In this post I wanted to figure out how to create dynamically created textboxes in C# Visual Studio.
Adding additional textboxes to aspx based on xml
However, when I try to call the ID of these dynamically created textboxes later in my code to figure out what text the user entered into them, I am getting an error that says these IDs do not exist in the current context. Does anyone know how I would be able to call these?
credit to Adding additional textboxes to aspx based on xml
Here is my entire code:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Xml.Linq;
namespace WebApplication4
{
public partial class WebForm15 : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!Page.IsCallback)
{
//credit to https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44076955/adding-additional-textboxes-to-aspx-based-on-xml#comment75336978_44078684
const string xml = @"<Number>
<Num>1</Num>
<Num>2</Num>
<Num>3</Num>
</Number>";
XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(xml);
int i = 0;
foreach (XElement num in doc.Root.Elements())
{
TextBox box = new TextBox
{
ID = "dynamicTextBox" + i,
Text = num.Value,
ReadOnly = false
};
divToAddTo.Controls.Add(box);
divToAddTo.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<br/>"));
i++;
}
}
}
protected void BtnGetValues_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
IList<string> valueReturnArray = new List<string>();
foreach (Control d in divToAddTo.Controls)
{
if (d is TextBox)
{
valueReturnArray.Add(((TextBox)d).Text);
}
}
//valueReturnArray will now contain the values of all the textboxes
}
}
}
Here is aspx:
<%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeBehind="WebForm15.aspx.cs" Inherits="WebApplication4.WebForm15" %>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head runat="server">
<title></title>
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.12.4.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<form id="form1" runat="server">
<div id="divToAddTo" runat="server" />
<asp:Button runat="server" ID="BtnGetValues" Text="GetValues" OnClick="BtnGetValues_Click" />
</form>
</body>
</html>
Figured it out!!! Here is what I found after scouring the internet for hours
Solution: When using dynamic controls, you must remember that they will exist only until the next postback.ASP.NET will not re-create a dynamically added control. If you need to re-create a control multiple times, you should perform the control creation in the PageLoad event handler ( As currently you are just creating only for first time the TextBox using Condition: !IsPostabck ). This has the additional benefit of allowing you to use view state with your dynamic control. Even though view state is normally restored before the Page.Load event, if you create a control in the handler for the PageLoad event, ASP.NET will apply any view state information that it has after the PageLoad event handler ends.
So, Remove the Condition: !IsPostback, So that each time the page Loads, The TextBox control is also created. You will also see the State of Text box saved after PageLoad handler completes. [ Obviously you have not disabled ViewState!!! ]
Example:
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
TextBox txtBox = new TextBox();
// Assign some text and an ID so you can retrieve it later.
txtBox.ID = "newButton";
PlaceHolder1.Controls.Add(txtBox);
} Now after running it, type anything in text box and see what happens when you click any button that causes postback. The Text Box still has maintained its State!!!