Develop Reference

ASP.NET making a user controlled template with WebControls in them

I would like to make a system where my users can customize the look and feel of my webapp.
My goal is to give them an HTML editor and some predefined tags like [BUYBUTTON] and [PRODUCTLIST] they can use.
These tags should be replaced with actual ASCX controls so that they not only display the HTML output, but have any code-behind functionality.
A generic find and replace of text/html is easy, I can't wrap my head around how to make the controls embed into the template.
Can someone give me a little push in the right direction here? I will be doing this within a DNN module if it matters.

I would look at how DNN's XML Skin parser works.
I wasn't able to find any good tutorials but here is a link so you at least know what Im talking about.
Cheers.

I would suggest to look at the source code of announcement module, which is doing almost same thing that you want to do.
Only difference here is, announcement module is storing the template in settings, so you can have different layout templates for different modules on same page/portal.
Hope this will help you, happy coding

Is it possible insert image to a code comment?

My question is probably an insane idea, however, it's very valuable when I write code for educational purpose.
Especially when the code is relevant to math and physics, images inserted in comment are more convenient and articulated.
Until now, I can't find a way succeed to insert a true image into comment, not C# nor python or any other common programming language or IDE.
Using tools that convert images to ASCII image is a workaround but less precise.
Any idea is appreciated

There is an example here that extend the Visual Studio 2010 editor: Image Insertion (but it's tied to Visual Studio, not a generic solution)

For Python you can use Google Colab.
Inside a text-block you can write something like:
![Alt text](https://someurl.com/image.png).
Example:
For C# you can try this plug-in:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=MsBishop.ImageComments

Literate Programming tools work this way; you basically use TeX or something to write the code, then run a preprocessor which extracts the code snippets into an intermediate source file. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literate_programming

Using Sandcastle
Each SHFB project is it's own container for everything seen in the documentation project. When it's compiled, the (program project's") XML doc is pulled into SHFB to be put into the document.
If you want to show images in the top section of the class documentation, you must add the image to the SHFB project and refer to that image from the code comment. See Problem 2...
Problem 1:
"I can't get an image to show from a conceptual topic using the 'image' tag"
Make sure to use the proper XML markup similar to this:
<section>
<content>
<mediaLink>
<image xlink:href="MyMainImage"/>
</mediaLink>
</content>
</section>
Notice that the Href (above) doesn't have the file type associated,
this is because Sandcastle wants the ID instead.
Add the image to the project using the default media folder. Or, if you want you can create your own folder e.g Images.
Go to properties page of the image and set Build action to Image.
When you use an "image" tag, SHFB only uses the Image ID found in the properties page, seen in the HREF above.
Recompile the project and open up the CHM file and you will see the
image.
Problem 2:
"I cannot get an Image to show using Code commenting XML markup in the programming project".
In the summary section of the code comment, the markup can look like
this:
/// <summary>
/// <remarks><img src="\Images\MyImage.PNG"/></remarks>
/// </summary>
Note that the src attribute does contain the file type. It also must correctly identify the folder that your SHFB project has for that image.
After adding that image to the SHFB right click on it and change the "Build Action" property to Content
Happy coding and documenting!
Thanks goes to Eric W.
Keywords:
SHFB Cannot Add Image
Sandcastle Help File Builder Conceptual Topic Images
Code Commenting Images
CHM File Images
How to add an image in XML Code Commenting C#

I politely disagree with #thekip reply. IDE is not just the editor, but a full set of tools, and thank God code editors has been evolving from the old times. That’s why:
Eons ago I was amazed with the AMOS developer tool for old AMIGA computers, that had the fold/unfold capability you can see now in many code editors, and during many years I was asking myself why Borland and Microsoft tools didn’t had it. It’s clear that information should not be always at the same level.
Code editors already had automatic text styling, to see different kind of reserved words or comments in different colors, allow auto indentation, and so.
Comments in code is an a topic in discussion out there, with some people defending that maintaining them under minims is the way to follow, arguing that they are usually not maintained by developers as they change code. People like me disagree with that, having in mind that comments are part of the code.
Not always all comments have the same importance, and 2020 tools should provide something better than UPERCASE and a bunch of dash separators ----------
Allow different font size, bold and italic in comments is the “must have” we will have again some eons later, and sometimes an image diagram in the same code could save you many time of search in the appropriate project documentation. Google Collab and other Jupyter tools seems to finally understood that.
All this should not replace project documentation through other tools, of course but, hey, do other people’s lives easier.
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John Woods
#Simon Mourier reply for Visual Studio, rocks!

