Web part binding (obsolete)

Obsolete feature

This feature is now obsolete. If you need to bind the behavior of some web part to another web part value, please use URL parameters or create a user control where you put both web parts and write custom code that will ensure the communication between web parts.

If you need to use this feature for backward compatibility, you need to add the following parameter to your web.config file, to the appSettings section:

Web part binding allows you to connect two web parts. For example: you can have a web part containing drop-down list with countries. When some value is selected, it is provided to another web part that displays a list of company offices in the selected country. You can manage web part binding on the Binding tab:

devguide_clip0784

Alternative option

If binding doesn't work as expected, you can alternatively create your own user control, place required web parts on it and manage their interactions using your own code. You can find more details on creating your own user control in chapter Adding custom code to the page.

Example - creating a product selection dialog with drop-down list and product list

In this example, we will create two web parts - selector and viewer and bind their properties so that the product viewer reflects the product selector status.

1.	Open the CMS project in Visual Studio and create a new folder MyWebParts under CMSWebParts folder in the Solution Explorer:

2.	Create a new user control (ASCX) under MyWebParts folder and call it ProductSelector.ascx. Switch to its HTML source and paste the following code:

<asp:DropDownList ID="DropDownList1" runat="server"

OnSelectedIndexChanged="DropDownList1_SelectedIndexChanged" AutoPostBack="true">

<asp:ListItem Value="Under">Under 250</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="Over">Over 250</asp:ListItem>

</asp:DropDownList>

Switch to the code behind and add the following code to the beginning of the code:

[C#]

using CMS.PortalControls;

using CMS.GlobalHelper;

using CMS.TreeEngine;

using CMS.CMSHelper;

using CMS.ExtendedControls;

Change the class inheritance like this:

public partial class CMSWebParts_MyWebParts_ProductSelector : CMSAbstractWebPart

Add the following code inside the page class:

[C#]

protected void DropDownList1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

this.SetValue("PriceRange", this.DropDownList1.SelectedValue.ToString());

this.ReloadConsumers();

}

Please note that you need to set the new value of the web part property PriceRange and call the ReloadConsumers method.

3.	Create a new user control (ASCX) under MyWebParts folder and call it ProductViewer.ascx. Switch to its HTML source and paste the following code:

<%@ Register Assembly="CMS.Controls" Namespace="CMS.Controls" TagPrefix="cc1" %>

<cc1:CMSRepeater ID="CMSRepeater1" runat="server" EnableViewState="true"

TransformationName="cms.product.default" SelectedItemTransformationName="cms.product.default"

Path="/%" ClassNames="cms.CellPhone">

</cc1:CMSRepeater>

The CMSRepeater web part displays the product list.

Switch to the code behind and add the following code to the beginning of the code:

[C#]

using CMS.PortalControls;

using CMS.GlobalHelper;

using CMS.TreeEngine;

using CMS.CMSHelper;

using CMS.ExtendedControls;

using CMS.PortalControls;

Change the class inheritance like this:

public partial class CMSWebParts_MyWebParts_ProductViewer : CMSAbstractWebPart

Add the following code inside the page class:

[C#]

/// <summary>

/// Content loaded event handler

/// </summary>

public override void OnContentLoaded()

{

base.OnContentLoaded();

SetupControl();

}

/// <summary>

/// Reloads data on request

/// </summary>

public override void ReloadData()

{

base.ReloadData();

this.SetupControl();

this.CMSRepeater1.ReloadData(true);

}

/// <summary>

/// Initializes the control properties

/// </summary>

protected void SetupControl()

{

if ((this.PagePlaceholder.ViewMode == ViewModeEnum.Design) || (this.HideOnCurrentPage) || (!this.IsVisible))

{

// Stop processing in Design mode and if the control is invisible

this.CMSRepeater1.StopProcessing = true;

}

else

{

// set CMSRepeater properties according to the selected value (price range)

string priceRange = ValidationHelper.GetString(this.GetValue("PriceRange"), "Under");

if (priceRange == "Over")

{

this.CMSRepeater1.WhereCondition = "SKUPrice > 250";

}

else

{

this.CMSRepeater1.WhereCondition = "SKUPrice <= 250";

}

4.	Save the changes and go to Site Manager -> Development -> Web parts. Create a new category called My Web Parts and add a new web part: - Web part display name: Product selector - Web part code name: ProductSelector - Web part file name: MyWebParts/ProductSelector.ascx

Create another new web part:
- Web part display name: Product viewer
- Web part code name: ProductViewer
- Web part file name: MyWebParts/ProductViewer.ascx

... and then switch to the Properties tab and create a new property:

- Attribute name: PriceRange
- Attribute type: Text
- Attribute size: 100
- Allow empty value: yes
- Display attribute in the editing form: no

6.	Go to CMS Desk and create a new blank page using the Simple page layout and call it Product list.

7.	Switch to the Design tab and add the web parts Product selector and Product viewer on the page.

8.	Configure the Product viewer web part and choose the Binding tab. Add a new web part binding using the following values: - Local property: PriceRange - Source web part ID: ProductSelector - Source property: PriceRange

9.	Go to the Live site mode and see the page. It should look like this:

When you change the drop-down list value, the product list below is automatically updated.

Page url: http://devnet.kentico.com/docs/devguide/index.html?web_part_binding.htm