ASP.NET Dynamic Data

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:33:00 GMT

Ok it's done and I posted a blog on the DotNetNuke site:

There are still some bugs, see Known Issues at the end of this page:

http://www.adefwebserver.com/DotNetNukeHELP/DynamicData/

But, at this point I want to wait until the next CTP before trying to resolve them rather then spending time on issues that may be fixed with the next code drop.

The only other issue that I had a problem with was I could not indicate the templates were in a directory other than App_Shared. Also if I can't use routing I need to be able to indicate what templates are to be used

(with DotNetNuke we could have dozens of modules using Dynamic Data and they need to have a separate set of templates. This works fine if you're using the URL routing but if you're not you're kinds stuck right now :)

Thank you again for everything!

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:32:14 GMT

Yay it's working!

I posted the latest code to this thread:

http://forums.asp.net/p/1201594/2092779.aspx#2092779

1) You're right on the substring thing. I claim "bleariness" from 4 hours of "try this, save, refresh page, grr that wont work" for that one :)

2) I can't imagine how long it would have taken me to locate the Page_InitComplete error...

3) I'm sure my sample code has bugs but I don't want to go too far until you guys get to at least the RC stage. I just went through the CT stage with Silverlight last year and I know you can and will make changes.

4) I am now going to work on the DotNetNuke module. Again it will be just a "preview" of what will come when Dynamic Data is released. I hope to allow a person to place the module on a page, select one of the avalaible DataContext's and they are done (Ha it would be cool if I am able to make it work before you guys officially release this feature :) Hopefully I can get this done by February.

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:43:19 GMT

I agree, it's ugly that you need to get the query string this way. We'll make sure to provide a cleaner technique. As a marginal improvement, note that you can write:

NewChildernPath = ChildrenPath.Substring(intStart + 1);

as by default Substring(i) goes to the end. Obviously not a fundamental difference, but more of an FYI.

The reason is doesn't work turns out to be quite simple: you moved the logic from an aspx to an ascx, but since the aspx has a Page_InitComplete method, which ascx don't support, it ends up getting ignored! I know, you probably wish it had caused a failure. Anyway, just change it to Page_Init and you'll be on your way.

As for how it all works:

The filters get their value from the query string (even though they're hidden in your case).
The GridView gets the Foreign Key value from the filter (via the DynamicControlParameter) parameter

Good luck with the rest. BTW, it really helps that you make a fully runnable app available, instead of just posting snippets.

David

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 01:44:33 GMT

It's no problem if I have to work on this myself. I just wanted anyone else who was interested to know I would be happy to share the "Glory" :)

Made a bit of progress. I can create a proper query string:

However I don't know how to process the "Region.RegionID=3" part. Right now the entire Territories table just shows. Is there a "Filter" parameter I should be setting somewhere?

Also the way I am getting this querystring is Uggggly. It seems you guys exposed a "ChildrenPath" property that is the combination of stuff passiging through the web.config routing (that will be using the MVC routing in the next version). So I guess my latest feedback is that I would like to be able to get a query string without having to use this ugly bit of code:

<%@ Control Language="C#" Inherits="System.Web.DynamicData.FieldTemplateUserControlBase" %>

<script runat="server">
    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
        DynamicMetaChildrenMember column = (DynamicMetaChildrenMember)MetaMember;

        HyperLink1.Text = "View " + column.OtherMetaTable.Name;
    }
    protected string DisplayMetaMemberName()
    {
        DynamicMetaChildrenMember columnData = (DynamicMetaChildrenMember)MetaMember;

        return columnData.OtherMetaTable.DisplayMetaMember.Name;
    }

    protected string NewChildernPath()
    {
        //Get Table Name
        DynamicMetaChildrenMember columnData = (DynamicMetaChildrenMember)MetaMember;
        string TableName =  columnData.OtherMetaTable.Name;
        
        // A very ugly way to get the querystring part of the ChildrenPath
        string NewChildernPath = this.ChildrenPath;
        int intStart = ChildrenPath.IndexOf("?");
        NewChildernPath = ChildrenPath.Substring(intStart+1, ((ChildrenPath.Length-1) - intStart));

        string ReturnNewChildrenPath = String.Format("../../GridView.aspx?TableName={0}&{1}", TableName, NewChildernPath);

        return ReturnNewChildrenPath;
    }
    
</script>

<asp:HyperLink ID="HyperLink1" runat="server" NavigateUrl="<%# NewChildernPath() %>" />

The latest version (1-5-2008) is posted here:

http://www.adefwebserver.com/DotNetNukeHELP/DynamicData/Non_DNN_DynamicDatTest.htm

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:56:33 GMT

I tried your sample, and it runs well. Note that the traffic here is still somewhat limited, so you may not get much help from others here (well, I could be proven wrong!). Maybe you should advertise this on a DNN forum as well?

