Develop Reference

Unable To Render Control To Placeholder

The following code will not add a control to an aspx placeholder:
var control = new ASCXControl { ID="searchFilters", Filters = filters };
var placeholder = Utility.FindControlRecursive(Page, "rightColumnSearchFilters") as PlaceHolder;
if(placeholder != null){
placeholder.Controls.Add(control);
placeholder.Visible = true;
}
When debugging, the placeholder is found and the control shows as added to the placeholder controls collection after entering the block, but yet I see nothing render into the placeholder on the page.
I currently need to pass variables to the control in order to find the filters I need to display. Although I don't like passing variables between controls, I don't see any other way.
What am I missing would make the control not render? Is there a better way to do this?
EDIT:
I am trying to get the HTML inside of the ascx to render. I am able to get the Filters parameters inside the Page_Load on the control.

This may or may not be the whole problem, but usually trying to instantiate a UserControl the way you're doing it leads to problems. You should do it using the LoadControl(path) method of the Page class:
ASCXControl ctl = (ASCXControl) LoadControl("path");
I'm not 100% sure, but I think that if you just instantiate it like an ordinary class/control, you wind up not running all the event handlers (such as Load) that you usually would.

Error using 'this' in a cs page trying to access control

I have a page called test.aspx with test.cs.
However, i want to access my control called mbResult
Which is my custom messagebox control, from a sepearate CS page.
I know many people have asked this question and i have found that this is a method to access my controls.
MessageBoxControl mbox1 = this.FindControl("mbResult") as MessageBoxControl;
But I keep getting this error
Error 5 Keyword 'this' is not valid in a static property, static method, or static field initializer
Any ideas on how to access this control all i am trying to do is make it visible.
Thanks

You need to move the code into a non-shared method. You need to be operating in an instance of the page.
Update for clarification in comments
Unfortunately, your application is going to need some restructuring.
If the messageboxcontrol is shown in a new window, then you will need to pass the value from your source page to the new window in the query string.
However, if you want the messagebox control to be displayed on the source page, then you will need to convert it from a page to a UserControl, add a reference to the user control to your source page, and then add an instance of the usercontrol directly to the source page.

Statics don't have instance-based contexts, so using this is not applicable. You'll need a reference to the control for which you want to use .FindControl (possibly by passing it as a parameter).

reading form value of a control (TextBox) in ASP.Net

I would like to read the Form value of a control (e.g TextBox), i.e 'Request.Form["[Control_Name_Here]"]. The problem with using say TextBox.Text is because if you explicity set it yourself in the Page_Load, there is no way you can get back the 'original value' submitted in the form.
As you know, Asp.Net generates a unique ID/Name for the control. The Request.Form is based on the name attribute of a control. Each webcontrol has a ClientID property, however this does not match the name. The name seems to be almost like the ClientID, having $ instead of _. Is there a way to easily get the value from the form, without resorting to having to replace the _ to a $?
And this should also cater for other naming-conventions, because as from Asp.Net you can also choose to have a control's id statically-generated, rather than dynamically.

It sounds to me like you're not looking for the .ClientID property, but the .UniqueID property of the Control.
See: MSDN
Edit: Also, is there a reason you're always setting the .Text property within the page load? Instead of for example check the Page.IsPostBack property instead and only set the .Text if it's false?

I personally use jquery to find the control and read and set the value
GetFormValue = function (idName) {
var srchP = '[id='+idName+']';
var ctrl = $(srchP);
if (ctrl != null)
return ctrl.val();
return null;
}
so assume th id name in server part is txMytext
and it will be .....$txMytext in client
and by calling GetFormValue('txMytext') in client side you cna get the value of control
dont foget to use jquery library

Navigating between DotNetNuke module controls using EditURL() or NavigateURL()

OK I'm new to DotNetNuke and need to write a simple module in DNN that will display an article for everyone, and allow the admin to edit the article/add a new one.
I have a test page that contains a DNN module with one module definition and two controls in that definition. The default control shows the article based on an articleID field in the querystring. You then click a button that is supposed to load the edit control and pass the articleID in the query string.
If I use EditURL() in the onClick the edit control is loaded with the correct articleID, but using the admin skin. If I use Globals.NavigateURL() then the correct skin is shown but my edit control isn't loading in the page.
Any clue as to how to what I'm doing wrong or how to get the edit control loading with the correct skin?
My two methods of switching to the edit control (in my button click event) are listed below:
string newURL = this.EditUrl("articleID", Request.QueryString["articleID"], "EditArticle");
Response.Redirect(newURL);
and
string newURL = Globals.NavigateURL(this.TabId, "EditArticle","articleID="+Request.QueryString["articleID"]);
Response.Redirect(newURL);

Actually you are doing this correctly - the editurl in DNN does load the Admin skin - usually this skin is based on someone administering content so it strips out all other modules and shows the 'basics'. Right or wrong this is what it does.
If you dont want to to do that you could provide a switch in the querystring and show a seperate panel or do a multiview control and show different views based on the switch in the query string.
There are a few other approaches like changing the content area to editing text area with ajax or using popup modal style windows.

How to reference a Master Page from a user control?

I'm looking for a way to (preferably) strongly type a master page from a user control which is found in a content page that uses the master page.
Sadly, you can't use this in a user control:
<%# MasterType VirtualPath="~/Masters/Whatever.master" %>
I'm trying to access a property of the master page from the user control and would rather not have to pass the property from the master page to the content page to the user control because multiple content pages use the same user control. One change, one place whatnot.

Try Page.Master.
Whatever whatev = (Whatever)Page.Master;
You'll have to make sure you add the proper using statements to the top of your file, or qualify the Master page type inline.
One potential gotcha is if this control is used by a different page whose master page is NOT the same type. This would only get caught at runtime.

Have you tryed Page.FindControl("name") on the usercontrol?

The best way to do it that I've found is actually to build a custom class that is based off of UserControl, give it a Master property with a get accessor that fishes through the this.Page.Parent until it stops encountering master pages (If you are nesting, this step is unnecessary otherwise) and then return that web control as the type of the master page you want to use. Then, when you add a new user control, change it's base class to the name of your custom class. The .Master property will be accessible and cast properly as the master page you want it to use.

In VB all I needed to do was change this:
Dim lAuthLevel As Integer = Master.MasterContact.AuthenticationLevel
to this:
Dim lAuthLevel As Integer = CType(Me.Page.Master, main).MasterContact.AuthenticationLevel
So all references of Master become Ctype(Me.Page.Master, typeofMaster)
Where is in this case the word "main" - get that from the declaration at the top of the master page. e.g.
So "main" in this case :)