WebPartConnection.Consumer Property

 

Gets a WebPart object that is acting as the consumer control in a connection.

Namespace:   System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts
Assembly:  System.Web (in System.Web.dll)

<BrowsableAttribute(False)>
Public ReadOnly Property Consumer As WebPart

Property Value

Type: System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts.WebPart

A WebPart that represents the Web Parts control acting as the consumer in a connection.

Exception Condition
InvalidOperationException

The length of the ConsumerID property is zero.

Every Web Parts connection consists of two controls that share data. One control acts as the provider of data, and the other control acts as a consumer, receiving and processing the data from the provider. The Consumer property gets a reference to the WebPart control acting as a consumer in a connection relationship.

The following code example demonstrates the programmatic use of the Consumer property.

The code example has four parts:

  • A user control that enables you to change the Web Parts display mode on a page.

  • Source code for an interface and two WebPart controls acting as the provider and the consumer for a connection.

  • A Web page to host all the controls and run the code example.

  • An explanation of how to run the example page.

The first part of this code example is the user control that enables users to change display modes on a Web page. Save the following source code to an .ascx file, giving it the file name that is assigned to the Src attribute of the Register directive for this user control, which is near the top of the hosting Web page. For details about display modes and a description of the source code in this control, see Walkthrough: Changing Display Modes on a Web Parts Page.

<%@ control language="vb" classname="DisplayModeMenuVB"%>
<script runat="server">
  ' Use a field to reference the current WebPartManager.
  Dim _manager As WebPartManager

  Sub Page_Init(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    AddHandler Page.InitComplete, AddressOf InitComplete
  End Sub

  Sub InitComplete(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
    _manager = WebPartManager.GetCurrentWebPartManager(Page)

    Dim browseModeName As String = WebPartManager.BrowseDisplayMode.Name

    ' Fill the dropdown with the names of supported display modes.
    Dim mode As WebPartDisplayMode
    For Each mode In _manager.SupportedDisplayModes
      Dim modeName As String = mode.Name
      ' Make sure a mode is enabled before adding it.
      If mode.IsEnabled(_manager) Then
        Dim item As New ListItem(modeName, modeName)
        DisplayModeDropdown.Items.Add(item)
      End If
    Next mode

    ' If shared scope is allowed for this user, display the scope-switching
    ' UI and select the appropriate radio button for the current user scope.
    If _manager.Personalization.CanEnterSharedScope Then
      Panel2.Visible = True
      If _manager.Personalization.Scope = PersonalizationScope.User Then
        RadioButton1.Checked = True
      Else
        RadioButton2.Checked = True
      End If
    End If

  End Sub

  ' Change the page to the selected display mode.
  Sub DisplayModeDropdown_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As EventArgs)

    Dim selectedMode As String = DisplayModeDropdown.SelectedValue   
    Dim mode As WebPartDisplayMode = _
      _manager.SupportedDisplayModes(selectedMode)
    If Not (mode Is Nothing) Then
      _manager.DisplayMode = mode
    End If

  End Sub

  ' Set the selected item equal to the current display mode.
  Sub Page_PreRender(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Dim items As ListItemCollection = DisplayModeDropdown.Items
    Dim selectedIndex As Integer = _
      items.IndexOf(items.FindByText(_manager.DisplayMode.Name))
    DisplayModeDropdown.SelectedIndex = selectedIndex

  End Sub

  ' Reset all of a user's personalization data for the page.
  Protected Sub LinkButton1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As EventArgs)

    _manager.Personalization.ResetPersonalizationState()

  End Sub

  ' If not in User personalization scope, toggle into it.
  Protected Sub RadioButton1_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As EventArgs)

    If _manager.Personalization.Scope = PersonalizationScope.Shared Then
      _manager.Personalization.ToggleScope()
    End If

  End Sub

  ' If not in Shared scope, and if user is allowed, toggle the scope.
  Protected Sub RadioButton2_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As EventArgs)

    If _manager.Personalization.CanEnterSharedScope AndAlso _
      _manager.Personalization.Scope = PersonalizationScope.User Then
      _manager.Personalization.ToggleScope()
    End If

