Displaying template content in vs.net designer

[Alessandro Zifiglio]

hi, I'm trying to display the content within my "templated databound custom
controls" templates at design time, in the vs.net designer. I'm able to get
the cotents of my template using the GetTextFromTemplate() method. This
returns all controls within my template as a string, for example if i had a
label control in there it would return : "<asp:label id="label1"
runat=server></asp:label>"

However in my GetDesignTimeHtml function within my designer class which i
use when i need an appropriate display of my custom control in the vs.net
designer, i'm unable to view the label control. Its like its not even there.
I'm able to pass html and display html. How does the vs.net designer view
controls. How do i display the contents of my template in the vs.net
designer. I'm running out of ideas.

I'd appreciate any help.

Alessandro Zifiglio

 

[Alessandro Zifiglio]

why is it that everytime i post a question in here on templates and web
custom controls I never get any replies. The documentation on using
templates in custom web controls is very poor and yet the funtionality I
need in my custom control is the same funtionality you have on any of the
webcontrols that are built by microsoft themselves.

In particular a control that behaves in this way is the datalist control.
You can set an itemTemplate, header and footer Template etc. You can then
drag and drop controls into this at design time and i've gotten this far.
And then the datalist displays these controls you added as you click the End
Edit template. This I'm unable to achieve. Can someone from MS get back to
me on this.

This is the second time i post a question regarding templates to which I
never get an answer. Again i'd appreciate any help on this. I just dont want
to have to beg for the answers when I'm a client using your products,
invested in your products and work with your products. Furthermore all the
samples you got on templates in the docs, even though are a great starting
point dont work at all, and i dont even know how i managed to get this far,
only to get stuck here!!!!