In this article I will explain with an example, how to edit and update multiple rows in GridView using CheckBoxes in ASP.Net using C# and VB.Net.
The Rows which are checked will become editable and user can update multiple rows on single Update Button click.
 
 

Database

I have made use of the following table Customers with the schema as follows.
Bulk Edit Update Multiple Rows in ASP.Net GridView using CheckBoxes
 
I have already inserted few records in the table.
Bulk Edit Update Multiple Rows in ASP.Net GridView using CheckBoxes
 
Note: You can download the database table SQL by clicking the download link below.
         Download SQL file
 
 

HTML Markup

The HTML Markup consists of following controls:
GridView – For displaying data.

Columns

The GridView consists of three TemplateField columns.
TemplateField – First TemplateField column consists of HeaderTemplate and ItemTemplate.
HeaderTemplate – The HeaderTemplate contains a CheckBox.
ItemTemplate – The ItemTemplate contains a CheckBox.
The CheckBoxes have been assigned with an OnCheckedChanged event handler.
 
TemplateField – Second TemplateField column consists of ItemTemplate.
ItemTemplate – The ItemTemplate contains a Label and a TextBox control.
Label – For displaying Name value.
TextBox – For capturing Name value to be updated.
TemplateField – Third TemplateField column consists of ItemTemplate.
ItemTemplate – The ItemTemplate contains a Label and a DropDownList control.
Label – For displaying Country value.
DropDownList – For capturing Country value to be updated.
 

Property

DataKeyNames – For permitting to set the names of the Column Fields, that we want to use in code but do not want to display it. Example Primary Keys, ID fields, etc.
Note: For more details on DataKeys please refer my article DataKeyNames in GridView example in ASP.Net.
 

Event

The GridView has been assigned with an OnRowDataBound event handler.
 
Button – For updating the record.
The Button has been assigned with an OnClick event handler.
<asp:GridView ID="gvCustomers" runat="server" AutoGenerateColumns="false" OnRowDataBound="OnRowDataBound" DataKeyNames="CustomerId">
    <Columns>
        <asp:TemplateField>
            <HeaderTemplate>
                <asp:CheckBox ID="chkAll" runat="server" AutoPostBack="true" OnCheckedChanged="OnCheckedChanged" />
            </HeaderTemplate>
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:CheckBox ID="chk" runat="server" AutoPostBack="true" OnCheckedChanged="OnCheckedChanged" />
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:TemplateField>
        <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Contact Name" ItemStyle-Width="150">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:Label ID="lblName" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("Name")%>'></asp:Label>
                <asp:TextBox ID="txtName" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("Name")%>' Visible="false"></asp:TextBox>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:TemplateField>
        <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Country" ItemStyle-Width="150">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:Label ID="lblCountry" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("Country")%>'></asp:Label>
                <asp:DropDownList ID="ddlCountries" runat="server" Visible="false"></asp:DropDownList>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:TemplateField>
    </Columns>
</asp:GridView>
<br />
<asp:Button ID="btnUpdate" runat="server" Text="Update" OnClick="OnUpdate" Visible="false" />
 
 

Namespaces

You will need to import the following namespaces.
C#
using System.Linq;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Configuration;
 
VB.Net
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Configuration
 
 

Binding the ASP.Net GridView

Inside the Page_Load event handler, the BindGrid method is called where the records are fetched from the Customers Table of the SQL Server database using ExecuteQuery method.
Finally, the GridView is populated.
 

ExecuteQuery

Inside the ExecuteQuery method, the switch case statement is executed and if SELECT is the action then, records are fetched from database and DataTable is returned.
And if UPDATE is the action then, records are updated using ExecuteNonQuery method.
Note: For more details on ExecuteNonQuery, please refer my article Understanding SqlCommand ExecuteNonQuery in C# and VB.Net.
 
C#
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!this.IsPostBack)
    {
        this.BindGrid();
    }
}
 
private void BindGrid()
{
    string sql = "SELECT CustomerId, Name, Country FROM Customers";
    using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql))
    {
        gvCustomers.DataSource = this.ExecuteQuery(cmd, "SELECT");
        gvCustomers.DataBind();
    }
}
 
private DataTable ExecuteQuery(SqlCommand cmd, string action)
{
    string constr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(constr))
    {
        cmd.Connection = con;
        switch (action)
        {
            case "SELECT":
                using (SqlDataAdapter sda = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd))
                {
                    using (DataTable dt = new DataTable())
                    {
                        sda.Fill(dt);
                        return dt;
                    }
                }
            case "UPDATE":
                con.Open();
                cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                con.Close();
                break;
        }
        return null;
    }
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    If Not Me.IsPostBack Then
        Me.BindGrid()
    End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub BindGrid()
    Dim sql As String = "SELECT CustomerId, Name, Country FROM Customers"
    Using cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(sql)
        gvCustomers.DataSource = Me.ExecuteQuery(cmd, "SELECT")
        gvCustomers.DataBind()
    End Using
End Sub
 