David

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:44:08 GMT

I am going to make this work first as a normal ASP.NET application (non DotNetNuke module). I have posted the "starting point" here:

http://www.adefwebserver.com/DotNetNukeHELP/DynamicData/Non_DNN_DynamicDatTest.htm

You should be able to just unzip it, open it with Visual Studio click the F5 key to run it.

Anyone interested in working on this with me over the next 3-4 weeks feel free to contact me at the email listed on that page.

After we take it as far as we can I'll make a DNN Module so both exampes will be avalaible

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:03:47 GMT

This is great! I think you may be able to get the links going to the right place by tweaking the ForeignKey.ascx and Children.ascx field templates.

And yes, you're right that the next build will likely break what you have, but it should be easily fixable (and hopefully it'll be less hacky!).

Let me know when you have something ready, and I'll blog about it.

thanks,
David

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:25:14 GMT

Yes this works with DotNetNuke also.

It appears I will be able to use a lot of the built in functionality to allow for the "drill down" through the table relationships. The GridView shows the links they just go to the wrong place. I want to duplicate all the functionality of the normal Dynamic Data Template

I hope to have something working the next 3-4 weeks. It will be Open Source so others will be able to use it as example of using Dynamic Data in their own projects.

The ability to use Dynamic Data in this manner allows the developer full control. You should be very happy with the direction of your project.

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:19:36 GMT

I'm speechless.

I hate that I have to go to bed tonight and can't try this on the DotNetNuke module until tomorrow. And I know I can get the "drill down" working also. I'll get this module finished and put it out there as an example of what Dynamic Data can do then I'll fix it when you drop the next CTP because I expect everything will break :)

I can't thank you enough!

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:19:09 GMT

I meant something slightly different, using a helper custom control instead of doing the logic directly in the ascx's OnInit. Try this revised version.

David

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:33 GMT

Darn we are so close! I don't know why I can't make it work. It didn't work with DotNetNuke so I created a non DotNetNuke example (see below). It didn't work there either. It appears the "OnInit" is not being called.

To reproduce my error. Hopefully it's just something I'm doing wrong:

1) Create a normal Dynamic Data Site using the Dynamic Data Template.

2) Insert and replace the files from this .zip file :

DynamicDataControlTest.zip

3) The first page will work:

4) The second page will throw an error:

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:14:49 GMT

You get this error because your Page_Init gets called after all the control's Init, so the FilterRepeater fails before you get to change the TableName (presumably, your code is never called at all).

I think you could work around by adding a helper control on the page, before the FilterRepeater. Make your control do something like this:

    public class TestControl : Control {
        protected override void OnInit(EventArgs e) {
            base.OnInit(e);

            string tableName = Request.QueryString["TableName"];

            var filterRepeater = (DynamicFilterRepeater)FindControl("FilterRepeater");
            filterRepeater.TableName = tableName;

            var gridDS = (LinqDataSource)FindControl("GridDataSource");
            gridDS.TableName = tableName;

            var detailsDS = (LinqDataSource)FindControl("DetailsDataSource");
            detailsDS.TableName = tableName;
        }
    }

Sure, it's a hack, but at this point let's try to get you going any way we can. We'll clean up later! :)

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:32:52 GMT

davidebb:

But note that if you don’t care about the linking behavior, you should be able to get most of the Dynamic Data behavior by setting the DataContext/TableName yourself (which it sounds like you tried?).

Yes this does work. I am able to get this to show:

by setting the table name using code like this:

GridDataSource.TableName = Request.QueryString["TableName"];

I could set the links to "drill down" into details manually. If I need to I can "walk through" the tables and foreign keys in the datacontext the same way your code does if I have to.

davidebb:

Basically, in your ListDetailsTemplate, I would add custom logic that sets the TableName on the FilterRepeater and DataSources. Presumably, you could make a call into your framework that sets up all those things?