  End Sub

</script>
<div>
  <asp:Panel ID="Panel1" runat="server" 
    Borderwidth="1" 
    Width="230" 
    BackColor="lightgray"
    Font-Names="Verdana, Arial, Sans Serif" >
    <asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server" 
      Text="&nbsp;Display Mode" 
      Font-Bold="true"
      Font-Size="8"
      Width="120" 
      AssociatedControlID="DisplayModeDropdown"/>
    <asp:DropDownList ID="DisplayModeDropdown" runat="server"  
      AutoPostBack="true" 
      Width="120"
      OnSelectedIndexChanged="DisplayModeDropdown_SelectedIndexChanged" />
    <asp:LinkButton ID="LinkButton1" runat="server"
      Text="Reset User State" 
      ToolTip="Reset the current user's personalization data for the page."
      Font-Size="8" 
      OnClick="LinkButton1_Click" />
    <asp:Panel ID="Panel2" runat="server" 
      GroupingText="Personalization Scope"
      Font-Bold="true"
      Font-Size="8" 
      Visible="false" >
      <asp:RadioButton ID="RadioButton1" runat="server" 
        Text="User" 
        AutoPostBack="true"
        GroupName="Scope" OnCheckedChanged="RadioButton1_CheckedChanged" />
      <asp:RadioButton ID="RadioButton2" runat="server" 
        Text="Shared" 
        AutoPostBack="true"
        GroupName="Scope" 
        OnCheckedChanged="RadioButton2_CheckedChanged" />
    </asp:Panel>
  </asp:Panel>
</div>

The second part of the code example is the source code for the two WebPart controls that serve as the consumer and the provider for the connection, and an interface used for the connection points. For the code example to run, you must compile this source code. You can compile it explicitly and put the resulting assembly in your Web site's Bin folder or the global assembly cache. Alternatively, you can put the source code in your site's App_Code folder, where it will be dynamically compiled at run time. This code example uses dynamic compilation. For a walkthrough that demonstrates how to compile, see Walkthrough: Developing and Using a Custom Web Server Control.

Imports System
Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Security
Imports System.Security.Permissions
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts

Namespace Samples.AspNet.VB.Controls

  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.Demand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.InheritanceDemand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  Public Interface IZipCode

    Property ZipCode() As String

  End Interface

  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.Demand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.InheritanceDemand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  Public Class ZipCodeWebPart
    Inherits WebPart
    Implements IZipCode
    Private zipCodeText As String = String.Empty
    Private input As TextBox
    Private send As Button

    Public Sub New()
    End Sub

    ' Make the implemented property personalizable to save 
    ' the Zip Code between browser sessions.
    <Personalizable()> _
    Public Property ZipCode() As String _
      Implements IZipCode.ZipCode

      Get
        Return zipCodeText
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        zipCodeText = value
      End Set
    End Property

    ' This is the callback method that returns the provider.
    <ConnectionProvider("Zip Code Provider", "ZipCodeProvider")> _
    Public Function ProvideIZipCode() As IZipCode
      Return Me
    End Function


    Protected Overrides Sub CreateChildControls()
      Controls.Clear()
      input = New TextBox()
      Me.Controls.Add(input)
      send = New Button()
      send.Text = "Enter 5-digit Zip Code"
      AddHandler send.Click, AddressOf Me.submit_Click
      Me.Controls.Add(send)

    End Sub


    Private Sub submit_Click(ByVal sender As Object, _
      ByVal e As EventArgs)

      If input.Text <> String.Empty Then
        zipCodeText = Page.Server.HtmlEncode(input.Text)
        input.Text = String.Empty
      End If

    End Sub

  End Class

  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.Demand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  <AspNetHostingPermission(SecurityAction.InheritanceDemand, _
    Level:=AspNetHostingPermissionLevel.Minimal)> _
  Public Class WeatherWebPart
    Inherits WebPart
    Private _provider As IZipCode
    Private _zipSearch As String
    Private DisplayContent As Label

    ' This method is identified by the ConnectionConsumer 
    ' attribute, and is the mechanism for connecting with 
    ' the provider. 
    <ConnectionConsumer("Zip Code Consumer", "ZipCodeConsumer")> _
    Public Sub GetIZipCode(ByVal Provider As IZipCode)
      _provider = Provider
    End Sub


