ASP.NET- Instantiate a Web User Control in App_Code class

Files:

Website\Controls\map.ascx

Website\App_Code\map.cs

I'd like to create a strongly typed instance of map.ascx in map.cs

Normally, in an aspx, you would add a <%Register... tag to be able to instantiate in codebehind. Is this possible in an app_code class? I'm using .NET 3.5/Visual Studio 2008

Thanks!

From stackoverflow

• Normally, I'd do something like this (assuming your type is "Map" and that you have the appropriate "Inherits" declaration in your .ascx file):

  Map map = (Map)LoadControl("~/Controls/map.ascx");
  

  Mofoo : This doesn't work. The "Map" type is not available in App_Code. Something to do with how asp.net compiles the controls. That's what I meant by requiring the <%Register tag in the aspx to get the type available.

  Ryan Duffield : In cases like that I've usually moved the code-behind file (like Map.ascx.cs) into the App_Code folder.

  Mofoo : ryan - thanks. Although the site doesn't compile as the codebehind is referring to a control from the ascx code. e.g.: icon.ImageUrl = imageUrl; Error: The name 'icon' does not exist in the current context

  Ryan Duffield : You can create a protected member variable in your class: "protected Image icon", for example (where "Image" is your other type...).

  Mofoo : Ryan - awesome this did the trick! Thank you!

  Ryan Duffield : No problem, glad I could help. :-)

  Mofoo : Doh! If I put the CodeFile="~\App_Code\map.ascx.cs" it gives a compile error: ... is in the special directory 'App_Code', which is not allowed. But trying to do a partial class also doesn't seem to work

  Mofoo : i removed the codefile. this worked... wack.

• Is there a map.ascx.cs file in Website\Controls? If so, move it to App_Code. Note you may have to update the CodeFile attribute in the .ascx file to ~\App_Code\map.ascx.cs. Alternatively, since the control is a partial class, you could just create the code in ~\App_Code\map.cs as:

  public partial class controls_Map : UserControl
  {
      protected void Page_Load( object sender, EventArgs e )
      {
           ...code here....
      }
  }
  

  And remove all the methods from the map.ascx.cs file in the controls directory.

  Ryan Duffield : Agreed. I neglected to mention moving the .ascx.cs file to App_Code as well.

  Mofoo : Close-I've had to move methods like page_load into the ascx file but now I have a problem accessing Viewstate in methods/public properties inline: public Guid placeID { get { return (Guid)ViewState["placeID"]; } set { ViewState["placeID"] = value; } } Viewstate is not recognized.