Form ids in a content placeholder

[Bob]

I am trying to obtain values of a submitted form when the form is inside a
content placeholder via a master page. For example:

<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
...
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
...

However, the identifier for the form element in Request.Form after the form
is submitted to another page is:

ctl00%24contentMain%24FirstAndLastName

Is there a way to prevent form identifers from prefacing the content
placeholder id? If not, on the form receiving page, how do I obtain the
field? Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"] doesn't work, I am required to
prepend the ctl100$contentMain$ stuff.

Thanks

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Reference the Control on the server side, rather than the HTML element it
creates on the client.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

 

[bruce barker]

create a hidden field that you store the content place holders UniqueID. then
you will know what to prepend to the controls name. you could also name the
container (in the codebehind) so it had a fixed name rather than ctl100.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

 

[Bob]

The form has this structure:

<%@ page language="C#" masterpagefile="~/templates/site.master"
codefile="~/myform.cs" inherits="MyCompany.MyForm" title="My Form" %>
<%@ mastertype typename="MyCompany.MasterPage" %>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
<form id="myForm" runat="server">
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
<asp:Button runat="server" Text="Submit" id="Submit" onclick="DoSubmit" />
</form>
</asp:content>

Then in the myform.cs file, I am doing some validation in DoSubmit() and
then if all is OK I do Server.Transfer("/postsubmit.aspx");

Inside postsubmit.aspx is where I am trying to do
Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"], but it wants me to add ctl100. The only
way I have found to get around this is to move the control text (like Kevin
says below) into Context.Items[]. Then do the Server.Transfer() and in the
other page in PreRender event I push all the Context.Items[] into the
ViewState[]. It seems pretty silly to have to move stuff around like this
when I know it is in Request.Form[].

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks

Reference the Control on the server side, rather than the HTML element it
creates on the client.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

I am trying to obtain values of a submitted form when the form is inside a
content placeholder via a master page. For example:

<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
...
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
...

However, the identifier for the form element in Request.Form after the
form is submitted to another page is:

ctl00%24contentMain%24FirstAndLastName

Is there a way to prevent form identifers from prefacing the content
placeholder id? If not, on the form receiving page, how do I obtain the
field? Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"] doesn't work, I am required to
prepend the ctl100$contentMain$ stuff.

Thanks

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Hi Bob,

No need to move anything. The HttpContext.Current property contains a
property called "Handler" which is the Page that initially handled the
Request. Cast it as the Page class that handled the Request, and then you
can get a handle on all the properties of the Page.

string s = ((myform)HttpContext.Current.Handler).FirstAndLastName.Text;

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

The form has this structure:

<%@ page language="C#" masterpagefile="~/templates/site.master"
codefile="~/myform.cs" inherits="MyCompany.MyForm" title="My Form" %>
<%@ mastertype typename="MyCompany.MasterPage" %>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
<form id="myForm" runat="server">
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
<asp:Button runat="server" Text="Submit" id="Submit" onclick="DoSubmit" />
</form>
</asp:content>

Then in the myform.cs file, I am doing some validation in DoSubmit() and
then if all is OK I do Server.Transfer("/postsubmit.aspx");

Inside postsubmit.aspx is where I am trying to do
Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"], but it wants me to add ctl100. The only
way I have found to get around this is to move the control text (like
Kevin says below) into Context.Items[]. Then do the Server.Transfer() and
in the other page in PreRender event I push all the Context.Items[] into
the ViewState[]. It seems pretty silly to have to move stuff around like
this when I know it is in Request.Form[].

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks

Reference the Control on the server side, rather than the HTML element it
creates on the client.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

I am trying to obtain values of a submitted form when the form is inside
a content placeholder via a master page. For example:

<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
...
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
...

However, the identifier for the form element in Request.Form after the
form is submitted to another page is:

ctl00%24contentMain%24FirstAndLastName

Is there a way to prevent form identifers from prefacing the content
placeholder id? If not, on the form receiving page, how do I obtain the
field? Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"] doesn't work, I am required to
prepend the ctl100$contentMain$ stuff.

Thanks

 

[clintonG]

Yea Bob, I think there is a "better way" noting I rarely have an opportunity
to suggest something other than what Kevin has to offer. Start by learning
how the page is actually compiled for instance eh? Then you'll have insight
into how and why the control tree is generated and why we see the ctl
prefixed notation. In addition, the MasterPage adds a layer of abstraction
as it is a unique type of user control that the compiler adds to the content
page at runtime.

So no, there is no way around the ctl prefix; we must work with the control
tree on its own terms.

Secondly, FirstAndLastName as it is being used in this context is not a
field; it is a property (more on this in a moment).

My work with Master Pages often compels me to enable trace in the page as a
way to read and understand the control tree in the context it has been
compiled. Once the property has been located and read from the control tree
it can be referenced using the FindControl method. The late bound
FindControl method can get really ugly.

It is more elegant and literally more efficient at runtime to reference the
control using a public property (that's where a field will be used, e.g.
private _firstandlastname. Doing so allows us to access the objectified
instance of the now early bound control by referencing its public properties
directly.

Finally, you can wade into the deep side of the Master Pages pool by taking
advantage of some outstanding work from a guy named K. Scott Allen at
http://odetocode.com/.

<%= Clinton Gallagher

Hi Bob,

No need to move anything. The HttpContext.Current property contains a
property called "Handler" which is the Page that initially handled the
Request. Cast it as the Page class that handled the Request, and then you
can get a handle on all the properties of the Page.

string s = ((myform)HttpContext.Current.Handler).FirstAndLastName.Text;

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

The form has this structure:

<%@ page language="C#" masterpagefile="~/templates/site.master"
codefile="~/myform.cs" inherits="MyCompany.MyForm" title="My Form" %>
<%@ mastertype typename="MyCompany.MasterPage" %>
<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
<form id="myForm" runat="server">
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
<asp:Button runat="server" Text="Submit" id="Submit" onclick="DoSubmit"
/>
</form>
</asp:content>

Then in the myform.cs file, I am doing some validation in DoSubmit() and
then if all is OK I do Server.Transfer("/postsubmit.aspx");

Inside postsubmit.aspx is where I am trying to do
Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"], but it wants me to add ctl100. The
only way I have found to get around this is to move the control text
(like Kevin says below) into Context.Items[]. Then do the
Server.Transfer() and in the other page in PreRender event I push all the
Context.Items[] into the ViewState[]. It seems pretty silly to have to
move stuff around like this when I know it is in Request.Form[].

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks

Reference the Control on the server side, rather than the HTML element
it creates on the client.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Chicken Salad Surgeon
Microsoft MVP

I am trying to obtain values of a submitted form when the form is inside
a content placeholder via a master page. For example:

<asp:content contentplaceholderid="contentMain" runat="server">
...
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstAndLastName"></asp:TextBox>
...

However, the identifier for the form element in Request.Form after the
form is submitted to another page is:

ctl00%24contentMain%24FirstAndLastName

Is there a way to prevent form identifers from prefacing the content
placeholder id? If not, on the form receiving page, how do I obtain
the field? Request.Form["FirstAndLastName"] doesn't work, I am
required to prepend the ctl100$contentMain$ stuff.

Thanks