Adding Controls (*.ascx) dynamically

[C Downey]

I have a registration form that should load different web user controls
based on the selection of a dropdown list. Basically, the user follows the
following steps:

1. user comes to very basic web form, no controls loaded
2. user selects registration type (1 of 4 possible types) from a dropdown
control
3. the dropdown properties are :
autopostback=True OnSelectedIndexChanged="displayUserGroupControl"
4. Now when my displayUserGroupControl fires I would like to load the
control based on their selection.

What is the best way to do this? When the user submits the form I will
create a new "user" record in my database as well as new records in other
tables based on their UserGroup control. Is it fairly easy to get
dynamically loaded controls to talk to each other?

Any tips or best practices would be much appreciated. If I have to, I can
change all the controls to tables in my main form and just hide them based
on the user selection but then the code gets a little hard to read.

Heres what I have right now - I want to confirm that Im doing this the best
way before heading down the wrong road.

Public Sub displayUserGroupControl(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e
As System.EventArgs)

Dim tblName As String
Dim selectValue As String = lbUserType.SelectedItem.Value

Select Case selectValue

Case "1"

phProfilesAndInterests.Controls.Add(LoadControl("c ontrols/register_practitio
ner.ascx"))
Case "2"

phProfilesAndInterests.Controls.Add(LoadControl("c ontrols/register_student.a
scx"))
Case ...

End Select

' Response.Write(selectValue.ToString + "|||<BR>")

End Sub

[Matt Berther]

Hello C,

I have an implementation that I discuss on a blog entry: http://www.mattberther.com/2004/10/000559.html

This may work for you...

--
Matt Berther
http://www.mattberther.com

I have a registration form that should load different web user
controls based on the selection of a dropdown list. Basically, the
user follows the following steps:

1. user comes to very basic web form, no controls loaded
2. user selects registration type (1 of 4 possible types) from a
dropdown
control
3. the dropdown properties are :
autopostback=True
OnSelectedIndexChanged="displayUserGroupControl"
4. Now when my displayUserGroupControl fires I would like to load the
control based on their selection.

What is the best way to do this? When the user submits the form I
will create a new "user" record in my database as well as new records
in other tables based on their UserGroup control. Is it fairly easy
to get dynamically loaded controls to talk to each other?

Any tips or best practices would be much appreciated. If I have to, I
can change all the controls to tables in my main form and just hide
them based on the user selection but then the code gets a little hard
to read.

Heres what I have right now - I want to confirm that Im doing this the
best way before heading down the wrong road.

Public Sub displayUserGroupControl(ByVal sender As System.Object,
ByVal e As System.EventArgs)

Dim tblName As String
Dim selectValue As String = lbUserType.SelectedItem.Value
Select Case selectValue

Case "1"

phProfilesAndInterests.Controls.Add(LoadControl("c ontrols/register_pra
ctitio
ner.ascx"))
Case "2"
phProfilesAndInterests.Controls.Add(LoadControl("c ontrols/register_stu
dent.a
scx"))
Case ...
End Select

' Response.Write(selectValue.ToString + "|||<BR>")

End Sub