Question

How to make UpdateProgress render as span not div or make this div display:inline ?

Answer 1

Its possible to add a class in CSS to apply the display:inline. This is made easier in .NET 4 as you can make the UpdatesProgess ClientIDMode static so you it wont get an autogenerated ID which allows you to know what the ID will be client side.

CSS

#UpdateProgress
{
    display:inline;
}

ASP.NET

<asp:UpdateProgress ID="UpdateProgress" ClientIDMode="Static" runat="server">

EDIT: The fourth example on that page seems to offer a way to set what style is applied.

<script type="text/javascript">
var prm = Sys.WebForms.PageRequestManager.getInstance();
prm.add_initializeRequest(InitializeRequest);
prm.add_endRequest(EndRequest);
var postBackElement;
function InitializeRequest(sender, args) {
   if (prm.get_isInAsyncPostBack())
   {
      args.set_cancel(true);
   }
   postBackElement = args.get_postBackElement();
   if (postBackElement.id == 'ButtonTrigger')
   {
     $get('UpdateProgress1').style.display = "inline";
   }
}
function EndRequest (sender, args) {
   if (postBackElement.id == 'ButtonTrigger')
   {
     $get('UpdateProgress1').style.display = "none";    
   }
}
function AbortPostBack() {
  if (prm.get_isInAsyncPostBack()) {
       prm.abortPostBack();
  }        
}
</script>