"Refresh" an SQLDataSource object programmatically

Background - I have a page that uses a numeric value stored in a Session object variable as the parameter for three different SQLDataSource objects, which provide data to two asp:Repeaters and an asp:DataList. Also, in the Page_Load, I use this value to to seed a stored procedure and an SQLDataReader to populate several unbound Labels. This works fine. In addition, I have a collection of 6 TextBoxes, an unbound Listbox, and two Buttons to allow the user to do searching and selection of potential matches. This basically identifies a new numeric value that I store in the Session variable and PostBack the page (via one of the buttons). This also works fine.

Problem - I have been tasked with taking a different page and adding six textboxes to collect the search values, but to post over to this page, populate the existing search-oriented TextBoxes, adn programmatically triggering the search. Furthermore, I have to detect the number of matching records and, if only 1, have the Repeaters and DataList display the results based on the newly selected record's key numeric value, as well as populating the unbound Labels. I have managed to get all of this accomplished except for programmatically triggering the Repeaters and DataList "refresh". These controls only populate as expected if a button is clicked a subsequent time, which makes sense, since that would trigger a PostBack and the Page_Load uses the new saved numeric key value from the Session.

My history in app development is largely from Windows Forms development (VB6), this is my second foray into Web Form dev with ASP.NET 2.0. I am willing to acceptthat what I am trying to do does not fit into the ASP environment, but I have to think that this is something that has been done before, and (hopefully) there is a way to do what I need.

Any ideas, oh great and wise Forum readers? *smile*

I don't think I have fully understood your problem. But when the user clicks search button you need to refresh the sqldatasource and call your_repeaters_or_datalist.DataBind() to refresh repeaters or datalist. If you have code in Post_Back you don't want to trigger you can include it in
if (!Page.IsPostBack)
{
////your code
}

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Thanks for the response. Hopefully this helps clarify my situation: The source page has several text boxes that mirror those on the target page. When a specific button on the source page is clicked, the contents of the source text boxes is written to the Session object and a redirect cross-posts to the target page. The Page_Load on the target page checks IsPostback and if it is a cross-page post, the code checks the origin of the action (via a Session variable), and updates the textboxes on the target page with the search parameters. In code, I poppulate a listbox (with results of a SQL stored procedure) with potential matches. If more than one match is returned, I want it to stop and await user interaction (And I have it at that point.) However, if only one match is returned, I have tried to save the key record value back to the Session object, so it can be available to the SQLDataSources that use it as its source value. This is not occurring.

IIn your response, you mentioned "you need to refresh the sqldatasource and call your_repeaters_or_datalist.DataBind() to refresh". That (refreshing the sqldatasource) is what I am trying to do. How can I get them to refresh without issuing an additional postback to the target page? Is there a method that I need to invoke on the sqldatasource objects to do that? It sounds like I am close, but not quite sure what to do at this point.

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Is there a method that I need to invoke on the sqldatasource objects to do that?

yes. Assume DataList control yourdatalist is bound to sqldatasource camDS,call following code to refresh:

camDS.SelectCommand ="searchcam";
camDS.SelectCommandType = SqlDataSourceCommandType.StoredProcedure;
camDS.SelectParameters.Add("keyword1","para1 ");
yourdatalist.DataBind();

How can I get them to refresh without issuing an additional postback to the target page?

I don't think this can be achieved without post back since data is saved at the server.