Custom Controls continued...

So I created this control that started out as a Composite Control that had a label and a DataGrid in it and inherited from WebControl.  I get my configuration settings for this control from an XML file for starters and then build the DataGrid from the Columns and stuff in the XML File.  It renders nicely, using the methods that are in the book mentioned in my previous post and all the properties are nicely gleaned from the XML File.

My dilemma came from wanting the user to be able to not only use my control, but to be able to have the Templates specified like they are in the DataGrid and to control all the Styles, etc. from the aspx page if the need arose.

So instead of having it inherit from the WebControl and then having my own properties that exposed the Styles, I decided to inherit from the DataGrid and have all those native properties and still have a composite control.  All works great and now I will finish up the development of this control with the ability to do it's own styles.

It has been a lot of fun creating my own custom control and adding it to a web page, and I am looking forward to someday writing an article (as I am terrible at coming up with a topic for the article) so that I can get my thoughts and stuff into an organized document that can be used to help people, or to be just a nicely formatted idea or experience book.

That is all for now, as Microsoft has been keeping me really busy and I have plenty to do.  See you back in cyberspace.