Modify user control at runtime

[VBAHole22]

I have a user control that I use on every page of my site. It has a menu in it and also a small image with a link to my home page. What I would like to do is add a placeholder in one cell of a table in the user control. Then when I load the page I want to declare a url to the image I want in the contorl. Basically I would be placing a title image in the user control for each page, but they will be different based on the page.

 

I know that you can control aspects of user controls at runtime but I don't know how to expose those attributes and get them set.

 

I am using VB.NET and I use code behind.

 

Any suggestions?

[kahlua001]

Set a "Property" of the user control that is exposed to your main page.

[VBAHole22]

Um, how exactly would I do that?

 

When I add my user control to a web form and then open the code behind page it doesn't even recognize the user control as being there. What I mean is there are no properties or methods exposed on the user control because it isn't recognixed (doesn't show up in IntellinonSense).

 

Here is what I have so far:

 

A user control with an image placeholder on it. In the code behind I dim a Public variable called strLinkURL as String

Then in the Page_Load of the user control I set the imageURL of the placeholder= strLinkURL.

 

So I think all I need to do now is set that public variable at runtime on the form that I have placed the user control, right?

[Robby]

I think what kahlua001 is suggesting is to create your own property where you can set whatever you want. (either at runtime or design)

[kahlua001]

User_control.vb

Public MustInherit Class myControl
   Inherits System.Web.UI.UserControl

Private _myVariable1 As String

Public WriteOnly Property myVariable1() As String
  Set(ByVal Value As String)
     _myVariable1 = Value
  End Set
End Property

End Class

 

main_page.aspx

<%@ Register TagPrefix="blah" TagName="myControl" Src="mypath" %>

 

main_page.aspx.vb

Protected WithEvents myControl As myproject.myControl

Sub page_load
  myControl.myVariable1 = "blah blah"
end sub

[VBAHole22]

Thanx

 

I arrived at a similar solution that also worked. I'm sure your answer is 'more proper' (not sarcasm) and I was wondering why?

 

User_control.vb

Public strLinkURL As String
Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
       Me.Image1.ImageUrl = strLinkURL
   End Sub

 

 

main_page.aspx

<%@ Register TagPrefix="uc1" TagName="Footer" Src="../includes/Footer.ascx" %>

 

main_page.aspx.vb

Protected WithEvents MiniBanner1 As New MiniBanner
Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

       Me.MiniBanner1.strLinkURL = "../images/member_list.gif"

End Sub

[Robby]

Kaklua01's example is not only proper but will make more sense if you in the future may need to set that property at design time, because using a public variable (strLinkURL) is not something you should even consider.

 

Get in to the habit of using Properties and get rid of those public variables.

[VBAHole22]

Properties good

Public variables bad

 

I got it and I'll start putting that to work.

 

Thanks for the help all.