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I had a <asp:SqlDataSource connected to a database using a connection string however I wanted to have 2 columns merged together to create 1 column such as:

Column: First Name
Column: Last Name

Creates:

Column: Full Name

I had a hard time finding how to do this in aspx but a really easy time finding this to do in the page directly.

My Sql Data Source was as follows:

<asp:SqlDataSource ID="databaseWork" runat="server" ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:ConnectionString%>" SelectCommand="SELECT  [FirstName],[LastName] FROM [People]">
    </asp:SqlDataSource>

I wanted to have them in a drop down list. My drop down list was:

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlPeople" runat="server" AutoPostBack="True" DataSourceID="databaseWork" DataTextField= 'FirstName' DataValueField="ID">
</asp:DropDownList>

No matter what I did nothing seemed to work, I went to multiple sites and tried many things however I figured it out on my own that I could just modify the SQL Query and create my own column instead of concatenating fields together when I used them.

I am adding an answer to my own question as I believe it will be very helpful to others who want the same result.

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up vote 0 down vote accepted

What I did turned out to be very simple to achieve 1 column that had 2 or more columns created together.

My SqlDataSource is as follows:

<asp:SqlDataSource ID="databaseWork" runat="server" ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:ConnectionString%>" SelectCommand="SELECT [FirstName] + ' ' + [LastName], AS [FullName] FROM [People]">
</asp:SqlDataSource>

Now when using it as a column in DropDown Lists Or a Grid View you can simply call that new column we created.

Drop Down List Example:

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlPeople" runat="server" AutoPostBack="True" DataSourceID="databaseWork" DataTextField= 'FullName' DataValueField="ID">

Grid View With Column Example:

<asp:GridView
  ID="gridPeople"
  runat="server"
  DataSourceID="databaseWork"
  AllowPaging="True" 
  AllowSorting="True" 
  AutoGenerateColumns="False" PageSize="50">

    <Columns> 
        <asp:BoundField DataField="FullName" HeaderText="Full Name Column"  SortExpression="FullName" />

    </Columns>

</asp:GridView>

Instead of trying to add two columns to create one in the drop down list or grid view on the fly it is much better and EASIER to create the column in the SQL Query itself and simply call it. Now when we call FULL Name we get resulst like this:

  1. John Smith
  2. Hannah Montanna

Hope this helps you as I was stuck on this and could find a correct answer of how to solve this in the web page directly instead of the server side.

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If you have an idea to improve this answer please comment and I will update. – L1ghtk3ira Oct 5 '16 at 2:23
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SqlDataSource

<asp:SqlDataSource ID="databaseWork" runat="server" ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:ConnectionString%>" SelectCommand="SELECT [ID], [FirstName] + ' '+[LastName] AS [FullName] FROM [People]">
</asp:SqlDataSource>

Note query "SELECT [ID], [FirstName]+' '+[LastName] AS [FullName] FROM [People]"

For Dropdown

<asp:DropDownList ID="ddlPeople" runat="server" AutoPostBack="True" DataSourceID="databaseWork" DataTextField= 'FullName' DataValueField="ID">
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Dont' forget to mark as answer if this helps you. thanks – Sami Oct 5 '16 at 4:11
    
This is just a short version of mine below..Thanks though. – L1ghtk3ira Oct 5 '16 at 9:50

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