In the data-binding expression, use the Container keyword, which returns a reference to the container. You can then access the container's properties or methods.

This keyword is used most commonly in the Eval method to get values from the naming container's DataItem object, but can be used outside of that method as well. The following example shows a Label control that might be in a template for a DataList, Repeater, or GridView control. It displays the current item number.

The following example is similar, but gets a value from the naming container's DataItem object:

Note

The NamingContainer property does not necessarily reference the same control as the Parent property. For example, in a Repeater control, you might have an item template containing a table that in turn contains a Label control. The parent control of the label is a table cell (for example, a HtmlTableCell object), but its naming container is the DataListItem object, because it is the DataListItem that defines the namespace for the Label control, not the table.

Get the control's NamingContainer property and cast it to the container's class type, such as GridViewRow.

For an example of using the NamingContainer property to get information about an individual control's naming container, see Using the NamingContainer Property to Determine a Control's Naming Container.