High-level question about ASP.NET web controls..

[RCS]

I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to do, is
create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could drag onto a
web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it will look like on
the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid looks).

If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the control, and
you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!

If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the default
"WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just displays text.
And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to manually create your
controls in text, which doesn't sound right.

Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it) and
make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to see it in
design-time, and be able to manipulate the public properties...

What am I missing? Thanks!

[Mythran]

"RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:NHg0e.9958$ZB6.8296@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

> I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to do, is
> create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could drag onto a
> web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it will look like
> on
> the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid looks).
>
> If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the control,
> and
> you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!
>
> If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the default
> "WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just displays text.
> And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to manually create your
> controls in text, which doesn't sound right.
>
> Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it) and
> make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to see it in
> design-time, and be able to manipulate the public properties...
>
> What am I missing? Thanks!
>
>
>

Sounds like 1.) You need to implement the "text" as html in the web control
and you also may need to look into Designers for your web control. Try the
samples that come with the .Net SDK and the MSDN Library for more
information about how to do both :)

Mythran

[Brock Allen]

User Controls allow you to use the designer to build them and they're typically
only used within a single project. There is no toolbox support for them.

Custom and Composite controls are packaged as DLLs and as you've seen have
no designer support, as they create all of their child controls in code.
They are built as a DLLs to deter modifications to the code/layout and this
is what a third party control dev would build. These do have toolbox support/integration
for that purpose -- these are meant for reuase across different applications.


-Brock
DevelopMentor
[url]http://staff.develop.com/ballen[/url]

> I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to
> do, is create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could
> drag onto a web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it
> will look like on the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid
> looks).
>
> If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the
> control, and you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!
>
> If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the
> default "WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just
> displays text. And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to
> manually create your controls in text, which doesn't sound right.
>
> Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it)
> and make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to
> see it in design-time, and be able to manipulate the public
> properties...
>
> What am I missing? Thanks!
>

[RCS]

Thanks for the response...

But what I'm not "getting" - is that the whole point of writing a control,
is it likely needs to do something a bit complicated or complex. So if there
were EVER a time, there should be a visual editor for laying something out,
it would be THAT!! :-)

I've been through the samples and MSDN and haven't found any reference to a
designer for a web control - do you have a link perhaps?? Thanks again!


"Mythran" <kip_potter@hotmail.comREMOVETRAIL> wrote in message
news:ucnRuY8LFHA.3540@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

>
> "RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:NHg0e.9958$ZB6.8296@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

>> I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to do,
>> is
>> create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could drag onto
>> a
>> web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it will look like
>> on
>> the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid looks).
>>
>> If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the control,
>> and
>> you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!
>>
>> If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the default
>> "WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just displays
>> text.
>> And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to manually create your
>> controls in text, which doesn't sound right.
>>
>> Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it) and
>> make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to see it
>> in
>> design-time, and be able to manipulate the public properties...
>>
>> What am I missing? Thanks!
>>
>>
>>

>
> Sounds like 1.) You need to implement the "text" as html in the web
> control and you also may need to look into Designers for your web control.
> Try the samples that come with the .Net SDK and the MSDN Library for more
> information about how to do both :)
>
> Mythran
>
>

[Mythran]

"RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:nah0e.9968$ZB6.7747@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

> Thanks for the response...
>
> But what I'm not "getting" - is that the whole point of writing a control,
> is it likely needs to do something a bit complicated or complex. So if
> there were EVER a time, there should be a visual editor for laying
> something out, it would be THAT!! :-)
>
> I've been through the samples and MSDN and haven't found any reference to
> a designer for a web control - do you have a link perhaps?? Thanks again!
>
>

RCS,

Ok, then...in the MSDN Library, look up ControlDesigner class
(System.Web.UI.Design) [under Index in MSDN]. Also, for some examples,
check out the following MSDN link (in the MSDN library):

ms-help://MS.MSDNQTR.2003FEB.1033/cpguide/html/cpconhtmldesignersample.htm

and found on goolge:

[url]http://aspalliance.com/articleViewer.aspx?aId=436&pId=-1[/url]

The above samples are extremely simple controls/designers. Control
designers used with Web Controls can create powerful web control design-time
support for your web controls.

