Building a web app with a dynamic image layout
This may sound a bit vague, but...
I'm tasked with developing a web app centred around this basic functionality:
1. A user inputs a workcell and model type on a webpage.
2. The web app queries a SQL database and returns a sequence of build steps based on the workcell and model type. This sequence can be of varying length, let's say between 1 and 20 steps for argument's sake.
3. For each step, the query also returns a filepath and filename of ONE picture (assume a .jpg) PER step.
4. Based on the workcell, a query returns the total number of pictures (steps), height and width in pixels of all pics, and number of pics per row to display.
My question: since the number of images (and their placement on the page) is dynamic... could be 1 row of 4 or 3 rows of 3... what is the best development tool to achieve this type of layout?
I was going to use ASP.Net 2010 Web Forms, but the designer is terrible for controlling the placement of controls on the page.
I'm comfortable handling the user input, and querying SQL, it's just the layout issue. I'm pretty comfortable in HTML, and know a wee bit about CSS.
Thanks.
I'm tasked with developing a web app centred around this basic functionality:
1. A user inputs a workcell and model type on a webpage.
2. The web app queries a SQL database and returns a sequence of build steps based on the workcell and model type. This sequence can be of varying length, let's say between 1 and 20 steps for argument's sake.
3. For each step, the query also returns a filepath and filename of ONE picture (assume a .jpg) PER step.
4. Based on the workcell, a query returns the total number of pictures (steps), height and width in pixels of all pics, and number of pics per row to display.
My question: since the number of images (and their placement on the page) is dynamic... could be 1 row of 4 or 3 rows of 3... what is the best development tool to achieve this type of layout?
I was going to use ASP.Net 2010 Web Forms, but the designer is terrible for controlling the placement of controls on the page.
I'm comfortable handling the user input, and querying SQL, it's just the layout issue. I'm pretty comfortable in HTML, and know a wee bit about CSS.
Thanks.
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What have you tried? You have to specify the image URL not path.
ASKER
Yes, that is one of the things on my to-do list: rather than specifying file paths, load the images into a virtual IIS directory (I believe).
Even without that step, this is the closest scenario I've found so far:
http://www.aspdotnet-suresh.com/2011/05/how-to-bind-images-from-folder-to.html
The key here is to create BindDataList, and call it from Page_Load. However, in this case, I'm not simply referencing a file directory - as mentioned earlier, the user has to enter some input, retrieve data from SQL, and THEN populate ListItems (and bind the data).
Is it a true statement that by using "if (!IsPostBack)" on the Page_Load, that the retrieved data will be available for binding at this point in time?
Apologies for any ambiguity - appreciate the help.
Even without that step, this is the closest scenario I've found so far:
http://www.aspdotnet-suresh.com/2011/05/how-to-bind-images-from-folder-to.html
The key here is to create BindDataList, and call it from Page_Load. However, in this case, I'm not simply referencing a file directory - as mentioned earlier, the user has to enter some input, retrieve data from SQL, and THEN populate ListItems (and bind the data).
Is it a true statement that by using "if (!IsPostBack)" on the Page_Load, that the retrieved data will be available for binding at this point in time?
Apologies for any ambiguity - appreciate the help.
>Is it a true statement that by using "if (!IsPostBack)" on the Page_Load, that the retrieved data will be available for binding at this point in time?
Depends on how you bind. Are you using SQLDataSource?
Depends on how you bind. Are you using SQLDataSource?
ASKER
Not as one: during the query process, data is returned through multiple queries.. So in the end, the data I need resides in 3 different datagrids. (Height, width in one; filenames in a second; filepath in a third from a system config table)
ASKER
Does it help to revise these 3 calls into 1, for a single dataset to bind to?
Is the path static and then file name different? If so, you can use the RowDataBound event of the filepath grid to set image URLs.
ASKER
DataList worked with a virtual IIS directory.
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ASKER
My current problem is I can't seem to properly specify these image parameters (such as ImageURL) into the DataList? I can't even add just the first image. Can you help? (I'm assuming I can set all of these at runtime, based on SQL datasets.)