Question

I have written a script which dynamically creates a html table based off server side variables passed through hidden fields. Ideally, I want to add a .NET label and Radio button control to each cell that I can populate server side. I realize that .NET controls are all created when the page is first compiled, but is there anyway to add them later? Here is my code that builds the table:

        <script>
        $(document).ready(function () {
            var satShifts = $('#mainContent_hidSat').val();
            var sunShifts = $('#mainContent_hidSun').val();
            var monShifts = $('#mainContent_hidMon').val();
            var tueShifts = $('#mainContent_hidTue').val();
            var wedShifts = $('#mainContent_hidWed').val();
            var thuShifts = $('#mainContent_hidThu').val();
            var friShifts = $('#mainContent_hidFri').val();

            var c = 0;

            for (var i = 0; i < satShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblSat').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < sunShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblSun').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < monShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblMon').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < tueShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblTue').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < wedShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblWed').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < thuShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblThu').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
            for (var i = 0; i < friShifts; i++) {
                $('#tblFri').append('<tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: ' + ***LABEL & RAD here*** + '</td></tr>');
                c++;
            }
        });
    </script>

Answer 1

You cannot add them as a .NET control once the page has been loaded. This is by design.

You can however add them as HTML elements and then access their values in the code-behind using Request.Form["textboxName"].

You would then set the name value of your textboxes to whatever value you wanted to retrieve them by in the code-behind (In this case, it would be name="textboxName").

Alternatively, you could render them as ASP.NET controls from the back-end using the server side variables. If this is the route you want to take, I’ll elaborate further.

Update: Everything you’re trying to do in javascript can be done with Repeaters.

For each day on the back end, add a repeater that looks like this:

<asp:Repeater ID="rptSaturdayShifts" runat="server">
   <ItemTemplate>
      <tr><td class="individualShift">Shift: <asp:Label id="lblYourLabel" runat="server" Text='<%# Eval("LabelContent") %>' /> <asp:RadioButton id="rbYourRadioButton" runat="server" /></td></tr>
   </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>

You just databind your repeater with a collection that has a “LabelContent” property and voila, your data is rendered. Now, when saving, you’ll have to iterate through all of the repeater rows. So on your “Save” button click:

foreach (var item in rptSaturdayShifts.Items) 
{
   var yourRadioButton = (Label) item.FindControl("rbYourRadioButton");

   // You can then access it using...
   var radioButtonValue = yourRadioButton.SelectedValue;
}