I am storing the categories posted back from the dropdowns into an arrayList
and then ViewStating the arrayList. On PostBack i check that arrayList and
re-run the routine which builds the dropDowns and adds them to the page with
their event handlers.
I am adding them manually to the control hierarchy, by simply adding a new
asp:table cell and then adding the control to it.
attached is sample test code (thrown together in an hour just to see if my
idea for this thing would even work). let me know what you think i may be
able to do to fix this. SOme of the code is remmed out just so it works for
you if you set it up to test. thanks,
DNJ
========================================================================
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.SessionState;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;
namespace Testing
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for TestDD.
/// </summary>
public class TestDD : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Table tblCategory;
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label lblArticleDate;
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label lblArticleTitle;
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.Label lblArticleContent;
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList ddList1;
protected System.Web.UI.WebControls.LinkButton lbRestart;
protected System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlForm Form1;
private void Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
// Put user code to initialize the page here
if (!Page.IsPostBack)
{
ddList1.DataSource = GetCategories(0);
ddList1.DataBind();
//add default item
ListItem _liDefault = new ListItem("Please select Category ->","");
ddList1.Items.Insert(0,_liDefault);
ddList1.Attributes.Add("id","ddList1");
//GenerateNewDropDown(Convert.ToInt64(ddList1.SelectedValue));
System.Collections.ArrayList _CatList = new ArrayList();
System.Collections.ArrayList _PrevDDList = new ArrayList();
ViewState["CatList"] = _CatList;
ViewState["PrevDDList"] = _PrevDDList;
ViewState["ddListCount"] = 0;
}
else
{
System.Collections.ArrayList _CatList = (ArrayList)ViewState["CatList"];
for (int i = 0; i < _CatList.Count; i++)
{
GenerateNewDropDown(Convert.ToInt64(_CatList));
}
//DisablePrevious(this.Page);
}
}
public DataTable GetCategories(long catid)
{
//Create Instance of Connection and Command Object
SqlConnection oConnection = new
SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings.Get("ConnectionString"));
SqlDataAdapter daItems = new
SqlDataAdapter("tPortal_Help_Category_sel_List", oConnection);
//Mark the Command as a SPROC
daItems.SelectCommand.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
//Add paramaters to SPROC
SqlParameter paramParentID = new SqlParameter("@parent_id",
SqlDbType.BigInt);
paramParentID.Value = catid;
daItems.SelectCommand.Parameters.Add(paramParentID);
//Create the DataSet
DataSet dsItems = new DataSet();
//Fill DataSet
daItems.Fill(dsItems);
//Close Connection
daItems.SelectCommand.Connection.Close();
return dsItems.Tables[0];
}
public DataTable GetArticles(long catid)
{
//Create Instance of Connection and Command Object
SqlConnection oConnection = new
SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings.Get("ConnectionString"));
SqlDataAdapter daItems = new SqlDataAdapter("tPortal_Help_sel_List",
oConnection);
//Mark the Command as a SPROC
daItems.SelectCommand.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
//Add paramaters to SPROC
SqlParameter paramParentID = new SqlParameter("@category_id",
SqlDbType.BigInt);
paramParentID.Value = catid;
daItems.SelectCommand.Parameters.Add(paramParentID);
//Create the DataSet
DataSet dsItems = new DataSet();
//Fill DataSet
daItems.Fill(dsItems);
//Close Connection
daItems.SelectCommand.Connection.Close();
return dsItems.Tables[0];
}
public DataTable GetArticle(long helpid)
{
//Create Instance of Connection and Command Object
SqlConnection oConnection = new
SqlConnection(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings.Get("ConnectionString"));
SqlDataAdapter daItems = new SqlDataAdapter("tPortal_Help_sel_GetHelp",
oConnection);
//Mark the Command as a SPROC
daItems.SelectCommand.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
//Add paramaters to SPROC
SqlParameter paramParentID = new SqlParameter("@help_id",
SqlDbType.BigInt);
paramParentID.Value = helpid;
daItems.SelectCommand.Parameters.Add(paramParentID);
//Create the DataSet
DataSet dsItems = new DataSet();
//Fill DataSet
daItems.Fill(dsItems);
//Close Connection
daItems.SelectCommand.Connection.Close();
return dsItems.Tables[0];
}
private void ddLists_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, System.EventArgs
e)
{
DropDownList _ddList = (DropDownList)sender;
