Develop Reference

Accessing masterpage code behind code from a child pages .ASPX page

I'm looking to execute code in my code behind on my Masterpage, and use it on the .aspx page of child pages like Default.aspx, without having to call it through the Default.aspx.cs page.
This is my attempt by accessing it like so <% MasterPage.getPlanCost() %>, however, this does not work. As there's "no definition" for getPlanCost()
Master Page code behind:
public string getPlanCost()
{
var country = getCountry();
string gbp = "£5.99";
string euro = "€6.99";
string usd = "$8.99";
var currencyCost = usd;
if (country == "United Kingdom") // gbp
{
currencyCost = gbp;
}
else if (country == "United States" || country == "Canada" || country == "Australia" || country == "New Zealand") // usd
{
currencyCost = usd;
}
else // euro
{
currencyCost = euro;
}
return currencyCost;
}
Default.aspx page:
<p class="text-center under-title text-muted"><%=MasterPage.getPlanCost() %> Cancel Anytime.</p>
What is the quickest / most efficient way of achieving this? Furthermore, I have tried to use alternate methods seen on StackOverflow, using get and set however I was unable to get this working. Fairly new to C# so I apologise.

Although you have found a workaround, it is possible to access master page methods from child web forms, useful in cases where want your child page to affect the master page in some way. You can do this through the Page.Master property, but you will first have to register the type or cast it.
Method 1: Registering Master Type
Web Form:
<%# Page Language="C#" MasterPageFile="~/Example.Master" ... %>
<%# MasterType VirtualPath="~/Example.Master" %>
Code Behind:
Page.Master.getPlanCost();
Method 2: Casting Master Property
Code Behind:
((Example)Page.Master).getPlanCost();

To anybody wondering, I created a class called Utilities.cs
Then called it directly from here from my Default.aspx page instead.
<%=Utilities.getPlanCost()%>
I'd also like to thank #Joel Coehoorn for his comments which got me halfway there.

How do I get access to master page properties via user control markup?

I have been searching the internet and most I find resolves the issue of accessing the master page properties from the user control's code behind. But I am unable to find a solution where the user control can have access to the master page's properties within the markup.
Background:
The master page dynamically adds user control onto the page.
The master page has two properties which the user control needs to access via markup.
Here is some code to represent my problem:
Master page's code behind properties:
public IModule Module
{
get
{
return MyContext.Current.Module;
}
}
public IDictionary<string, object> Arguments
{
get
{
return MyContext.Current.Arguments;
}
}
Master page dynamically adds to control in code behind (it HAS to be dynamically added in master page's code behind):
protected override void OnInit(EventArgs e)
{
base.OnInit(e);
if (!(Page is VehicleForm) && !(Page is VsrManageForm) && !(Page is VpbManageForm))
{
MenuTab view = (MenuTab)this.LoadView(plhMenu, "~/Controls/MenuTab.ascx", "", MyContext.Current.Module);
}
}
User control's markup:
<web:FlowLink class="tools__lnk" arguments="<%# Arguments %>" id="flowLink1" runat="server" contextmodule='<%# Module %>' flowcall="FavouritesView" title="" rel="nofollow" ClientIDMode="Omitted">Shortlist</web:FlowLink>
<web:FlowLink class="tools__lnk" arguments="<%# Arguments %>" id="flowLink2" runat="server" contextmodule='<%# Module %>' flowcall="CompareView" title="" rel="nofollow" ClientIDMode="Omitted">Compare</web:FlowLink>
<web:FlowLink class="tools__lnk" arguments="<%# Arguments %>" id="flowLink5" runat="server" contextmodule='<%# Module %>' flowcall="UserView" title="" rel="nofollow" ClientIDMode="Omitted">Account</web:FlowLink>
Error:
Compiler Error Message: CS0103: The name 'Arguments' does not exist in the current context
Question:
How do I access <%# Arguments %> and <%# Module %> master page properties from the user control?

It might be possbile (have not tested it though) to do something like this:
arguments="<%# ((MasterPageType)this.Page.Master).Arguments %>"
Although it does not look right. You might want to redesign the way you control gets the data. Or atthe very least do the same somewhere in code behind and verify whether a current masterpage is of an expected type.
Update. The final solution that OP used incorporated ideas above, and resulted in having properties like below declared in the control:
public IDictionary<string, object> Arguments
{
get
{
MasterPageType master = this.Page.Master as MasterPageType;
if (master != null)
{
return master.Arguments;
}
else
{
return null;
}
}
}

