Have a master page. The content page has a list with hyperlinks containing request variables. You click on one of the links to go to the page containing the radiobuttonlist (maybe).

First problem: When I get to the new page, I use one of the variables to determine whether to add a radiobuttonlist to a placeholder on the page. I tried to do it in page)_load but then couldn't get the values selected. When I played around doing it in preInit, the first time the page is there, I can't get to the page's controls. (Object reference not set to an instance of an object.) I think it has something to do with the MasterPage and page content? The controls aren't instantiated until later? (using vb by the way)

Second problem: Say I get that to work, once I hit a button, can I still access the passed request variable to determine the selected item in the radiobuttonlist?

    Protected Sub Page_PreInit(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.PreInit
    'get sessions for concurrent 

    Dim Master As New MasterPage
    Master = Me.Master

    Dim myContent As ContentPlaceHolder = CType(Page.Master.FindControl("ContentPlaceHolder1"), ContentPlaceHolder)
    If Request("str") = "1" Then
        Dim myList As dsSql = New dsSql()   ''''instantiate the function to get dataset
        Dim ds As New Data.DataSet

        ds = myList.dsConSessionTimes(Request("eid"))
        If ds.Tables("conSessionTimes").Rows.Count > 0 Then
            Dim conY As Integer = 1

            CType(myContent.FindControl("lblSidCount"), Label).Text = ds.Tables("conSessionTimes").Rows.Count.ToString

Sorry to be so needy - but maybe someone could direct me to a page with examples? Maybe seeing it would help it make sense?

Thanks....JB