I found Jupyter Notebooks very valuable for teaching and used them with Python. They let you combine text, images and code.
Microsoft announced Jupyter Notebooks for .NET core and it is now in Preview in the .NET Interactive repo.

I had the same Idea and wanted to check if someone already shared it.
I just did it one way: Wordpad -> wrote code with an image between /* */ and saved as text document: images removed. just an empty comment zone remaining.
Of course, many interesting possibilities are missing from such an editor.
But all that is needed would be to allow a better suited one to include images.
It could greatly speed up the understanding of code if visual elements are involved.

Why don't use a free image hosting like http://imgur.com and insert image link to code comment?
Then the only problem for a student would be to copypaste link to browser from any IDE. Quite easy though.
Maybe some IDEs have the ability to "underline" links so that you can click it instead of copypasting.

Actually,you can always include the link of the image but cannot add an image to the comment of the code.

I think you're using the wrong tool for your problem. An IDE is a 'development' environment so it's not very important to have complete control over styling.
I would use something else (like LaTeX, see the comment) for you presentation.

Reasons and benefits for using a literal in asp over html

I am fairly new to asp.net so this may seem like a stupid question, but:
I am attempting to modify a pre-exsiting help menu in a web-app.
In this menu the previous developer, just used three literals seperated by paragraphs and a button linking to a 100 page manual. (i know doesn't seem to be much help, hence why i was planning to update and fix this)
What i had in mind was setting something up like a menu that would link to the different section of the page when the title is clicked.
So something along these lines:
<h1>Menu Contents</h1>
<ol>
<li>section1</li>
<li>section2</li>
<li>etc</li>
</ol>
After the contents section i would have the first section with it's details.
What i am wondering is why would i use asp-literals over just sticking to html?
So basically i would like to know what are the benefits or reasons for using asp literals and i guess when is it that i should use them?
I've attempted to find the solution to this on my own, but the only related matters i have been able to find have to deal with people arguing whether literals or labels are the best option so it's not entirely helpful.
Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

You generally use literals if you want to be able to control the text you display programmatically. Say your page has a way to edit the section titles of your manual, for instance. Or say your manual is in multiple languages and you want the user to be able to set her language and see the section titles displayed in that language.
In your case, by what you're saying, I infer none of this applies and your manual is quite static. In that case I would stick to simple HTML.

Maybe it's been done that way so it would allow the links to be built dynamically, something like:
litMenuItem1.Text = "section1";
thus giving full control over the output? There are better ways to do that however.

Free watermark for my wizards.Where can I find them?

I have written some wizards in c# and I would like to make look like more professional by adding some watermarks on the welcome and complete page.
I am struggling to find any source where I can download some free to use EG Database related watermarks that I can use in a Database script generator that I have written.
Any suggestions?
I am pretty useless at making them.
thanks
PS
Not sure where I should post it .I put under c# but again not sure

You can try to download watermark tools, these links might be helpful:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Graphic-Others/Fast-Watermark-Free.shtml
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/11/20/download-free-watermark-image-to-watermark-or-add-logo-to-photos-in-batch/
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/free-watermark.html
And you can search for more on Google. Don't forget to scan these tools for spyware, etc.
Or you can create your own watermark here: http://www.webwatermarks.com/

Please consider checking Google. When I looked up "Free Watermarks" there were several viable hits.
Also try looking into "Stock Photography" and some combination thereof with "Free Watermarks"

TinyMCE like Richtext Editor for C# .NET?

Is there a good Rich Text WYSISYG editor for C# Winform applications? Something like an embeddable wordpad?

We are using TextControl, it supports RTF, PDF DOC, DOCX an it's very easy to integrate.

You could use something from one of the major winforms framework people. I use DevExpress http://www.devexpress.com/, mostly because that also gets me Coderush and Refactor Pro at the same price.
Other options are Telerik, Infragistics, etc.
These are not free, but you get fantastic customer support. Even my non-priority questions are answered in hours, sometimes even on weekends. By answered I mean some kind of code sample showing how to accomplish a task or work around a bug till it gets fixed.
You can also test drive them before buying to make sure you like their environments and solutions.

You can use ckeditor http://ckeditor.com/.
The download package includes samples with "asp" samples that can be "adapted" for asp.net and a lots of examples of different implementations.
In the practice this editors works like a multiline "textBox" area on the server side returting to you the html source of the control.

I would recommend http://freetextbox.com/. It's free and many browsers support it (Internet Explorer 6,7,8,9, Firefox 1,2,3, Google Chrome 1,2,3,4,5 etc.).
They also have a demo and documentation to play with on their website. The community is not really active. But there are topics about installation help and son on. By the time of writing this post the last message at the forum was placed 3 days ago.