Optimize asp.net C# code for repeaters using a table

Question

On the aspx:

<table>
<tr>
<asp:Repeater ID="rptHeader" runat="server">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <th><%#Eval("Category")%></th>
    </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</tr>
<tr>
<asp:Repeater ID="rptContents" runat="server">
    <ItemTemplate>
        <td valign="top">
            <%#Eval("Content")%>
        </td>
    </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</tr>
</table>

On the code-behind:

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) 
{
    rptHeader.DataSource = DataSource;
    rptHeader.DataBind();
    rptContentBlocks.DataSource = DataSource;
    rptContentBlocks.DataBind();
}

The problem here is that instead of using Two repeaters, can we use only one? We actually need the header to be separated from the contents using a different table row...

Edit: changed rptHeader's ItemTemplate's html element from <td> to <th> to be a little clearer. :-)

Answer 1

IMO it's impossible without repeater hacking. Anyway, there is a rather irregular approach that maybe works. Also you can use two foreach statements instead of repeaters.

Code

protected string[] headers = { "A", "B", "C", "D" };
protected string[] contents = { "Alpha", "Beta", "Counter", "Door" };

//string[] headers = { "A", "B", "C", "D" };
//string[] contents = { "Alpha", "Beta", "Counter", "Door" };

//DataList1.RepeatColumns = headers.Length;
//DataList1.DataSource = headers.Concat(contents);
//DataList1.DataBind();

Html markup

<table>
    <tr>
        <%foreach (string item in headers)
          { %>
          <th><%= item %></th>
        <% } %>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <%foreach (string item in contents)
          { %>
          <td><%= item %></td>
        <% } %>
    </tr>
</table>
<!--
    <asp:DataList ID="DataList1" runat="server" RepeatDirection="Horizontal">
        <ItemTemplate>
            <%# Container.DataItem %>
        </ItemTemplate>
    </asp:DataList>
-->