.Controls.Count; i++)
            if (repeater.Controls[i].Controls[0].FindControl(controlName) != null)
                return repeater.Controls[i].Controls[0].FindControl(controlName);
        return null;
    }
}

This is in VB.NET, just translate to C# if you need it:

<Extension()>
Public Function FindControlInRepeaterHeader(Of T As Control)(obj As Repeater, ControlName As String) As T
    Dim ctrl As T = TryCast((From item As RepeaterItem In obj.Controls
                   Where item.ItemType = ListItemType.Header).SingleOrDefault.FindControl(ControlName),T)
    Return ctrl
End Function

And use it easy:

Dim txt as string = rptrComentarios.FindControlInRepeaterHeader(Of Label)("lblVerTodosComentarios").Text

Try to make it work with footer, and items controls too =)

The best and clean way to do this is within the Item_Created Event :

 protected void rptSummary_ItemCreated(Object sender, RepeaterItemEventArgs e)
        {
            switch (e.Item.ItemType)
            {
                case ListItemType.AlternatingItem:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.EditItem:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.Footer:
                    e.Item.FindControl(ctrl);
                    break;
                case ListItemType.Header:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.Item:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.Pager:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.SelectedItem:
                    break;
                case ListItemType.Separator:
                    break;
                default:
                    break;
            }
    }