Question

I am currently in the process of converting old “Web 1.0” code to meet current standards.

Is there a better way to generate and append a client-side script other than appending a plethora of lines to a StringBuilder and then registering it to the page via ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(Me.GetType(), "startUpScript", strScript)?

Is there any other way (besides putting all of this into a global .js file) that this example can be improved? If including this into the main .js file is the “best practice” alternative, then why?

    Dim lsbScript As New Text.StringBuilder

    lsbScript.Append(vbCrLf)
    lsbScript.Append("<script language=""javascript>""" & vbCrLf)
    lsbScript.Append("<!--" & vbCrLf)

    ...

    lsbScript.Append("//-->" & vbCrLf)
    lsbScript.Append("</SCRIPT>" & vbCrLf)


    If Not ClientScript.IsStartupScriptRegistered("someScript") Then
        ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(Me.GetType(), "someScript", lsbScript.ToString)
    End If

Answer 1

a good middle ground might be offloading the script contents to a new js file, and including a script node from codebehind.

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {

    bool someCondition = Whatever();
    if (someCondition)
    {
        System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl script;
        script = new System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl("script");
        script.Attributes["src"] = "myscript.js";
        this.Controls.Add(script);
    }
}

this will just drop the node at the end of the page. alternatively, you could put a placeholder control whereever you like on the page, and add the new HtmlGenericControl to that.

(sorry, vb is not my native language).