For more design-time support, check out TypeConverter and UI Type Editors.

Hope this helps ;)

Mythran

[RCS]

This has been a pretty frustrating day - I can't believe this, is this
difficult. But thanks again for your help!!

"Mythran" <kip_potter@hotmail.comREMOVETRAIL> wrote in message
news:O$IUSa9LFHA.1476@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

>
> "RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:nah0e.9968$ZB6.7747@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

>> Thanks for the response...
>>
>> But what I'm not "getting" - is that the whole point of writing a
>> control, is it likely needs to do something a bit complicated or complex.
>> So if there were EVER a time, there should be a visual editor for laying
>> something out, it would be THAT!! :-)
>>
>> I've been through the samples and MSDN and haven't found any reference to
>> a designer for a web control - do you have a link perhaps?? Thanks again!
>>
>>

>
> RCS,
>
> Ok, then...in the MSDN Library, look up ControlDesigner class
> (System.Web.UI.Design) [under Index in MSDN]. Also, for some examples,
> check out the following MSDN link (in the MSDN library):
>
> ms-help://MS.MSDNQTR.2003FEB.1033/cpguide/html/cpconhtmldesignersample.htm
>
> and found on goolge:
>
> [url]http://aspalliance.com/articleViewer.aspx?aId=436&pId=-1[/url]
>
> The above samples are extremely simple controls/designers. Control
> designers used with Web Controls can create powerful web control
> design-time support for your web controls.
>
> For more design-time support, check out TypeConverter and UI Type Editors.
>
> Hope this helps ;)
>
> Mythran
>
>

[Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]]

I don't blame you for being somewhat confused. Control creation is a deep
topic.
I have a lot of information about the creation of web controls on my web
site. I think you could learn some things there.

--
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD, MVP
[url]http://SteveOrr.net[/url]


"RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:NHg0e.9958$ZB6.8296@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

> I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to do, is
> create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could drag onto a
> web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it will look like
> on
> the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid looks).
>
> If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the control,
> and
> you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!
>
> If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the default
> "WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just displays text.
> And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to manually create your
> controls in text, which doesn't sound right.
>
> Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it) and
> make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to see it in
> design-time, and be able to manipulate the public properties...
>
> What am I missing? Thanks!
>
>
>

[RCS]

Thanks - I'll check it out!

"Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]" <Steve@Orr.net> wrote in message
news:eZ%23JFm%23LFHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

>I don't blame you for being somewhat confused. Control creation is a deep
>topic.
> I have a lot of information about the creation of web controls on my web
> site. I think you could learn some things there.
>
> --
> I hope this helps,
> Steve C. Orr, MCSD, MVP
> [url]http://SteveOrr.net[/url]
>
>
> "RCS" <rseder@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:NHg0e.9958$ZB6.8296@newssvr19.news.prodigy.co m...

>> I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to web controls... What I want to do,
>> is
>> create web control that appears in the toolbox, that one could drag onto
>> a
>> web page - and you'd see the actual control (e.g. what it will look like
>> on
>> the resultant web page - much like how the datagrid looks).
>>
>> If I use a "user control", it puts that grey box describing the control,
>> and
>> you need to imagine what it will look like (yipee!)!
>>
>> If I create a seperate "web control" project, and it creates the default
>> "WebCustomControl1.cs" - that adds to the toolbox, but just displays
>> text.
>> And after scouring the net, looks like you'd need to manually create your
>> controls in text, which doesn't sound right.
>>
>> Shouldn't I be able to WYSIWYG a control (and add my code behind it) and
>> make that available via the toolbox? The main thing I want is to see it
>> in
>> design-time, and be able to manipulate the public properties...
>>
>> What am I missing? Thanks!
>>
>>
>>

>
>