Retrieve RadGrid cell value in ItemDataBound - "Input string was not in a correct format."

Question

I am trying to set a CssClass based on a the comparison of two cell values in my radGrid. Both cells are formatted for currency {0:c}, so that when I compare them, I have a $ sign in the text string. I know how to parse a string to remove the $ sign, which is what I am doing. However, is there a way to get the raw text of the cell prior to formatting, so that I will not have this error?

Here is my code:

ASPX:

                        <telerik:RadGrid ID="rgCISPartsInfo" DataSourceID="dsCISItem" AutoGenerateColumns="False"
                        GridLines="None" AllowPaging="False" OnItemDataBound="rgCISPartsInfo_ItemDataBound" runat="server" Width="676px">
                        <MasterTableView AllowPaging="False" DataKeyNames="SalesOrderItemId">
                            <Columns>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="COST" DataField="AverageCostPrice" AllowSorting="false"
                                    DataFormatString="{0:c}" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"
                                    HeaderStyle-Width="80px">
                                </telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn DataField="ExtendedCost" HeaderText="X COST" DataFormatString="{0:c}" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" 
                                HeaderStyle-Width="80px" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"></telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn DataField="Weight" HeaderText="WT" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" HeaderStyle-Width="80px" 
                                ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"></telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                            </Columns>
                        </MasterTableView>
                    </telerik:RadGrid>

C#:

protected void rgCISPartsInfo_ItemDataBound(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    try
    {
        // only access item if not header or footer cell
        if ((e.Item.ItemType == GridItemType.Item) || (e.Item.ItemType == GridItemType.AlternatingItem))
        {
            GridDataItem dataItem = e.Item as GridDataItem;
            GridColumn column = rgCISPartsInfo.MasterTableView.GetColumn("AverageCostPrice");

            decimal cost = Convert.ToDecimal(dataItem["AverageCostPrice"].Text);
            decimal price = Convert.ToDecimal(dataItem["Price"].Text);
            if (cost > price)
            {
                dataItem.CssClass = "Grid_Red_Row";
                throw new Exception("Item Cost is greater than price.");
            }
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        GlobalHelper.ShowErrorMessage(this.Page.Master, ex.Message);
    }
}

UPDATE: The selected solution is the answer to my question, but I ultimately decided to simply parse the string for the $ sign, as it was the simplest solution.

Answer 1

I would add RadGridDataBound filed with visible="fasle" and different unique name and access it from the code behind.

 <telerik:RadGrid ID="rgCISPartsInfo" DataSourceID="dsCISItem" AutoGenerateColumns="False"
                        GridLines="None" AllowPaging="False" OnItemDataBound="rgCISPartsInfo_ItemDataBound" runat="server" Width="676px">
                        <MasterTableView AllowPaging="False" DataKeyNames="SalesOrderItemId">
                            <Columns>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="COST" DataField="AverageCostPrice" AllowSorting="false"
                                    DataFormatString="{0:c}" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"
                                    HeaderStyle-Width="80px">
                                </telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                                       <telerik:GridBoundColumn HeaderText="COST" DataField="AverageCostPrice" Visiable="false" uniqueName="AverageCostPrice1"  DataField="AverageCostPrice" >
                                </telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn DataField="ExtendedCost" HeaderText="X COST" DataFormatString="{0:c}" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" 
                                HeaderStyle-Width="80px" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"></telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                                <telerik:GridBoundColumn DataField="Weight" HeaderText="WT" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign="right" HeaderStyle-Width="80px" 
                                ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign="right"></telerik:GridBoundColumn>
                            </Columns>
                        </MasterTableView>
                    </telerik:RadGrid>

C#

  decimal cost = Convert.ToDecimal(dataItem["AverageCostPrice1"].Text);

PS: Another idea I just had is to assign the DataFormatString durring the ItemDataBound event. this way you'll have the raw string.

Answer 2

One option is to not use format string in the markup and do it in the ItemDataBound event instead.