Binding a single object to a control

[paul.hester]

Hi all,

This probably sounds like a stupid question, but what is generally the
recommended way to display a business object in the aspx file for an
object fetched in the code behind file?

Normally I've been fetching the object in the code behind and exposing
the object's properties that I need as Page properties, but I'd like to
know if there's a better way to do it - e.g. is there a good way of
binding an object (i.e. not a data set/collection etc.) to a control
and displaying the properties that way.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

 

[Brennan Stehling]

You can use FormView or DetailsView controls.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fyf1dk77.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s3w1w7t4.aspx

There is a good Design-Time support to help you attach the properties
to the controls so you can display them.

Brennan Stehling
http://brennan.offwhite.net/blog/

 

[kferron]

If i understand you correctly, you're actually trying to show all of
the values of a business object in some display?

Lets say you have a Customer, are you looking for a way to have a
control that binds directly to Customer?

In my opinion, even though it seems superfluous, one of the easy ways
to do this is make a Collection<Customer> with just the single customer
reference in it. Then Databind the collection to DetailsView with
AutoGenerateColumns=true.

This gives you a spit out of the current object, and is by no means
glamorous, but does allow for a 'propertygrid' feel directly on your
custom type.

hope this helps.