Private Function ExecuteQuery(ByVal cmd As SqlCommand, ByVal action As String) As DataTable
    Dim constr As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
    Using con As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(constr)
        cmd.Connection = con
        Select Case action
            Case "SELECT"
                Using sda As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(cmd)
                    Using dt As DataTable = New DataTable()
                        sda.Fill(dt)
                        Return dt
                    End Using
                End Using
 
            Case "UPDATE"
                con.Open()
                cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
                con.Close()
        End Select
        Return Nothing
    End Using
End Function
 
 

Populating the Country DropDownList in the ASP.Net GridView Row

Inside the OnRowDataBound event handler, a check is performed if selected row is DataRow then, the DropDownList is referenced and SELECT query is passed as parameter to ExecuteQuery method and fetched records are used as DataSource of DropDownList.
The DataTextField, DataValueField properties are set and DropDownList is populated.
Finally, based on the Label value the DropDownList item is made selected using the FindByValue method.
C#
protected void OnRowDataBound(object sender, GridViewRowEventArgs e)
{
    string sql = "SELECT DISTINCT(Country) FROM Customers";
    if (e.Row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow)
    {
        SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql);
        DropDownList ddlCountries = (e.Row.FindControl("ddlCountries") as DropDownList);
        ddlCountries.DataSource = this.ExecuteQuery(cmd, "SELECT");
        ddlCountries.DataTextField = "Country";
        ddlCountries.DataValueField = "Country";
        ddlCountries.DataBind();
        string country = (e.Row.FindControl("lblCountry") as Label).Text;
        ddlCountries.Items.FindByValue(country).Selected = true;
    }
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub OnRowDataBound(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridViewRowEventArgs)
    Dim sql As String = "SELECT DISTINCT(Country) FROM Customers"
    If e.Row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
        Dim cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(sql)
        Dim ddlCountries As DropDownList = (TryCast(e.Row.FindControl("ddlCountries"), DropDownList))
        ddlCountries.DataSource = Me.ExecuteQuery(cmd,"SELECT")
        ddlCountries.DataTextField = "Country"
        ddlCountries.DataValueField = "Country"
        ddlCountries.DataBind()
        Dim country As String = (TryCast(e.Row.FindControl("lblCountry"), Label)).Text
        ddlCountries.Items.FindByValue(country).Selected = True
    End If
End Sub
 

Switching the ASP.Net GridView Row to Edit mode on CheckBox checked

Inside the OnCheckedChanged event handler, first a Boolean variable is created and set to FALSE.
Next, the CheckBox is referenced and a check is performed if Check All CheckBox in the GridView Header Row is checked or unchecked then, a FOR EACH loop is executed over the GridView rows.
Again a check is performed if selected row is DataRow then, the CheckBox is made checked.
Then, the CheckBox of HeaderRow is referenced and FOR EACH loop is executed over GridView rows and Boolean variable value is set based on the state of CheckBox and the visibility of Label, TextBox and DropDownList is determined based on the Boolean value.
Finally, isUpdateVisible is set to the Visible property of Update Button.
C#
protected void OnCheckedChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    bool isUpdateVisible = false;
    CheckBox chk = (senderas CheckBox);
    if  (chk.ID == "chkAll")
    {
        foreach (GridViewRow row in gvCustomers.Rows)
        {
            if (row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow)
            {
                row.Cells[0].Controls.OfType<CheckBox>().FirstOrDefault().Checked = chk.Checked;
            }
        }
    }
 
