protected void loadVendors()
        {
            List <Vendor> vendorList = new List <Vendor>();

            vendorList = VendorDB.getVendors();

            this.vendorsDropDownList.DataSource     = vendorList;
            this.vendorsDropDownList.DataTextField  = "ShortString";
            this.vendorsDropDownList.DataValueField = "BusinessEntityID";
            this.vendorsDropDownList.DataBind();

            if (vendorList.Count > 0)
            {
                if (this.selectedVendor == null)
                {
                    this.vendorsDropDownList.SelectedIndex = 0;
                    this.selectedVendor = vendorList.ElementAt(0);
                }
                else
                {
                    this.vendorsDropDownList.SelectedValue =
                        this.selectedVendor.BusinessEntityID.ToString();
                }

                this.displaySelectedVendor();
            }
        }