ASP.NET MVC: replace <%= Html.TextBox("name") %> with <asp:TextBox> - asp.net

Question

Because i want to set a Extender (Calendar from the AJAX Controls toolkit) on a textbox,
I have to change the code from
<%= Html.TextBox("name") %>
to
<asp:TextBox ...>
But how can i bind the attribute "name" on the element?
Thank you

Answer 1

Have you tried using the jQuery DatePicker? It's much more friendly with MVC than the standard ASP controls and related extenders.
<%= Html.TextBox( "name" ) %>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {
$('[name=name]').datepicker();
});
</script>

Answer 2

It's possible to use the asp.net Ajax Beta to create a client side Calendar.
See here:
http://www.asp.net/ajaxlibrary/HOW%20TO%20Use%20the%20Calendar%20Control.ashx
Strangely this version of the asp.net ajax library uses JQuery as well.
I would personally use the JQuery version... But the new asp.net ajax library is trying to evolve so that it works better with 'pure' html and asp.net mvc.

Answer 3

Ok,
I included the js from the google api, also the css.
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.7.2/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>
<link href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.7.2/themes/overcast/jquery-ui.css" type="text/css" rel="Stylesheet" class="ui-theme" />
Then set the datepicker like this:
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#startDate").datepicker();
});
</script>