how to set the default value to the drop down list control?

Question

I have a drop down list control on my web page. I have bind the datatable to the dropdownlist control as follows -

lstDepartment.DataTextField = \"Department         


        

Answer 1

After your DataBind():

lstDepartment.SelectedIndex = 0;  //first item

or

lstDepartment.SelectedValue = "Yourvalue"

or 
//add error checking, just an example, FindByValue may return null
lstDepartment.Items.FindByValue("Yourvalue").Selected = true;

or
//add error checking, just an example, FindByText may return null
lstDepartment.Items.FindByText("Yourvalue").Selected = true;

Answer 2

Assuming that the DropDownList control in the other table also contains DepartmentName and DepartmentID:

lstDepartment.ClearSelection();

foreach (var item in lstDepartment.Items) 
{
  if (item.Value == otherDropDownList.SelectedValue)
  {
    item.Selected = true;
  }
}

Answer 3

if you know the index of the item of default value,just

lstDepartment.SelectedIndex = 1;//the second item

or if you know the value you want to set, just

lstDepartment.SelectedValue = "the value you want to set";

Answer 4

lstDepartment.DataTextField = "DepartmentName";
lstDepartment.DataValueField = "DepartmentID";
lstDepartment.DataSource = dtDept;
lstDepartment.DataBind();
'Set the initial value:
lstDepartment.SelectedValue = depID;
lstDepartment.Attributes.Remove("InitialValue");
lstDepartment.Attributes.Add("InitialValue", depID);

And in your cancel method:

lstDepartment.SelectedValue = lstDepartment.Attributes("InitialValue");

And in your update method:

lstDepartment.Attributes("InitialValue") = lstDepartment.SelectedValue;