    Protected Overrides Sub OnPreRender(ByVal e As EventArgs)
      EnsureChildControls()

      If Not (Me._provider Is Nothing) Then
        _zipSearch = _provider.ZipCode.Trim()
				DisplayContent.Text = "My Zip Code is:  " + _zipSearch
      End If

    End Sub 'OnPreRender

    Protected Overrides Sub CreateChildControls()
      Controls.Clear()
      DisplayContent = New Label()
      Me.Controls.Add(DisplayContent)

    End Sub

  End Class

End Namespace

The third part of the code example is the code for the Web page that hosts the controls and demonstrates the use of the Consumer property. Near the top of the page are the Register directives for the user control and the custom controls. Because this example uses dynamic compilation, the Register directive for the source file does not need to reference an assembly name; it includes only an arbitrary tag prefix and the namespace of the controls. In the Button2_Click method, the code accesses the connection object through the WebPartManager control, and gets a reference to the consumer control.

<%@ Page Language="vb" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="uc1" 
    TagName="DisplayModeMenuVB"
    Src="~/displaymodemenuvb.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="aspSample" 
    Namespace="Samples.AspNet.VB.Controls" %>

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
    "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<script runat="server">

  Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As System.EventArgs)

    Dim provPoint As ProviderConnectionPoint = _
      mgr.GetProviderConnectionPoints(zip1)("ZipCodeProvider")
    Dim connPoint As ConsumerConnectionPoint = _
      mgr.GetConsumerConnectionPoints(weather1)("ZipCodeConsumer")
    mgr.ConnectWebParts(zip1, provPoint, weather1, connPoint)

  End Sub

  Protected Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As System.EventArgs)

    Dim consumer as WebPart = mgr.Connections(0).Consumer

    lbl2.Text = "<h3>Consumer Control Details</h3>" & _
      "ID: " & consumer.ID & _
      "<br />" & _
      "Title: " & consumer.Title

  End Sub

  Protected Sub mgr_DisplayModeChanged (ByVal sender as Object, _
    ByVal e as WebPartDisplayModeEventArgs)

    If mgr.DisplayMode Is WebPartManager.ConnectDisplayMode Then
      Button1.Visible = True
      Button2.Visible = True
    Else
      Button1.Visible = False
      Button2.Visible = False
    End If

  End Sub
</script>

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" >
<head runat="server">
    <title>Untitled Page</title>
</head>
<body>
    <form id="form1" runat="server">
    <div>
      <asp:WebPartManager ID="mgr" runat="server"
    OnDisplayModeChanged="mgr_DisplayModeChanged" />
      <uc1:DisplayModeMenuVB ID="menu1" runat="server" />
      <asp:WebPartZone ID="WebPartZone1" runat="server">
        <ZoneTemplate>
          <aspSample:ZipCodeWebPart ID="zip1" runat="server"
            Title="Zip Code Provider" />
          <aspSample:WeatherWebPart ID="weather1" runat="server" 
            Title="Zip Code Consumer" />
        </ZoneTemplate>
      </asp:WebPartZone>
      <asp:ConnectionsZone ID="ConnectionsZone1" runat="server">
      </asp:ConnectionsZone>
      <asp:Button ID="Button1" runat="server" 
        Text="Connect WebPart Controls" 
        OnClick="Button1_Click" 
    Visible="false" />
      <br />
      <asp:Button ID="Button2" runat="server" 
        Text="Display Consumer Info" 
        OnClick="Button2_Click" 
        Visible="false" /> 
      <br />   
      <asp:Label ID="lbl2" runat="server" />
    </div>
    </form>
</body>
</html>

After you load the page in a browser, use the Display Mode drop-down list control to switch the page to connect mode. Click the verbs menu (represented by the downward arrow in the title bar) on one of the WebPart controls, and click the connect verb. Use the Connect WebPart Controls button, or the provided connection user interface (UI), to create a connection between the two controls. Click the Display Consumer Info button to run the code that demonstrates the Consumer property.

.NET Framework
Available since 2.0
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