    CheckBox chkAll = (gvCustomers.HeaderRow.FindControl("chkAll") as CheckBox);
    chkAll.Checked = true;
    foreach (GridViewRow row in gvCustomers.Rows)
    {
        if (row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow)
        {
            bool isChecked = row.Cells[0].Controls.OfType<CheckBox>().FirstOrDefault().Checked;
            for (int i = 1; i < row.Cells.Count; i++)
            {
                row.Cells[i].Controls.OfType<Label>().FirstOrDefault().Visible = !isChecked;
                if (row.Cells[i].Controls.OfType<TextBox>().ToList().Count > 0)
                {
                    row.Cells[i].Controls.OfType<TextBox>().FirstOrDefault().Visible = isChecked;
                }
                if (row.Cells[i].Controls.OfType<DropDownList>().ToList().Count > 0)
                {
                    row.Cells[i].Controls.OfType<DropDownList>().FirstOrDefault().Visible = isChecked;
                }
                if (isChecked && !isUpdateVisible)
                {
                    isUpdateVisible = true;
                }
                if (!isChecked)
                {
                    chkAll.Checked = false;
                }
            }
        }
    }
    btnUpdate.Visible = isUpdateVisible;
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub OnCheckedChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Dim isUpdateVisible As Boolean = False
    Dim chk As CheckBox = (TryCast(sender, CheckBox))
    If chk.ID = "chkAll" Then
        For Each row As GridViewRow In gvCustomers.Rows
            If row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
                row.Cells(0).Controls.OfType(Of CheckBox)().FirstOrDefault().Checked = chk.Checked
            End If
        Next
    End If
 
    Dim chkAll As CheckBox = (TryCast(gvCustomers.HeaderRow.FindControl("chkAll"), CheckBox))
    chkAll.Checked = True
    For Each row As GridViewRow In gvCustomers.Rows
        If row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
            Dim isChecked As Boolean = row.Cells(0).Controls.OfType(Of CheckBox)().FirstOrDefault().Checked
            For i As Integer = 1 To row.Cells.Count - 1
                row.Cells(i).Controls.OfType(Of Label)().FirstOrDefault().Visible = Not isChecked
                If row.Cells(i).Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)().ToList().Count > 0 Then
                    row.Cells(i).Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)().FirstOrDefault().Visible = isChecked
                End If
                If row.Cells(i).Controls.OfType(Of DropDownList)().ToList().Count > 0 Then
                    row.Cells(i).Controls.OfType(Of DropDownList)().FirstOrDefault().Visible = isChecked
                End If
                If isChecked AndAlso Not isUpdateVisible Then
                    isUpdateVisible = True
                End If
                If Not isChecked Then
                    chkAll.Checked = False
                End If
            Next
        End If
    Next
    btnUpdate.Visible = isUpdateVisible
End Sub
 

Updating the edited records in ASP.Net GridView Row

When Update Button is clicked, a FOR EACH loop is executed over the GridView rows.
Then, a check is performed if selected row is DataRow and again a check is performed if it is checked then, update query is executed and necessary parameters are set.
Finally, the Visible property of Update Button is set to FALSE and the BindGrid method is called.
C#
protected void OnUpdate(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    string sql = "UPDATE Customers SET Name = @Name, Country = @Country WHERE CustomerId = @CustomerId";
    foreach (GridViewRow row in gvCustomers.Rows)
    {
        if (row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow)
        {
            bool isChecked = row.Cells[0].Controls.OfType <CheckBox>().FirstOrDefault().Checked;
            if (isChecked)
            {
                SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql);
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Name", row.Cells[1].Controls.OfType<TextBox>().FirstOrDefault().Text);
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Country", row.Cells[2].Controls.OfType<DropDownList>().FirstOrDefault().SelectedItem.Value);
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CustomerId", gvCustomers.DataKeys[row.RowIndex].Value);
                this.ExecuteQuery(cmd, "SELECT");
            }
        }
    }
    btnUpdate.Visible = false;
    this.BindGrid();
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub OnUpdate(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Dim sql As String = "UPDATE Customers SET Name = @Name, Country = @Country WHERE CustomerId = @CustomerId"
    For Each row As GridViewRow In gvCustomers.Rows
        If row.RowType = DataControlRowType.DataRow Then
            Dim isChecked As Boolean = row.Cells(0).Controls.OfType(Of CheckBox)().FirstOrDefault().Checked
            If isChecked Then
                Dim cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(sql)
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Name", row.Cells(1).Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)().FirstOrDefault().Text)
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Country", row.Cells(2).Controls.OfType(Of DropDownList)().FirstOrDefault().SelectedItem.Value)
                cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CustomerId", gvCustomers.DataKeys(row.RowIndex).Value)
                Me.ExecuteQuery(cmd,"SELECT")
            End If
        End If
    Next
    btnUpdate.Visible = False
    Me.BindGrid()
End Sub
 
 

Screenshot

Bulk Edit Update Multiple Rows in ASP.Net GridView using CheckBoxes
 
 

Demo

View Demo
 
 

Downloads

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