Consider the following code which displays data in 2 columns in a
Repeater (data in the 1st column are LinkButtons where as the data in
the 2nd column is just plain text):

<script runat="server">
   Sub Page_Load(ByVal obj As Object, ByVal ea As EventArgs)
       If Not (Page.IsPostBack) Then
           Dim dSet As DataSet
           Dim sqlConn As SqlConnection
           Dim sqlDapter As SqlDataAdapter

           sqlConn = New SqlConnection("........")
           sqlDapter = New SqlDataAdapter("SELECT * FROM tblUsers",
sqlConn)

           dSet = New DataSet()
           sqlDapter.Fill(dSet, "Users")

           rptrUsers.DataSource = dSet
           rptrUsers.DataMember = "Users"
           rptrUsers.DataBind()

           sqlConn.Close()
       End If
   End Sub

   Sub Item_Command(ByVal obj As Object, ByVal ea As
RepeaterCommandEventArgs)
       Response.Write("Item Command<br>")
       'If (Page.IsPostBack) Then
           'rptrUsers.DataBind()
       'End If
   End Sub

   Sub Item_DataBound(ByVal obj As Object, ByVal ea As
RepeaterItemEventArgs)
       Response.Write("Item DataBound<br>")
       If Not (Page.IsPostBack) Then
           rptrUsers.DataBind()
       End If
   End Sub

   Sub Item_Created(ByVal obj As Object, ByVal ea As
RepeaterItemEventArgs)
       Response.Write("Item Created<br>")
   End Sub
</script>

<form runat="server">
<asp:Repeater ID="rptrUsers" OnItemCommand="Item_Command"
OnItemCreated="Item_Created" OnItemDataBound="Item_DataBound"
runat="server">

<HeaderTemplate>
<table border="1">
<tr>
<th>NAME</th>
<th>PHONE</th>
</tr>
</HeaderTemplate>

<ItemTemplate>
<tr>
<td>
<asp:LinkButton ID="lnkName" CommandArgument='<%#
Container.DataItem("LastName") %>' CommandName='<%#
Container.DataItem("FirstName") %>' Text='<%#
Container.DataItem("FirstName") & " " & Container.DataItem("LastName")
%>' runat="server"></asp:LinkButton>
</td>
<td><%# Container.DataItem("Phone") %></td>
</tr>
</ItemTemplate>

<FooterTemplate>
</table>
</FooterTemplate>

</asp:Repeater>
</form>

Note the "If Not" condition in the sub Item_DataBound. If I am not
wrong, the ItemDataBound event gets fired when the DataBind() method
of a server control is invoked. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Now when a user comes to this page for the first time, it takes a long
time for the above code to execute & finally the "Server Application
Unavailable" error gets generated (may be the script times out).

If I am not mistaken, this happens because the call to the DataBind()
method in the sub Item_DataBound will invoke the Item_DataBound
handler which in turn will call DataBind() again & this will continue
in a never ending way (recursive call). Please correct me if I am
wrong.

Going by the same logic, if the "If" condition in the sub Item_Command
is uncommented, then shouldn't that "If" condition also result in a
recursive call to the Item_DataBound handler when the page posts back
(when one of the LinkButtons is clicked in the Repeater) BUT that
doesn't happen! In fact, the sub Item_DataBound doesn't get called
only in the first place. Why?

Moreover if the "If" condition in the sub Item_Command is uncommented,
then when the page posts back (when one of the LinkButtons is clicked
in the Repeater), the Repeater doesn't get rendered. Why?

Ron