Can't display Data in ComboBox Control of DropDownStyle (DropDownList) - vb.net

Question

I have the following requirement,
I have a ComboBox Control (DropDownList Style) which user has to select a given value, but can not edit. Then I save it to a Database Table, and it's working fine.
(dataRow("it_discount_profile") = Trim(cmbDisProfile.Text))
But when I try to show the same Data in the same ComboBox by retrieving it from the Database, it won't show.
(cmbDisProfile.Text = Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_discount_profile")))
When I change the ComboBox to "DropDown Style", it works. But then the User can edit it.
Am I missing something here or is it like that? Any advice will be highly appreciated.
Im filling it in runtime using a procedure.
Private Sub filldisProfiles()
Dim sqlString As String = "SELECT discount_profile FROM tb_discount_profiles"
Dim tempTb As DataTable
Dim myTbClass As myClassTableActivities = New myClassTableActivities()
tempTb = myTbClass.myFunctionFetchTbData(sqlString)
cmbDisProfile.DataSource = tempTb
cmbDisProfile.DisplayMember = "discount_profile"
End Sub
Ok. Actually, Im trying to migrate one of my old project from VB to VB.Net. VB.Net is little new to me. Im using a self built classto reduce codes in other places. Im attaching the class below.
My actual requirement is to populate the combo box from a table. I like to do it in run time. I don't want users to edit it. If they want to add a new value, they have separate place (Form) for that. I think im doing it in a wrong way. If possible please give a sample code since I'm not familiar with the proposed method.
Public Function myFunctionFetchTbData(ByVal inputSqlString As String) As DataTable
Try
Dim SqlCmd As New SqlCommand(inputSqlString, conn)
Dim dataAdapter As New SqlDataAdapter(SqlCmd)
Dim fetchedDataSet As New DataSet
fetchedDataSet.Clear()
dataAdapter.Fill(fetchedDataSet)
Dim fetchedDataTable As DataTable = fetchedDataSet.Tables(0)
Return fetchedDataTable
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(Err.Description)
End Try
End Function
' this sub will update a table
Public Sub MyMethodUpdateTable(ByVal sqlString As String, ByVal tbToUpdate As DataTable)
Dim SqlCmd As New SqlCommand(sqlString, conn)
Dim dataAdapter As New SqlDataAdapter(SqlCmd)
Dim objCommandBuilder As New SqlClient.SqlCommandBuilder(dataAdapter)
dataAdapter.Update(tbToUpdate)
End Sub
Public Function MyMethodfindRecord(ByVal strSearckKey As String, ByVal tableName As String, ByVal strColumnName As String) As Boolean
Try
Dim searchSql As String = "SELECT * FROM " & tableName & " WHERE " & strColumnName & "='" & strSearckKey & "'"
'Dim searchString As String = txtCategoryCode.Text
' searchOwnerCmd.Parameters.Clear()
' searchOwnerCmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("a", "%" & search & "%")
Dim tempTb As DataTable
Dim myTbClass As myClassTableActivities = New myClassTableActivities()
tempTb = myTbClass.myFunctionFetchTbData(searchSql)
If tempTb.Rows.Count = 0 Then
Return False
Else
Return True
End If
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(Err.Description)
End Try
End Function
Public Function myFunctionFetchSearchTB(ByVal inputSqlString As String) As DataTable
Try
Dim SqlCmd As New SqlCommand(inputSqlString, conn)
Dim dataAdapter As New SqlDataAdapter(SqlCmd)
Dim fetchedDataSet As New DataSet
fetchedDataSet.Clear()
dataAdapter.Fill(fetchedDataSet)
Dim fetchedSearchTB As DataTable = fetchedDataSet.Tables(0)
Return fetchedSearchTB
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(Err.Description)
End Try
End Function

Answer 1

OK. If I understood correctly, you have a problem in retrieving Data [String] from a Database Table into a ComboBox of DropDownStyle [DropDownList].
How do you fill/populate your ComboBox with Data From Database Table ?
In this link, Microsoft docs state, that:
Use the SelectedIndex property to programmatically determine the index
of the item selected by the user from the DropDownList control. The
index can then be used to retrieve the selected item from the Items
collection of the control.
In much more plain English
You can never SET ComboBox.Text Value while in DropDownList by code, which you already knew by testing your code, but you need to use DisplayMember and ValueMember or SelectedIndex.
ComboBox1.SelectedIndex = ComboBox1.FindStringExact(Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_discount_profile")))
Please consider populating your ComboBox Control from Database Table using (Key,Value) Dictionary collection, here is an example

Answer 2

Thank you guys for all the advice's. The only way it can be done is the way u said. I thought of putting the working code and some points for the benefit of all.
proposed,
ComboBox1.SelectedIndex = comboBox1.FindStringExact(Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_discount_profile")))"
does not work when u bind the datatable to the combobox. The values should be added to the combo box in run time if the above "SelectedIndex" method to work. The code to add items to the combobox is as follows(myClassTableActivities is a class defined by myself and its shown above),
Private Sub filldisProfiles()
Dim sqlString As String = "SELECT discount_profile FROM tb_discount_profiles"
Dim tempTb As DataTable
Dim myTbClass As myClassTableActivities = New myClassTableActivities()
tempTb = myTbClass.myFunctionFetchTbData(sqlString)
Dim i As Integer = 0
For i = 0 To tempTb.Rows.Count - 1
cmbDisProfile.Items.Add(Trim(tempTb.Rows(i).Item("discount_profile")))
Next
End Sub
After adding we can use the following code to display the data on combobox (DropDownList).
Private Sub txtItCode_TextChanged(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles txtItCode.TextChanged
Try
Dim sqlString As String = "SELECT * FROM tb_items where it_code='" & Trim(txtItCode.Text) & "'"
Dim tempTb As DataTable
Dim myTbClass As myClassTableActivities = New myClassTableActivities()
tempTb = myTbClass.myFunctionFetchTbData(sqlString)
If Len(txtItCode.Text) < 4 Then
cmdAdd.Enabled = False
cmdDelete.Enabled = False
cmdSave.Enabled = False
Else
If tempTb.Rows.Count > 0 Then
With tempTb
txtItName.Text = Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_name"))
cmbDisProfile.SelectedIndex = cmbDisProfile.FindStringExact(Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_discount_profile")))
cmbProfitProfile.SelectedIndex = cmbProfitProfile.FindStringExact(Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_profit_profile")))
cmbItCategory.SelectedIndex = cmbItCategory.FindStringExact(Trim(tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_category")))
cmbFinanCategory.SelectedIndex = cmbFinanCategory.FindStringExact((tempTb.Rows(0).Item("it_finance_category")))
End With
cmdAdd.Enabled = False
cmdDelete.Enabled = True
cmdSave.Enabled = True
Else
cmdAdd.Enabled = True
cmdDelete.Enabled = False
cmdSave.Enabled = False
txtItName.Text = ""
Call fillItCategories()
Call fillProProfile()
Call filldisProfiles()
Call fillFinCat()
End If
End If
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.Message)
End Try