ASP.NET MultiView with multiple repeaters - asp.net

Question

I have a problem and I need your opinion. I have a control with a MultiView and each view will be a different render for the control's output, it will be about 10 different views. Inside each view I will have a repeater that will repeat a few rows, this repeater will be the same for all views and since the MultiView only allows 1 view to be show at any one time, I though to have the repeater with the same ID, so I don't have to make 10 bindings and create 10 OnItemDataBound events with the exact same code in it, but ASP.NET don't let me have the repeater with the same ID (it should be smarter than that for this case). I am using C# and v4 of the framework.
Here's the MultiView code:
<asp:MultiView id="MultiView" runat="server">
<asp:View id="h400" runat="server">
<div class="latest_Wide">
<h3>Wide</h3>
<asp:Repeater id="rptLatest" runat="server" OnItemDataBound="rptLatest_OnItemDataBound">
<ItemTemplate>
<p>• <asp:Literal id="litPostTitle1" runat="server" /></p>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</div>
</asp:View>
<asp:View id="h200" runat="server">
<div class="latest_Narrow">
<h3>Narrow</h3>
<asp:Repeater id="rptLatest" runat="server" OnItemDataBound="rptLatest_OnItemDataBound">
<ItemTemplate>
<p>• <asp:Literal id="litPostTitle2" runat="server" /></p>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</div>
</asp:View>
...
</asp:MultiView>
How can I solve this problem. Remember I don't want to make 10 repeater bindings and have 10 OnItemDataBound events with the exact same code, for the case you suggest to give the repeaters different IDs.

Answer 1

This isn't pretty... but:
Assume your ASCX:
<asp:MultiView id="mvPostDisplay" runat="server">
<asp:View id="h400" runat="server">
<div class="latest_Wide">
<h3>Wide</h3>
<asp:Repeater runat="server" OnItemDataBound="rptLatest_OnItemDataBound">
<ItemTemplate>
<p>• <asp:Literal id="litPostTitle1" runat="server" /></p>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</div>
</asp:View>
<asp:View id="h200" runat="server">
<div class="latest_Narrow">
<h3>Narrow</h3>
<asp:Repeater runat="server" OnItemDataBound="rptLatest_OnItemDataBound">
<ItemTemplate>
<p>• <asp:Literal id="litPostTitle2" runat="server" /></p>
</ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>
</div>
</asp:View>
...
</asp:MultiView>
In your codebehind:
private void DataBindRepeater()
{
View activeView = this.mvPostDisplay.GetActiveView();
Repeater myRepeater = this.FindRepeater(activeView);
if (myRepeater != null)
{
myRepeater.DataSource = this.GetDataSourceFormSomewhere();
myRepeater.DataBind();
}
}
private Repeater FindRepeater(Control container)
{
if (container is Repeater)
{
return container as Repeater;
}
else
{
foreach (Control c in container.Controls)
{
Repeater retVal = this.FindRepeater(c);
if (retVal != null)
{
return retVal;
}
}
return null;
}
}
And simply call DataBindRepeater after you've determined the appropriate view. Please note rptLatest will not be set, therefor you will need to get a reference to your repeater in your handler using either the sender, FindRepeater, or possibly something less hackish.

Answer 2

Have you considered making the repeater a user control? This way you have all the repeater binding code once in your user control. Each view will have it's own instance of the usercontrol.
Is this a direction you are willing to take?