Source code and example code online: How to export GridView to txt file using VB.NET

This tutorial will show you how to export GridView to txt using ASP.NET 2.0 and VB.

First, you need to import the namespace from System.Data.SqlClient.

Imports System.Data.SqlClient;

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The System.Data.SqlClient namespace contains the System.Data.SqlClient namespace is the .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server.The .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server describes a collection of classes used to access a SQL Server database in the managed space. In tutorial, we need "AddHeader" and "ContentType" to do the work.The AddHeader method adds a new HTML header and value to the response sent to the client. It does not replace an existing header of the same name. After a header has been added, it cannot be removed. The ContentType property specifies the HTTP content type for the response. If no ContentType is specified, the default is text/HTML.

We use the Button1_Click event to do the work. We then call "Response.AddHeader" to export a file which is named FileName.txt. We then use "Response.ContentType" to denotes the type of the file being exported.

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

Dim cn As New SqlConnection(ConnectionString)
cn.Open()
cn1 = New SqlConnection(ConnectionString)
cn1.Open()
Dim ds As New DataSet()
Dim ad As New SqlDataAdapter("select * from [authors]", cn)

ad.Fill(ds)

Dim str As New StringBuilder()

Dim i As Integer
For i = 0 To ds.Tables(0).Rows.Count - 1

Dim j As Integer
For j = 0 To ds.Tables(0).Columns.Count - 1
str.Append(ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(j).ToString())
Next j

str.Append("<BR>")

Next i

Response.Clear()
Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=FileName.txt")
Response.Charset = ""
Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache)
Response.ContentType = "application/vnd.text"

Dim stringWrite As New System.IO.StringWriter()
Dim htmlWrite = New HtmlTextWriter(stringWrite)

Response.Write(str.ToString())
Response.End()
cn.Close()
cn1.Close()
cn.Dispose()
cn1.Dispose()

End Sub

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The front end GridViewExportTxtVB.aspx page looks something like this:

<asp:Button ID="Button1" runat="server" OnClick="Button1_Click" Text="Export to Word" width="99px" /><br />
<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server">
</asp:GridView>

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The flow for the code behind page is as follows.

Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Security
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts
Imports System.Web.UI.HtmlControls
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Text

Class _Default

Inherits System.Web.UI.Page '

Private ConnectionString As String = "Data Source=(local);Initial Catalog=pubs;User Id=sa;Password=sa123"
Private cn1 As SqlConnection

Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

If Not Page.IsPostBack Then

Dim cn As New SqlConnection(ConnectionString)
cn.Open()
cn1 = New SqlConnection(ConnectionString)
cn1.Open()
Dim cmd As New SqlCommand("select * from [authors]", cn)
Dim dr As SqlDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection)
GridView1.DataSource = dr
GridView1.DataBind()
dr.Close()

End If

End Sub

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

Dim j As Integer
For j = 0 To ds.Tables(0).Columns.Count - 1
str.Append(ds.Tables(0).Rows(i)(j).ToString())
Next j

str.Append("<BR>")