add Element for expressionBuilders for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

Adds a reference to an expression builder to the collection.

This element is new in the .NET Framework version 2.0.

<configuration> Element
  system.web Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)
    compilation Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)
      assemblies Element for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)
        add Element for expressionBuilders for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

<add
   expressionPrefix = "prefix" 
   type = "type" 
/>

Attributes and Elements

The following sections describe attributes, child elements, and parent elements.

Attributes

Attribute

Description

expressionPrefix

Required String attribute.

Specifies the prefix for the expression. This string is the left side of an expression as it appears in an .aspx page, for example:

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="<%$ MyCustomExpression:Hello, world! %>" />

This is the collection key.

The default is an empty string ("").

type

Required String attribute.

Specifies the name of the expression builder class that handles this expression. This can be a custom class that derives from the ExpressionBuilder class.

The default is an empty string ("").

Child Elements

None.

Parent Elements

Element

Description

configuration

Specifies the root element in every configuration file that is used by the common language runtime and the .NET Framework applications.

system.web

Specifies the root element for the ASP.NET configuration section.

compilation

Configures all compilation settings that ASP.NET uses to compile applications.

expressionBuilders

Defines a collection of resource strings to use during compilation. The resource strings associate prefixes with expression builders.

This element is new in the .NET Framework version 2.0.

Remarks

The add element adds a reference to an expression builder to the collection.

The expressionBuilders element defines a collection of resource strings to use during compilation. The resource strings associate prefixes with expression builders.

When the page parser encounters an expression in an .aspx page that is delimited with the string <%$ %>, the parser creates an expression builder for the expression based on the prefix in the string. The prefix is the portion of the string that is to the left of the colon (:). For example, when the parser encounters the string <%$ ConnectionStrings:MessageDB %>, it creates a ConnectionStringsExpressionBuilder object. For more information, see ExpressionBuilder.

Default Configuration

The following default expressionBuilders element is not explicitly configured in the Machine.config file or in the root Web.config file. However, it is the default configuration that is returned by application. Items are added to the expressionBuilders collection in the root Web.config file.

<expressionBuilders>
   <clear />
</expressionBuilders>

The following default expressionBuilders element is configured in the root Web.config file.

<expressionBuilders>
   <add expressionPrefix="Resources" type="System.Web.Compilation.ResourceExpressionBuilder" />
   <add expressionPrefix="ConnectionStrings" type="System.Web.Compilation.ConnectionStringsExpressionBuilder" />
   <add expressionPrefix="AppSettings" type="System.Web.Compilation.AppSettingsExpressionBuilder" />
</expressionBuilders>

Example

The following code example shows how to register a custom expression builder in the Web.config file. A custom expression builder must implement the ExpressionBuilder abstract class.

To reference the expression in an .aspx file, use the following syntax:

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server"

Text="<%$ MyCustomExpression:Hello, world! %>" />

<configuration>
    <system.web>
       <compilation>
          <expressionBuilders>
              <add expressionPrefix="MyCustomExpression"
               type="MyCustomExpressionBuilder"/>
          </expressionBuilders>
       </compilation>
    </system.web>
</configuration>

Element Information

Configuration section handler

CompilationSection

Configuration member

Add

Configurable Locations

Machine.config

Root-level Web.config

Application-level Web.config

Virtual or physical directory–level Web.config

Requirements

Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 5.0, 5.1, or 6.0

The .NET Framework version 2.0

Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 or Visual Studio 2005

See Also

Tasks

How to: Configure Specific Directories Using Location Settings

How to: Lock ASP.NET Configuration Settings

Reference

assemblies Element for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

remove Element for expressionBuilders for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

clear Element for expressionBuilders for compilation (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

configuration Element (General Settings Schema)

system.web Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

compilation Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)

System.Configuration

System.Web.Configuration

CompilationSection

Add

Concepts

ASP.NET Compilation Overview

ASP.NET Web Page Code Model

ASP.NET Configuration File Hierarchy and Inheritance

Securing ASP.NET Configuration

ASP.NET Configuration Scenarios

Other Resources

General Configuration Settings (ASP.NET)

ASP.NET Configuration Settings

ASP.NET Web Site Administration

ASP.NET Configuration Files

ASP.NET Configuration API