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.NET Forum / ASP.NET / General / May 2008Do you prefer Master Page or User Controls?
I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master Page can be funky. For a website using a standard header/footer/nav, do you prefer using User Controls for the common items, or do you prefer Master Pages? What is best from your experience? I've downloaded a few sample projects (like for the Telerik Rad Controls) and have noticed that they like to use User Controls. What are the pros/cons of each? Thanks. I am using user controls for the header and the footer. Master pages, with all their convenience, certainly do introduce an extra level of complexity. There are many issues and considerations related to them. I use them for specific purposes when I anticipate that they can cover significant functionality. Header and footer are often general for all pages and don't usually include any reach functionality.  SignatureEliyahu Goldin, Software Developer Microsoft MVP [ASP.NET] http://msmvps.com/blogs/egoldin http://usableasp.net >I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master >Page can be funky. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. >I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master >Page can be funky. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > What are the pros/cons of each? In addition to Eliyahu's response, MasterPages are actually UserControls anyway... There is often a misconception (not aimed at you) that MasterPages are somehow the ASP.NET implementation of framesets - nothing could be further from the truth... Eliyahu is also correct in that MasterPages do introduce a certain level of complexity, but it's not exactly rocket science... :-) IMO, MasterPages were one of the major innovations in ASP.NET 2, and I personally never use anything else for common layout. SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net > >I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master > >Page can be funky. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > IMO, MasterPages were one of the major innovations in ASP.NET 2, and I > personally never use anything else for common layout. IMHO Master pages are not really user control. It's really hard to debug on user control but master page. I hate to disagree with you, but Mark is right - according to Microsoft, Masterpages become implementations of User controls on the pages David Wier http://aspnet101.com http://iWritePro.com - One click PDF, convert .doc/.rtf/.txt to HTML with no bloated markup > "Cirene" <cir...@nowhere.com> wrote in message > > news:ewc8XkluIHA.3780@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... <snip> > In addition to Eliyahu's response, MasterPages are actually UserControls > anyway... <snip> > IMO, MasterPages were one of the major innovations in ASP.NET 2, and I > personally never use anything else for common layout. IMHO Master pages are not really user control. It's really hard to debug on user control but master page. I agree with David. MasterPage class is derived from System.Web.UI.UserControl as opposed to System.Web.UI.Page. -- Madhur http://blogs.msdn.com/mahuja >I hate to disagree with you, but Mark is right - according to Microsoft, >Masterpages become implementations of User controls on the pages [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Master pages are not really user control. It's really hard to debug on > user control but master page. re: !> MasterPage class is derived from System.Web.UI.UserControl as opposed to System.Web.UI.Page. The UserControl, Page and MasterPage classes all are subclasses of System.Web.UI. See : http://quickstarts.asp.net/QuickStartv20/util/classbrowser.aspx?namespace=System .Web.UI When an HTTP request is made for a page at run time, the master page and content pages are combined into a single class with the same name as the content pages. The *resulting* compiled, merged class derives from the Page class. The MasterPage class derives (inherits, actually) from Control, and is last in a chain which includes Control, TemplateControl and UserControl: Here's the inheritance hierarchy for the MasterPage class : System..::.Object System.Web.UI..::.Control System.Web.UI..::.TemplateControl System.Web.UI..::.UserControl System.Web.UI..::.MasterPage The master page is initialized as the top control in a page’s control hierarchy by clearing the page’s Controls array and adding the master page to the Control collection. The master page initialization happens after the PreInit event fires for a Page object, but before the Init event fires. Juan T. Llibre, asp.net MVP asp.net faq : http://asp.net.do/faq/ foros de asp.net, en español : http://asp.net.do/foros/ ====================================== >I agree with David. > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> Master pages are not really user control. It's really hard to debug on >> user control but master page. > IMHO > > MasterPages are not really UserControl. That's incorrect. A MasterPage most certainly is a UserControl. In fact, all MasterPages by default inherit from the UserControl class: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.masterpage.aspx SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net Yes and no. Technically, yes, master pages are user controls. But from development pattern perspective they are very different. Typically, regular user controls address one well-defined and limited task whereas master pages are commonly used as a base for building the whole page with much richer markup and code-behind. Perhaps that's why many developers don't perceive master pages as user controls. SignatureEliyahu Goldin, Software Developer Microsoft MVP [ASP.NET] http://msmvps.com/blogs/egoldin http://usableasp.net >> IMHO >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.ui.masterpage.aspx >>> IMHO >>> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Technically, yes, master pages are user controls. There's no need to go any further... :-) > Perhaps that's why many developers don't perceive master pages as user > controls. Nevertheless that's what they are, regardless of how many developers perceive them.... Lots of developers, especially beginners, perceive MasterPages as framesets - that doesn't mean they're framesets. In fact, it's been my experience that once developers realise that MasterPages are precisely UserControls, then their understanding of what they are and how to use them increases dramatically... SignatureMark Rae ASP.NET MVP http://www.markrae.net For the basic nav elements use Master pages. For individual items on a page I use user controls if I want to use the element on more than one page. >I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master >Page can be funky. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. I see a bunch of off-topic discussion about whether MasterPages are userControls (they are). I use MasterPages quite frequently as they make it very easy to "skin" a page with a consistent layout, theme and features. They do introduce an additional level of complexity from a programmatic perspective but as others have indicated, once you understand what a MasterPage actually is, it's not rocket science. Usercontrols fit in more as specific units of functionality to be dropped on to the page proper. Hope that helps. Peter >I know that sometimes referring to controls deep in a page using a Master >Page can be funky. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks. Free MagazinesGet these publications absolutely FREE for up to 12 months. 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