Thanks Bonnie. It was more then that.
I needed the DataValueField defined earlier. I just saw pi_applpg becasue thre was nothing there.

Session["dsGetModels"] = dsGetModels;
MmDropDownList2.DataSource = dsGetModels;
MmDropDownList2.DataTextField = "pi_model";
MmDropDownList2.DataValueField = "pi_applpg";
MmDropDownList2.DataBind() ;


string ptPage = MmDropDownList2.SelectedItem.Value;
string ptMake = MmDropDownList1.SelectedItem.Text ;
string strURL = String.Concat("ptos.aspx?ptoapp=", ptPage ,"&ptoMake=", ptMake );
Response.Redirect(strURL);




>Hi Stephen,
>
>Use this:
>

>string ptPage = MmDropDownList2.SelectedValue.ToString() ;
>

>
>~~Bonnie
>
>
>>I have 2 columns in a list, Text for people to see and the key. How do I extract the KEY's value to pass to a new page? Below is what I'm trying'
>>
>>private void MmButton1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
>>{
>>string ptPage = MmDropDownList2.BindingSourceValueMember.ToString() ;
>>string strURL = String.Concat("ptos.aspx?ptoapp=", ptPage );
>>Response.Redirect(strURL);
>>}
>>
>>In my address line I see :
>>http://localhost/mmJumpStart/ptos.aspx?ptoapp=pi_applpg
>>
>>The pi_applpg is the column, not it's coresponding value.
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>__Stephen