Can't pass div ID to code behind although it has runat=server

Question

I have a DIV (id=itemButtons) inside the ItemTemplate of a FormView. Although it has runat=server its ID can¨t be passed to the code behind. I get an error that itemButtons is not declared. Any help?

CODE BEHIND

Sub Page_Load() Handles Me.Load
itemButtons.visible = True
End Sub

ASPX PAGE

 <asp:FormView ID="FormView1" runat="server" DataKeyNames="IDrecipe" DataSourceID="SqlDataSource1">
<ItemTemplate>
    <div id="itemButtons" visible="false" runat="server">
            <asp:LinkButton ID="EditButton" runat="server" CausesValidation="False" CommandName="Edit" Text="Edit" />
            &nbsp;<asp:LinkButton ID="DeleteButton" runat="server" CausesValidation="False" CommandName="Delete" Text="Delete" />
            &nbsp;<asp:LinkButton ID="NewButton" runat="server" CausesValidation="False" CommandName="New" Text="New" />
</div>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:FormView>

Answer 1

It is not accessible because it is in the ItemTemplate of the Formiew. Only controls which are sitting on top of the page, or better, which NamigContainer is the Page can be accessed directly via Id.

You need to use FindControl on it's NamingContainer which is the FormView that needs to be in the ReadOnly-mode because it is in the ItemTemplate.

A good place for the code is the DataBound - event:

Private Sub FormView1_DataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles FormView1.DataBound
    Select Case FormView1.CurrentMode
        Case FormViewMode.ReadOnly
            Dim itemButtons = DirectCast(FormView1.FindControl("itemButtons"), HtmlGenericControl)
            itemButtons.isible = True
    End Select
End Sub

But why don't you use a Panel which is rendered as a div if you need to access it on serverside?