Empty Footer Template in Datalist

<FooterTemplate>
<asp:Label runat="server" ID="dlVideosFooter" Text="No Vidoes available at this moment for the selected category.Please try later or select another category"
Visible='<%#bool.Parse((dlBuzzVideos.Items.Count==0).ToString()) %>'></asp:Label>
</FooterTemplate>

Note:dlBuzzVideos is the datalist id.

Trim a DataBound Linkbutton inside a DataList

<ItemTemplate>

<asp:LinkButton ID="LinkButton1" runat="server" Text='<%
getShortString(Eval("Location1")) %>'></asp:LinkButton>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:DataList>

protected string getShortString(object value)
{
string shrtString = value.ToString();
if (shrtString.Length > 4) // Change this value to set your character limit
{
shrtString = shrtString.Substring(0, 4) + "..."; // Change this value to set your character limit

}
return (shrtString);
}

source : http://forums.asp.net/t/1521615.aspx/1