In this article I will explain how to use EmptyDataTemplate in ASP.Net Repeater i.e. Show (display) empty data message when no records are present in the ASP.Net Repeater control using C# and VB.Net.
Like GridView, Repeater control does not have any EmptyDataTemplate and hence we need to make use of FooterTemplate and programmatically show (display) empty data message from code behind when no records are present.
 
 
HTML Markup
The HTML Markup consists of an ASP.Net Repeater control and a Button. The Repeater control contains an HTML Table Row (trEmpty) which will be shown programmatically from code behind when no records are present.
Note: Here the Repeater is rendered as HTML Table and hence I have used HTML Table Row to display empty data message, you can also use of other controls like Label as per your design. You can learn about rendering Repeater as HTML Table in my article Display and render Repeater control as HTML Table Layout in ASP.Net.
 
<asp:Repeater ID="rptCustomers" runat="server">
    <HeaderTemplate>
        <table cellspacing="0" rules="all" border="1">
            <tr>
                <th scope="col" style="width: 80px">
                    Customer Id
                </th>
                <th scope="col" style="width: 120px">
                    Customer Name
                </th>
                <th scope="col" style="width: 100px">
                    Country
                </th>
            </tr>
    </HeaderTemplate>
    <ItemTemplate>
        <tr>
            <td>
                <%# Eval("Id") %>
            </td>
            <td>
                <%# Eval("Name") %>
            </td>
            <td>
                <%# Eval("Country") %>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </ItemTemplate>
    <FooterTemplate>
        <tr id="trEmpty" runat="server" visible="false">
            <td colspan = "3" align = "center">
                No records found.
            </td>
        </tr>
        </table>
    </FooterTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
<br />
<asp:Button Text="Make Empty" runat="server" OnClick = "MakeEmpty" />
 
 
Namespaces
You will need to import the following namespace.
C#
using System.Data;
 
VB.Net
Imports System.Data
 
 
Show (Display) Empty data message in Repeater control in ASP.Net
The Repeater control is populated with a DataTable with some dummy records using the BindRepeater function in the Page Load event.
Note: You can learn more about this technique in my article Create DataTable dynamically and bind to GridView in ASP.Net.
The BindRepeater functions binds the DataTable to the Repeater and the checks if the DataTable has no record then it finds the HTML Table Row (trEmpty) and makes it Visible True.
Note: You can learn more about this technique in my article Find and access controls in ASP.Net Repeater Header and Footer Template.
For illustration purposes, I have added a Button which binds an empty DataTable to the Repeater control.
C#
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!this.IsPostBack)
    {
        DataTable dt = new DataTable();
        dt.Columns.AddRange(new DataColumn[3] { new DataColumn("Id"), new DataColumn("Name"), new DataColumn("Country") });
        dt.Rows.Add(1, "John Hammond", "United States");
        dt.Rows.Add(2, "Mudassar Khan", "India");
        dt.Rows.Add(3, "Suzanne Mathews", "France");
        dt.Rows.Add(4, "Robert Schidner", "Russia");
        this.BindRepeater(dt);
    }
}
 
private void BindRepeater(DataTable dt)
{
    rptCustomers.DataSource = dt;
    rptCustomers.DataBind();
 
    if (dt.Rows.Count == 0)
    {
        Control FooterTemplate = rptCustomers.Controls[rptCustomers.Controls.Count - 1].Controls[0];
        FooterTemplate.FindControl("trEmpty").Visible = true;
    }
}
 
protected void MakeEmpty(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    DataTable dt = new DataTable();
    this.BindRepeater(dt);
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub Page_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    If Not Me.IsPostBack Then
        Dim dt As New DataTable()
        dt.Columns.AddRange(New DataColumn(2) {New DataColumn("Id"), New DataColumn("Name"), New DataColumn("Country")})
        dt.Rows.Add(1, "John Hammond", "United States")
        dt.Rows.Add(2, "Mudassar Khan", "India")
        dt.Rows.Add(3, "Suzanne Mathews", "France")
        dt.Rows.Add(4, "Robert Schidner", "Russia")
        Me.BindRepeater(dt)
    End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub BindRepeater(dt As DataTable)
    rptCustomers.DataSource = dt
    rptCustomers.DataBind()
 
    If dt.Rows.Count = 0 Then
        Dim FooterTemplate As Control = rptCustomers.Controls(rptCustomers.Controls.Count - 1).Controls(0)
        FooterTemplate.FindControl("trEmpty").Visible = True
    End If
End Sub
 
Protected Sub MakeEmpty(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
    Dim dt As New DataTable()
    Me.BindRepeater(dt)
End Sub
 
 
Screenshots
Repeater control displaying data
ASP.Net Repeater EmptyDataTemplate: Show Empty data message in Repeater control in ASP.Net
 
Repeater control displaying empty data message
ASP.Net Repeater EmptyDataTemplate: Show Empty data message in Repeater control in ASP.Net
 
 
Demo
View Demo
 
 
Downloads
Download Code