Does any one know if it is posible to have more than one propery of collection type on custom server control.

It seems that it is requred to put property name in to ParseChildere tag of the control, something like:
ParseChildren(True, "MyProperty1") in order for the property items to be recognized. But where would I put second property's name?

If you know the answer please advice.

that second param is the "default property". If you only have one collection, you probably want to use it. However, if you have two properties, leave it as ParseChildren( True ).
Then your server tag will look like this:

<foo:MyControl ... >


  <MyCollectionProperty1>


    <foo:Item1 />


    <foo:Item2 />


  </MyCollectionProperty1>


  <MyCollectionProperty2>


    <foo:Item1 />


    <foo:Item2 />


  </MyCollectionProperty2>


</foo:MyControl>

When I try just ParseChildren(true) what I get using your example:

<foo:MyControl ... >

<foo:Item1 />

<foo:Item2 />

<foo:Item1 />

<foo:Item2 />

</foo:MyControl>

where <MyCollectionProperty1> and <MyCollectionProperty2> tags are missing. So when I run it it gives me an error someting like <foo:MyControl> does not have property <foo:Item1/>.

Maybe if you have time you can take a look at my code bellow and see what's wrong or what tags I am missing:


---------CONTROL CLASS------------
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.ComponentModel
<ParseChildren(True), PersistChildren(False), _
PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty), _
ToolboxData("<{0}:EmployeeControl runat=server></{0}:EmployeeControl>")> _
Public Class EmployeeControl
Inherits System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl

Private _empCollection As New EmployeeCollection
Private _userCollection As New UserCollection

<Category("Custom"), NotifyParentProperty(True), _
PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerDefaultProperty), _
DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content)> _
Public Property UserInfos() As UserCollection
Get

Return _userCollection
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As UserCollection)
_userCollection = Value
End Set
End Property

<Category("Custom"), NotifyParentProperty(True), _
PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerDefaultProperty), _
DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content)> _
Public Property EmployeeInfos() As EmployeeCollection
Get

Return _empCollection
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As EmployeeCollection)
_empCollection = Value
End Set
End Property

End Class

-----------COLLECTION CLASSES-------------

Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Web.UI

Public Class UserCollection
Inherits CollectionBase

Default Public Property Item(ByVal index As Integer) As UserInfo
Get
Return CType(List(index), UserInfo)
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As UserInfo)
List(index) = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Function Add(ByVal value As UserInfo) As Integer
Return List.Add(value)
End Function 'Add

Public Function IndexOf(ByVal value As UserInfo) As Integer
Return List.IndexOf(value)
End Function 'IndexOf

Public Sub Insert(ByVal index As Integer, ByVal value As UserInfo)
List.Insert(index, value)
End Sub 'Insert

Public Sub Remove(ByVal value As UserInfo)
List.Remove(value)
End Sub 'Remove
End Class

-----------------------

Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Web.UI

Public Class EmployeeCollection
Inherits CollectionBase

Default Public Property Item(ByVal index As Integer) As EmployeeInfo
Get
Return CType(List(index), EmployeeInfo)
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As EmployeeInfo)
List(index) = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Function Add(ByVal value As EmployeeInfo) As Integer
Return List.Add(value)
End Function 'Add

Public Function IndexOf(ByVal value As EmployeeInfo) As Integer
Return List.IndexOf(value)
End Function 'IndexOf

Public Sub Insert(ByVal index As Integer, ByVal value As EmployeeInfo)
List.Insert(index, value)
End Sub 'Insert

Public Sub Remove(ByVal value As EmployeeInfo)
List.Remove(value)
End Sub 'Remove
End Class

------------TYPE CLASSES----------------

Imports System.ComponentModel

Public Class UserInfo
Public strFirstName As String = ""
Public strLastName As String = ""
Public iUserId As Integer = 0
Property [FirstName]() As String
Get
Return strFirstName
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As String)
strFirstName = Value
End Set
End Property

Property [LastName]() As String
Get
Return strLastName
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As String)
strLastName = Value
End Set
End Property

Property [UserID]() As Integer 'UserIDCollection
Get
Return iUserId
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As Integer) 'UserIDCollection)
iUserId = Value
End Set
End Property
End Class

----------------

Imports System.ComponentModel

Public Class EmployeeInfo
Private strFirstName As String = ""
Private strLastName As String = ""
Private iEmpId As Integer = 0

Property [FirstName]() As String
Get
Return strFirstName
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As String)
strFirstName = Value
End Set
End Property

Property [LastName]() As String
Get
Return strLastName
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As String)
strLastName = Value
End Set
End Property

Property [EmployeeId]() As Integer
Get
Return iEmpId
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
iEmpId = Value
End Set
End Property
End Class

---------------------------
Your help is greately appriciated.

Thanks and Regards

Andy,

It seems I found the problem:

PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerDefaultProperty) that I have there should be changed to PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty). That made it to look correctly, exactly the way you have it in your example.

However I still one strange problem left. When I run a page with my control in it it runs fine, but when I exit Visual Studio.NET and get back my control on a page displayed with the error message: Error Creating Control and tooptip saying: '' could not be set on property 'UserInfos' and it still runs fine, but I can not edit its properties in property panel.

If you have any ideas please let me know.

Regards,
Dimitry

Delete the "Set" accesor to the UserInfos property and you'll be fine.

Leave it as follows :

Public Property UserInfos() As UserCollection
Get
Return _userCollection
End Get
End Property

Best regards,
Dan

It worked Dan!

Thank you very much.

Regards,
Dimitry