Get Usercontrol which inherits Type X using reflection

Given this usercontrol ascx in a web application:
<%# Control Language="C#" Inherits="TypeX" Codebehind="TypeX.ascx.cs" %>
Is it possible to use reflection to get the usercontrol when I start with:
Type targetType = typeof(TypeX);
... now what? to code to get the usercontrol
I have tried to use:
assembly.GetTypes().Where(t => t.IsSubclassOf(targetType))
but this does not give any result.
Any help appreciated
EXTRA INFO:
The codebehind (simplified) is:
public partial class TypeX : UserControlBase
{
}
//we use this control:
<%# Control Language="C#" Inherits="Loadcontrol " Codebehind="Loadcontrol .ascx.cs" %>
//with this codebehind
public partial class Loadcontrol
{
OnPrerender()
{
string controlToLoad = "TypeX";
//what to do here
}
}
I hope it is more clear now
UPDATE: I have made an example webapplication to show the problem.
The download can be found at: WebApplication1.zip or use: Download mirror

Type targetType = typeof(TypeX);
var control = Page.LoadControl(targetType, null);
You need to use this code in a page.

Simple user control for conditionally rendering nested HTML

What I would like to do, is be able to pass two attributes to a user control, a ListName and a Permission, like so:
<uc:check id="uc" List="Shared Documents" Permission="OpenItems" runat="server">
<!-- have some HTML content here that is rendered if the permission is true -->
</uc:check>
Then in the actual check user control, have something similar to:
<%# Control language="C#" ClassName="check" %>
<%
// determine permission magic placeholder
if (DoesUserHavePermissions(perm))
{
// render nested HTML content
}
else
{
// abort rendering as to not show nested HTML content
}
%>
I have read the page on creating a templated control on MSDN, and while that would work - it really seems to be a bit overkill for what I am trying to do. Is there a control that already renders content based on a boolean expression or a simpler template example?
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/36574bf6.aspx
Update:
The following code can be used in the ascx to model a very simple version of this:
<%# Control Language="C#" ClassName="PermissionCheck" %>
<%# Import Namespace="System.ComponentModel" %>
<script runat="server">
void Page_Init()
{
if (Allowed != null)
{
Panel container = new Panel();
Allowed.InstantiateIn(container);
PermissionBasedMessage.Controls.Add(container);
}
}
[PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)]
public ITemplate Allowed { get; set; }
</script>
<asp:Placeholder runat="server" ID="PermissionBasedMessage" />
Note: I oversimplified the check in the Page_Init method for this sample code. Additional logic checks can be added as needed.
And reference it in the calling HTML page:
<%# Register src="PermissionCheck.ascx" tagname="PermissionCheck" tagprefix="uc1" %>
<uc1:PermissionCheck ID="PermissionCheck1" runat="server">
<Allowed>Allowed Access</Allowed>
</uc1:PermissionCheck>

You could create a custom control instead of a user control: derive from the asp.net panel, add your two properties, then only render the control if the user has the required permission. E.g. something like this:
The control (put this in App_Code for example):
namespace MyControls
{
public class MyPanel : Panel
{
public string Permission { get; set; }
public string List { get; set; }
protected override void Render(System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter writer)
{
if (UserHasPermission()) base.Render(writer);
}
}
}
Using the control:
<%# Page ... %>
<%# Register Namespace="MyControls" TagPrefix="mc" %>
<html>
...
<mc:MyPanel runat="server" List="Shared Documents" Permission="OpenItems">
put content and/or other controls here
</mc:MyPanel>
...

Why don't you extend the LiteralControl, add properties for your settings, then render html to the .Value of the LieralControl? Seems pretty simple and a lot less of a headache than using Templated controls

The other answers are good for the generic form of your question, but for checking permissions SPSecurityTrimmedControl might do what you need.

Wrap your content with a place holder control and set the control's visibility to true or false (controls that have .Visible = false won't render any html)
<asp:PlaceHolder id="phWrapper" runat="server">
...
</asp:PlaceHolder>
Then in your code-behind set phWrapper.Visible = DoesUserHavePermissions(perm);
Hope that helps!

Accessing top master page properties in a nested master page code behind

I have a nested master page that has its own master page. The parent master page has a property defined in its code behind.
Public ReadOnly Property SelectedPage() As String
Get
Return _selectedPage
End Get
End Property
How can I reference the parent master page's property from within either the child master page's code behind Page_Load or aspx template page?

VB.Net:
DirectCast(Master, MyMastPageType).SelectedPage
C#:
((MyMastPageType)Master).SelectedPage
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.masterpage.master.aspx

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
MyDemoMaster m = Master as MyDemoMaster;
m.MyProperty = "My button text";
}
See:
How to access controls inside a
nested master page?
The right way of accessing Master
page properties from a child page

Like this:
DirectCast(MyMastPageType, Master).SelectedPage

Here is how I use
MasterPage tmp = this.Master;
while (tmp.Master != null)
{
tmp = tmp.Master;
}