unruly DataList

to try and explain quickly, i have a datalist that cannot be populated (to my knowledge) with a SqlDataSource because i have it display a rendered image as well as a set of data from a SQL Server 05 db table. I have used VB code behind to dynamically create a dataset and sqldataadapter to populate the datalist. i then had to write item and edititem templates, and then i wrote code for the edit, cancel, and update command events for the datalist. they are working, but very "wierd-ish".
i hit the edit button once, page postsback, still in item mode. hit edit 2nd time, page postsback this time in edit mode. i have to go through the same twice thru with the cancel command. if i enter new data and hit update, it postsback and still in edit mode. hit update 2nd time, postsback, item mode, no updated fields. close the app, reopen it, and the fields are now updated. can anybody help me on this one please? below is .aspx page code for the datalist as well as entire VB code behind page.
thanks all.

<aspataList ID="photoList" runat="server" DataKeyField="photoID" >
<ItemTemplate>
<br />
<br />
Photo ID:
<asp:Label ID="lblPhotoID" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoID") %>'></asp:Label>
<br />
Photo Order:
<asp:Label ID="lblPhotoOrder" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoOrder") %>'></asp:Label>
<br />
Photo Visible:
<asp:CheckBox ID="cbxPhotoVisible1" runat="server" Checked='<%# Bind("photoVisible") %>'
Enabled="false" />
<br />
Photo Thumbnail:
<asp:CheckBox ID="cbxThumbnail1" runat="server" Checked='<%# Bind("photoThumbnail") %>'
Enabled="false" />
<br />
Photo Comment:
<asp:Label ID="lblComment" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoComment") %>'></asp:Label>
<br />
<asp:Button ID="btnEdit" runat="server" CommandName="edit" Text="Edit" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<asp:Button ID="btnDelete" runat="server" CommandName="delete" Text="Delete" />
<br />
<asp:Image ID="imgPhoto" runat="server" ImageUrl='<%# Eval("photoFile") %>' Width="400px" />
</ItemTemplate>
<EditItemTemplate>
<br />
<br />
Photo ID:
<asp:Label ID="lblPhotoID" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoID") %>'></asp:Label>
<br />
Photo Order:
<asp:TextBox ID="txtPhotoOrder" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoOrder") %>'></asp:TextBox>
<br />
Photo Visible:
<asp:CheckBox ID="cbxPhotoVisible2" runat="server" Checked='<%# Bind("photoVisible") %>'
Enabled="true" />
<br />
Photo Thumbnail:
<asp:CheckBox ID="cbxPhotoThumbnail2" runat="server" Checked='<%# Bind("photoThumbnail") %>'
Enabled="true" />
<br />
Photo Comment:
<asp:TextBox ID="txtPhotoComment" runat="server" Text='<%# Bind("photoComment") %>'></asp:TextBox>
<br />
<asp:Button ID="btnUpdate" runat="server" CommandName="update" Text="Update" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<asp:Button ID="btnCancel" runat="server" CommandName="cancel" Text="Cancel" />
<br />
<asp:Image ID="imgPhoto" runat="server" ImageUrl='<%# Eval("photoFile") %>' Width="400px" />
</EditItemTemplate>
</aspataList>


Partial Class AdminPages_AdminPhotos
Inherits System.Web.UI.Page
Protected Function ftnFillDataSet(ByVal ds As DataSet, ByVal strQuery As String) As DataSet
Dim da As SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter
Dim strConnection As New SqlConnection()
strConnection.ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("CustomTintsConnectionString").ConnectionString.ToString()
da = New SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter(strQuery, strConnection)
da.Fill(ds)
ds.Tables(0).Columns.Add("photoFile")
For Each tempRow As DataRow In ds.Tables(0).Rows
tempRow.Item("photoFile") = ("~/PublicPages/PhotoGalleries/photoGrab.aspx?id=" & tempRow.Item("photoID"))
Next
Return ds
End Function
Protected Sub btnViewPhotos_Command(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.CommandEventArgs)
Dim intID As Integer = Val(e.CommandName)
Dim dsPhoto As New DataSet
Dim strSQLJob As String = "SELECT * FROM tblPhotos WHERE jobID=" & intID & "ORDER BY photoOrder"
ftnFillDataSet(dsPhoto, strSQLJob)
photoList.DataSource = dsPhoto
photoList.DataBind()
End Sub
Protected Sub photoList_EditCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListCommandEventArgs) Handles photoList.EditCommand
photoList.EditItemIndex = e.Item.ItemIndex
End Sub
Protected Sub photoList_CancelCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListCommandEventArgs) Handles photoList.CancelCommand
photoList.EditItemIndex = -1
End Sub
Protected Sub photoList_UpdateCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListCommandEventArgs) Handles photoList.UpdateCommand
Dim strConnection As New SqlConnection()
strConnection.ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("CustomTintsConnectionString").ConnectionString.ToString()
strConnection.Open()
Dim strSQLPhoto As New SqlCommand("UPDATE tblPhotos SET photoComment = @photoComment, photoOrder = @photoOrder, photoThumbnail = @photoThumbnail, photoVisible = @photoVisible WHERE photoID = @oldphotoID", strConnection)
With strSQLPhoto
.Parameters.AddWithValue("@oldphotoID", CType(e.Item.FindControl("lblPhotoID"), Label).Text)
.Parameters.AddWithValue("@photoComment", CType(e.Item.FindControl("txtPhotoComment"), TextBox).Text)
.Parameters.AddWithValue("@photoOrder", CType(e.Item.FindControl("txtPhotoOrder"), TextBox).Text)
.Parameters.AddWithValue("@photoThumbnail", CType(e.Item.FindControl("cbxPhotoThumbnail2"), CheckBox).Checked)
.Parameters.AddWithValue("@photoVisible", CType(e.Item.FindControl("cbxPhotoVisible2"), CheckBox).Checked)
.ExecuteNonQuery()
End With
photoList.EditItemIndex = -1
End Sub
Protected Sub photoList_DeleteCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As System.Web.UI.WebControls.DataListCommandEventArgs) Handles photoList.DeleteCommand
'blah blah
End Sub
End Class

obviously i have not done the deletecommand sub yet.... i also had photoList.dataBind() following reseting the ItemEditIndex statement in each command sub, but the datalist would not render on postback, so i took the databinds out.

any help is much appreciated.

 

By rendering an image I assume that you mean the <asp:Image ID="imgPhoto" runat="server" ImageUrl='<%# Eval("photoFile") %>' Width="400px" /> ?

You can achieve this fine with a sqldatasource with:

<asp:Image ID="imgPhoto" runat="server" ImageUrl='<%# "~/PublicPages/PhotoGalleries/photoGrab.aspx?id=" & Eval("photoFile") %>' Width="400px" />

Code (.Net):