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asp.net - controling output from User Control

I have a user control i wrote that creates a very simple message board. I usually include it in my pages somethign like this:

///// start example 1 /////

<%@ Page Language="vb" AutoEventWireup="false" Codebehind="default.aspx.vb" Inherits="iwebdemo._default"%>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="uc1" TagName="messageboard" Src="messageboard.ascx" %>

<HTML>
<body>
some content before the message board <br>blah blah blah <br>
            <form id="Form1" method="post" runat="server">
                  <uc1:messageboard id="Messageboard1" runat="server"></uc1:messageboard>

some content here after the message board, blah blah <br>blah blah
</form>
      </body>
</HTML>

//////// end example 1 /////////

Now..... the current web app i am writing looks something like this.....

///// start example 2 ////

<%@ Page Language="vb" AutoEventWireup="false" Codebehind="default.aspx.vb" Inherits="iwebdemo._default"%>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="uc1" TagName="messageboard" Src="messageboard.ascx" %>

<HTML>
<body>
<form id="Form1" method="post" runat="server">
<%= strContent %>
</form>
</body>
</HTML>

///// end example 2 /////

the value stored in strContent in example 2 is generated in the code behind file and contains something like the following

strContent = "<table><tr><td>{messageBoardHere}</td></tr></table>"

i want to replace the text in strContent called {messageBoardHere} with an instance of the user control..... can i do this????

siac0

ASKER

small typo in the code i just posted.... the form tag in example 1, should come straight after the body tag :)

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KeirGordon

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ihenry

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siac0

ASKER

Thanks. I have almost solved what i was trying to do based on your replies. I'm not sure i explained very well "exactly" what i was trying to do.........the variable strTemplateCode contained keywords i had made up, such as {pageContent}, or {messageBoard} which had to be replaced by content either from a database, or in the case of {messageBoard} with my messageBoard user control... to accomplish what i was trying to do i had to split up the strTemplateCode variable into 2 seperate variables.

/// in the code behind ///

If InStr(strTemplateCode, "{messageBoard}") > 0 Then

Dim messageBoardCode
messageBoardCode = Split(strTemplateCode, "{messageBoard}")

strTemplateCode = messageBoardCode(0)
strTemplateCode2 = messageBoardCode(1)

'load the messageBoard stuff into the placeHolder
Dim uc As Control = Page.LoadControl("messageBoard.ascx")
myPlaceHolder.Controls.Add(uc)

End If

/// aspx page ///

<form id="Form1" method="post" runat="server">
<%= strTemplateCode %>
<asp:PlaceHolder runat="server" id="myPlaceHolder" />
<%= strTemplateCode2 %>
</form>

siac0

ASKER

One more thing... i have some buttons on the user control, which fire onClick events. the onClick events no longer fire now that the user control is dynamically loaded... i'll have a search and see if i can work it out :)

siac0

ASKER

got it working..... just incase anyone would like to know I ended up doing the following.

// sample code from code behind

Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

'following solves viewstate problem, and will keep onClick events firing on dynamically loaded messageBoard

If viewstate("userControl") = "Exists" Then
Dim uc As Control = Page.LoadControl("messageBoard.ascx")
myPlaceHolder.Controls.Add(uc)
writeOutContent()
End If

If Not Page.IsPostBack = True Then
writeOutContent()
End If

End Sub

////// writeOutContent Sub Contains the following........

If InStr(strTemplateCode, "{messageBoard}") > 0 Then

Dim messageBoardCode
messageBoardCode = Split(strTemplateCode, "{messageBoard}")

strTemplateCode = messageBoardCode(0)
strTemplateCode2 = messageBoardCode(1)

'load the messageBoard stuff into the placeHolder
If viewstate("userControl") <> "Exists" Then
Dim uc As Control = Page.LoadControl("messageBoard.ascx")
myPlaceHolder.Controls.Add(uc)
viewstate("userControl") = "Exists"
End If

End If