Control.Controls bug? Control's child controls missing at the run time.

[sinelnikov.andrei]

Hello,


..NET 1.1/VB.NET:


I have a custom web control


Public Class DatePicker
Inherits Control
Implements INamingContainer


In the CreateChildControls I adding some controls to it:


Protected Overrides Sub CreateChildControls()
placeJavascript()
MyBase.Controls.Add(New LiteralControl("<table
class='Calendar'><tr><td>"))
Dim txtTextBox As New System.Web.UI.WebControls.TextBox


With txtTextBox
If Len(m_ControlCssClass) > 0 Then
.CssClass = m_ControlCssClass
End If
If Not (m_text = "") Then
.Text = m_text
End If
If Not (m_Css = "") Then
.CssClass = m_Css
End If
.ID = "foo"
.Width = Unit.Pixel(80)
.MaxLength = Me.DateType.Length
End With


MyBase.Controls.Add(txtTextBox)
MyBase.Controls.Add(New LiteralControl( _
"<img border='0' class='ImgNoSpace' alt='Calendar' " & _
"src='" & imgDirectory + m_calendar & "' " & _
"onclick=""javascriptopUpCalendar(document.all." &
Me.ClientID & "_foo,document.all." & _
Me.ClientID & "_foo, '" & m_DateType & "');"">"))
MyBase.Controls.Add(New LiteralControl("</td></tr></table>"))
End Sub


Now, then I trying to do For Each ctl As Control In myControl.Controls
on my page:


Protected Overrides Sub OnLoad(ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
' Call base load before we do any work at this level
MyBase.OnLoad(e)


dpFrom.ValidatingControlClientID = btnSearch.ClientID
dpThrough.ValidatingControlClientID = btnSearch.ClientID


For Each ctl As Control In dpFrom.Controls
If TypeOf ctl Is TextBox Then
dpThrough.SecondDateControlClientID = ctl.ClientID
End If
Next


For Each ctl As Control In dpThrough.Controls
If TypeOf ctl Is TextBox Then
dpFrom.SecondDateControlClientID = ctl.ClientID
End If
Next


End Sub


I am getting nothing...


So, if I set the breakpoint on the For Each ctl As Control In
dpFrom.Controls and QuickWatch (or just Watch) dpFrom.Controls - I will

see Count = 0.


Now - interesting part: If I QuickWatch (or just Watch) just dpFrom and

will expand Controls property - I will see Count = 4.


And after that - if I QuickWatch (or just Watch) dpFrom.Controls - I
will see Count = 4.


I beleive that that is a bug.


So, how I can get my control's child controls on the page? Should I do
something differently then I adding child controls in my web control?


Help!

 

[Teemu Keiski]

Hi,

CreateChildControls will not be called unless something in your control
invokes either FindControl (normally on postbacking control this is
initiated on postback) or your control passes to PreRender phase, where
controls are created automatically. E.g something should signal creating
them.

You can get accessing the Controls collection to cause EnsureChildControls
to be called if youy override Controls property

Public Overrides Controls As ControlsCollection
Get
EnsureChildControls()
Return MyBAse.Controls
End Get
End Property

With this approach child controls will be created when you loop though the
collection.