ASP.NET DropDownList SelectedValue & ViewState

gistfile1.cs

protected string MySelectedValue
{
  get
  {
    return (ViewState["MySelectedValue"] == null)
      ? null : ViewState["MySelectedValue"].ToString();
  }
  set
  {
    ViewState["MySelectedValue"] = value;
  }
}

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
  // Check if the selectedValue has changed.
  string selectedValue = Request[myDropDownCtrl.UniqueID];
  if (selectedValue != MySelectedValue)
  {
    // Value has changed, do whatever you
    // would do in the SelectedIndexChanged event here.
  }
  MySelectedValue = selectedValue;

  // TODO: Populate the drop-down control
  PopulateMyDropDownCtrl();

  // set the set the selectedValue on the drop-down
  if (selectedValue != null)
  {
    myDropDownCtrl.Items.FindByValue(selectedValue).Selected = true;
  }
}