I have a table bound to a repeater. There is a DateTime column called
EntryDate. When the EntryDate changes day [when CompareDates() is true]
I want to write the date out.  I want to compare the value of an item
from a table column with a public variable and then set the variable to
the value of that item when the days change [CompareDates() will do
this provided it ]

Can I access the value of EntryDate column? If so how? Clearly not by
using Eval because that requires me to bind it so something which I
don't want to do.

It compiles and gives a runtime error:

    Databinding methods such as Eval(), XPath(), and Bind() can only be
used in the context of a databound control.

If it's possible to fix the code below, how so?

<% if (CompareDates(DateStored, Eval("EntryDate")))
    {
        DateStored = (DateTime)Eval("EntryDate");
%>
            </table>
            <div class='TabBar'>
                <span id='tabDate1' class='TabLeft'><%#
Convert.ToDateTime(DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,
"EntryDate")).ToString("ddd MMM dd yyyy") %></span>
                <span class='TabRightBlank'></span>
            </div>
            <table cellspacing="2" class="DayGroup">
<%} %>

// code behind
public bool CompareDates(DateTime dateStored, object entryDate)
{
    DateTime et;
    if (entryDate is DBNull)
        return false;
    else
    {
        et = (DateTime)entryDate;
        return (new DateTime(DateStored.Year, DateStored.Month,
DateStored.Day) > new DateTime(et.Year, et.Month, et.Day));
    }
}