GenerateNewDropDown(Convert.ToInt64(_ddList.SelectedValue));
}
private void ddArticles_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender,
System.EventArgs e)
{
DropDownList _ddList = (DropDownList)sender;
if ( _ddList.SelectedIndex > 0 )
{
DataTable _dtArticle =
GetArticle(Convert.ToInt64(_ddList.SelectedValue));
if (_dtArticle.Rows.Count > 0)
{
lblArticleDate.Text =
_dtArticle.Rows[0]["date_lastupdated"].ToString();
lblArticleTitle.Text = _dtArticle.Rows[0]["help_title"].ToString();
lblArticleContent.Text =
_dtArticle.Rows[0]["help_content"].ToString();
}
}
}
private void GenerateNewDropDown(long parentid)
{
DataTable _dtCats = GetCategories(parentid);
DataTable _dtArticleList = new DataTable();
DropDownList _NewDDList = new DropDownList();
_NewDDList.AutoPostBack = true;
_NewDDList.EnableViewState = true;
_NewDDList.SelectedIndexChanged += new
System.EventHandler(this.ddLists_SelectedIndexChanged);
//_NewDDList.ID = "ddList" + Convert.ToString(CountDDLists(this.Page) +
1);
_NewDDList.Attributes.Add("id", "ddList" +
Convert.ToString(CountDDLists(this.Page) + 1));
if (_dtCats.Rows.Count > 0)
{
for (int i = 0; i < _dtCats.Rows.Count; i++)
{
ListItem _liNew = new
ListItem(_dtCats.Rows["category_name"].ToString(),_dtCats.Rows["id"].ToString());
_NewDDList.Items.Add(_liNew);
}
//add default item
ListItem _liDefault = new ListItem("Please select SubCategory ->","");
_NewDDList.Items.Insert(0, _liDefault);
TableCell _newCell = new TableCell();
int _newCellIndex = tblCategory.Rows[0].Cells.Add(_newCell);
tblCategory.Rows[0].Cells[_newCellIndex].Controls.Add(_NewDDList);
//GenerateNewDropDown(Convert.ToInt64(_NewDDList.SelectedValue));
System.Collections.ArrayList _CatList = (ArrayList)ViewState["CatList"];
if (!_CatList.Contains(parentid))
{
_CatList.Add(parentid);
}
}
else
{
//try and display the article list if no children
_dtArticleList = GetArticles(parentid);
if (_dtArticleList.Rows.Count > 0)
{
DropDownList _NewDDList2 = new DropDownList();
_NewDDList2.AutoPostBack = true;
_NewDDList2.EnableViewState = true;
_NewDDList2.SelectedIndexChanged += new
System.EventHandler(this.ddArticles_SelectedIndexChanged);
_NewDDList2.Attributes.Add("id", "ddList" +
Convert.ToString(CountDDLists(this.Page) + 1));
for (int i = 0; i < _dtArticleList.Rows.Count; i++)
{
ListItem _liNew = new
ListItem(_dtArticleList.Rows["help_title"].ToString(),_dtArticleList.Rows["id"].ToString());
_NewDDList2.Items.Add(_liNew);
}
//add default item
ListItem _liDefault = new ListItem("Please select an Article ->","");
_NewDDList2.Items.Insert(0, _liDefault);
TableCell _newCell = new TableCell();
int _newCellIndex = tblCategory.Rows[0].Cells.Add(_newCell);
tblCategory.Rows[0].Cells[_newCellIndex].Controls.Add(_NewDDList2);
System.Collections.ArrayList _CatList =
(ArrayList)ViewState["CatList"];
if (!_CatList.Contains(parentid))
{
_CatList.Add(parentid);
}
}
}
}
private void DisablePrevious(Control parent)
{
StoreDDLists(parent);
System.Collections.ArrayList _PrevDDList =
(ArrayList)ViewState["PrevDDList"];
for (int i = 0; i <= _PrevDDList.Count - 1; i++)
{
DropDownList _ddList =
(DropDownList)Page.FindControl(_PrevDDList.ToString());
_ddList.Enabled = false;
}
}
private void StoreDDLists(Control parent)
{
System.Collections.ArrayList _PrevDDList =
(ArrayList)ViewState["PrevDDList"];
foreach (Control c in parent.Controls)
{
if
(c.GetType().FullName.Equals("System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList"))
{
DropDownList _thisDD = (DropDownList)c;
if (!_PrevDDList.Contains(_thisDD.Attributes["id"].ToString()))
{
_PrevDDList.Add(_thisDD.Attributes["id"].ToString());
}
}
if (c.Controls.Count > 0)
{
StoreDDLists(c);
}
}
}
private int CountDDLists(Control parent)
{
foreach (Control c in parent.Controls)
{
if
(c.GetType().FullName.Equals("System.Web.UI.WebControls.DropDownList"))
{
ViewState["ddListCount"] = (int)ViewState["ddListCount"] + 1;
}
if (c.Controls.Count > 0)
{
CountDDLists(c);
}
}
return (int)ViewState["ddListCount"];
}
private void lbRestart_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
ViewState["CatList"] = null;
Response.Redirect("TestDD.aspx");
}
#region Web Form Designer generated code
override protected void OnInit(EventArgs e)
{
//
// CODEGEN: This call is required by the ASP.NET Web Form Designer.
//
InitializeComponent();
base.OnInit(e);
}
/// <summary>
/// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
/// the contents of this method with the code editor.
/// </summary>
private void InitializeComponent()
{
this.Load += new System.EventHandler(this.Page_Load);
this.lbRestart.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.lbRestart_Click);
this.ddList1.SelectedIndexChanged += new
System.EventHandler(this.ddLists_SelectedIndexChanged);
}
#endregion
}
}
