Provides a base control designer class for extending the design-mode behavior of a Web server control.
See Also: ControlDesigner Members
Syntax
Remarks
The System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner class provides a base control designer class that can be inherited from and extended to provide design-time support for a Web server control in a design host, such as vsprvslong.
The object model for working with design-time rendering is improved over earlier versions, with the following new base classes to provide access to the simplified object model:
System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner, which is not new, but has been greatly improved.
Automatic Formatting
You can create a variety of automatic and pre-defined formats that can simplify the process of page developers who are applying complex style changes to custom Web server controls. For example, the System.Web.UI.Design.WebControls.TableDesigner control, which derives from the System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner class, provides many automatic formats from which to choose. To implement and provide automatic formatting in your custom controls, use the following features:
The ControlDesigner.AutoFormats property.
The ControlDesigner.OnAutoFormatApplied(DesignerAutoFormat) method.
The System.Web.UI.Design.DesignerAutoFormat class.
The System.Web.UI.Design.DesignerAutoFormatStyle class.
Action Lists (Smart Tags)
Action lists are menus of important or widely used tasks that a page developer who uses a control can perform in a design-time user interface (UI), such as vsprvslong. For example, the design-time view of your control could provide a menu of available tasks. This includes a task to format the control automatically. To learn about action lists, start with the following features:
The ControlDesigner.ActionLists property.
The System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerActionList.GetSortedActionItems method.
The System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerActionListCollection class.
The System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerActionMethodItem class.
The System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerActionPropertyItem class.
Control Designer Regions
Regions are editable areas in the design-time view of a Web server control. This feature offers WYSIWYG-like editing of the template content, inner controls, and properties at design time. You can have the control designer create controls in regions or you can use the Toolbox to drag and drop controls into regions. Regions are managed with the following features:
The ControlDesigner.OnClick(DesignerRegionMouseEventArgs) method.
The System.Web.UI.Design.DesignerRegion class.
The System.Web.UI.Design.EditableDesignerRegion class.
The ControlDesigner.GetEditableDesignerRegionContent(EditableDesignerRegion) method.
The ControlDesigner.SetEditableDesignerRegionContent(EditableDesignerRegion, string) method.
Templates
The model for creating a UI for design-time editing of templated controls, such as the System.Web.UI.WebControls.GridView control, has been greatly improved from earlier versions. You can create complex custom controls that include templates for various parts of the control, and your custom control designer can help page developers who are modifying templates with the following features:
The ControlDesigner.TemplateGroups property.
The ControlDesigner.InTemplateMode property.
The System.Web.UI.Design.TemplateGroup class.
Design-Time Rendering
The System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner class has the following methods to support design-time rendering of the Web server control. Most of these methods are the same as in earlier versions:
The erload:System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner.GetDesignTimeHtml method.
The ControlDesigner.GetEmptyDesignTimeHtml method.
The ControlDesigner.GetErrorDesignTimeHtml(Exception) method.
The ControlDesigner.UpdateDesignTimeHtml method.
The erload:System.Web.UI.Design.ControlDesigner.CreatePlaceHolderDesignTimeHtml method.
Requirements
Assembly: System.Design (in System.Design.dll)
Assembly Versions: 1.0.5000.0, 2.0.0.0