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Phase 3 / Overview: Building the user interface

Every Web Form that uses BLD requires these 3 controls: A DataBound control like ListView or DetailsView, a DataSource control like LinqDataSource, and the BLDPageManager control.

<des:BLDPageManager ID="BLDPageManager1" runat="server" >
   <Adapters>
       <des:SomeDataControlAdapter DataBoundControlID="DBView1" other properties />
   </Adapters>
</des:BLDPageManager>
<asp:someView ID="DBView1" runat="server" DataSourceID="DataSource1" other properties >
  BLDDataFields, web controls, and HTML to format this content
</asp:someView>
<asp:someDataSource ID="DataSource1" runat="server" EntityTypeName="EntityType" >
  Configure the CRUD operations
</asp:someDataSource>

The content of the DataBound control is associated with the DataFields of your Entity class. Each DataField is shown by using a Field Template. Field Templates provide the appearance and editing capabilities for a DataField. They also guarantee the business logic is followed.

The BLDDataField control inserts a Field Template into the page and connects it to its DataBound control.

When Phase 3 is complete, you will know BLD's requirements for a Web Form to host BLD controls and interact with your business logic.

Tours for Phase 3
  1. Interactive Demo - Play around with a polished interface that is result of what you will learn from here on out.
  2. Field Templates Overview - User controls which manage how a DataField is shown in the Web Form.
  3. Explore the Field Templates - Explore the Field Templates that are included with BLD.
  4. DataBound controls - Explore these containers for your data oriented controls. BLD adds BLDListView and BLDFormView to the four supplied by Microsoft (ListView, FormView, GridView, and DetailsView).
  5. DataSource controls - These controls are a conduit between your business logic and the DataBound controls. They are where you configure the CRUD actions.
  6. BLDPageManager and DataBoundControlAdapters - Gives the DataBound control its BLD functionality. They install event handlers, respond to commands (like New and Save), and manage validation.
  7. BLDCustomizer - Customizes the behavior of Field Templates, Filter Templates, and Page Templates.
  8. Page Templates - Web Form files that provide a very quick way to deliver an application that explores and edits a database, using a consistent layout.
  9. Working without Page Templates - Page Templates constrain you to make web forms centered around BLD features. They also require Url Routing. Here's how to work without Page Templates so your BLD features can exist within any kind of page.