And that is where I am currently stuck. The following code won't work :(:

protected void Page_Init(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
  this.FilterRepeater.TableName = Request.QueryString["TableName"];
}

It doesn't throw an error but it doesn't set the value or it sets it too late. DotNetNuke log shows the following error:

AssemblyVersion: 04.08.00
PortalID: 0
PortalName: My Website
UserID: -1
UserName:
ActiveTabID: 36
ActiveTabName: Home
RawURL: /DotNetNuke/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ListDetails/mid/371/TableName/Modules/Default.aspx
AbsoluteURL: /DotNetNuke/Default.aspx
AbsoluteURLReferrer: http://localhost:49388/DotNetNuke/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ListDetails/mid/371/TableName/Modules/Default.aspx
UserAgent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506; .NET CLR 3.5.21022)
DefaultDataProvider: DotNetNuke.Data.SqlDataProvider, DotNetNuke.SqlDataProvider
ExceptionGUID: ac2d59b2-5fa8-4106-a568-23d1a0fc1cd1
InnerException: The DynamicFilterRepeater 'FilterRepeater' doesn't have a TableName attribute, and one could not be inferred from the URL.
FileName:
FileLineNumber: 0
FileColumnNumber: 0
Method: System.Web.DynamicData.DynamicDataManager.GetTableInternal
StackTrace:
Message: System.Exception: The DynamicFilterRepeater 'FilterRepeater' doesn't have a TableName attribute, and one could not be inferred from the URL. at System.Web.DynamicData.DynamicDataManager.GetTableInternal(Control owner, String tableName) at System.Web.DynamicData.DynamicDataManager.GetTable(Control owner, String tableName) at System.Web.DynamicData.DynamicFilterRepeater.<GetColumns>d__0.MoveNext() at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Repeater.CreateControlHierarchy(Boolean useDataSource) at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Repeater.OnDataBinding(EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.WebControls.Repeater.DataBind() at System.Web.DynamicData.DynamicFilterRepeater.OnInit(EventArgs e) at System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) at System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) at System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) at System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) at System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) at System.Web.UI.Control.AddedControl(Control control, Int32 index) at System.Web.UI.ControlCollection.Add(Control child) at DotNetNuke.UI.Skins.Skin.InjectModule(Control objPane, ModuleInfo objModule, PortalSettings PortalSettings)

If you can get me past this point then I think I can get this thing working :)

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

davidebb — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:07:55 GMT

I think I see why it doesn’t work. The logic to figure out the table name from the URL is not actually based on the request URL, but on the AppRelativeVirtualPath of the aspx/ascx that has the dynamic controls. So in your case it’s the path to the ascx, which is not the right thing to look at. In newer builds using the MVC routing, the table name is figured at at the routing level, so this would I think work better.

But note that if you don’t care about the linking behavior, you should be able to get most of the Dynamic Data behavior by setting the DataContext/TableName yourself (which it sounds like you tried?). Basically, in your ListDetailsTemplate, I would add custom logic that sets the TableName on the FilterRepeater and DataSources. Presumably, you could make a call into your framework that sets up all those things?

David

PS: queryStringKeyPrefix adds an optional prefix to all query string params used by Dynamic Data, and won’t help you much.

Re: Trying to make this work with DotNetNuke

adefwebserver — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:19:41 GMT

Darn it didn't work. I suspect the problem is the {view} part. I really don't have a view.

I posted the latest version of the code I was using at:

http://www.adefwebserver.com/DotNetNukeHELP/DynamicData/

I'm sure you guys don't have time to play with DotNetNuke so the easy setup to duplicate my problem is to make a website where you have a page that shows the tables. Then when you click on a table it takes you back to the same page but shows you the table details using the Dynamic GridView. Right now it seems this is not possible.

It would be possible if I can put in code to tell the Dynamic controls what the datacontext and Table name are. It does not appear that the current or the MVC routing is prepared to handle this.

Now if you are able to do this then the problem would be that the DotNetNuke Default.aspx page is somehow intercepting this needed information. Perhaps the reason I can't get Dynamic Data to work is that the Dynamic controls are trying to bind to a Data Context that would be there with a normal .aspx page but is not with the DotNetNuke Default.aspx page?

Thanks!