Tip #92: Did you know … How to select a master page using 'Select a Master Page' dialog?

WebDevTools — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:02:20 GMT

Master page for a Web form can always be set manually in the source code, but here is an option to select the master page while create the webform using the 'Select a Master Page' dialog.

The path to select a Master page using the 'Select a master page' dialog is different for a Web application project than for a Web site.

For a Web Application project:

Right click solution explore. Select Add and then select New Item
From the Add new Item dialog select Web content form and click on Add button.
Select a Master Page dialog would appear. Navigate thru the project folders to select the Master page & click on OK button. The aspx added would now be using the selected master page.

For a Web site project:

While adding a Webform, check the select master page checkbox and click on the Add button.
Select a Master Page dialog would appear. Navigate thru the project folders to select the Master page & click on OK button. The aspx added would now be using the selected master page.

Hope this helps,

Deepak Verma
SDET | Visual Web Developer

Tip #40: Did you know…How to scope master pages?

WebDevTools — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:50:08 GMT

Master page is a template page that can be used to create a consistent layout for your application. First you create a master page to define the look & feel of the application and then you create the content pages that contains the content.

You can attach these content pages to the master page at the following three levels:

Page Level: You can use the page directive on each of the content pages

<@Page Language="VB" MasterPageFile="~/Main.master"%>

Or programmatically set it in the content page Page_PreInit Event

for VB
Protected Sub Page_PreInit(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.PreInit
        Me.MasterPageFile = "~/Main.master"
End Sub

for C#
protected void Page_PreInit(Object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.MasterPageFile = "~/Main.Master";
        }
Application Level : By specifying the following in web.config file, all the aspx files will use the master page as Main.master (If aspx file does not contain a Content control, the master page won't be applied to it )

<configuration>
    <system.web>
               <pages masterPageFile="~/Main.master" />
   </system.web>
</configuration>

[You will notice that the pages node already exists in web.config, add the masterPageFile attribute to this node]
Folder Level: By specifying the following in web.config all the aspx files in a specified folder (admin) will use the master page as Admin.master (If aspx file does not contain a Content control, the master page won't be applied to it )

<configuration>
    <location path="admin">
    <system.web>
               <pages masterPageFile="~/Admin.master" />
   </system.web>
   </location>
</configuration>

[you will notice system.web already exists, leave it as it is & add a new node 'location' with the above content under 'configuration']

By setting master page programmatically or thru web.config you may not get the Visual Studio master page design time features.

Deepak Verma
SDET | Visual Web Developer

Tips & Tricks for ASP.NET, IIS, and Visual Web Developer : Master Pages

Tip #92: Did you know … How to select a master page using 'Select a Master Page' dialog?

Tip #40: Did you know…How to scope master pages?