Use the TemplateField.EditItemTemplate property to specify the custom content displayed for an item that is in edit mode in a System.Web.UI.WebControls.TemplateField object. Define the content by creating a template that specifies how an item in edit mode is rendered. The TemplateField.EditItemTemplate property usually contains input controls for the user to modify a value in a data source.

To specify a template, first place opening and closing <EditItemTemplate> tags between the opening and closing tags of the <TemplateField> element. Next, add the custom content between the opening and closing <EditItemTemplate> tags. The content can be as simple as plain text or more complex (embedding other controls in the template, for example).

To programmatically access a control defined in a template, first determine which System.Web.UI.WebControls.TableCell object in the data-bound control contains the control. Next, use the System.Web.UI.Control.Controls collection of the System.Web.UI.WebControls.TableCell object to access the control. You can also use the System.Web.UI.Control.FindControl(string) method of the System.Web.UI.WebControls.TableCell object to find the control, if the control has an System.Web.UI.Control.ID property specified.