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ASPxTabControl
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ASP.NET Tab and Page Controls - A part of the ASPxperience Suite
Two controls allowing you to build tabbed page interfaces in your ASP.NET AJAX sites.
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The ASPxTabControl includes two components, allowing you to build tabbed interfaces within your web sites. You can either use the ASPxTabControl™ component to only display tabs or use the ASPxPageControl™ to associate specific page content with each tab. Both controls have been built to generate minimal HTML code, work on the client-side without hassles, be fast and fully support AJAX for on-demand page loading via callbacks.
The ASPxTabControl offers you myriads of options for appearance customization. You can control the look and feel of tabs using multiple mechanisms - from applying an auto-format to the entire control, to customization of individual tabs via our API, using CSS or via the use of templates. Beyond appearance options, you have an extremely flexible means with which to control end-user interaction. Numerous server-side settings, client-side API and events allow you to take full control over how your tab control responds to user actions - which user action activates a tab, should there be a postback, callback or client processing. Note that the most frequently used scenarios are already built-in - you just need to toggle a property. The ASPxTabControl is heavily used throughout our web site. Take a look at this page to see how we use tab templates to get a nice-looking page control that contains sources in C# and Visual Basic on its pages. To see AJAX-based tab page loading in action, visit our home page.
The following is a list of features available to you. To try these features online, please visit our ASPxperience Suite Online Demo Center.
Control Features
- Templates can be specified for tabs in both active and inactive states and for each tab individually. (Show Me)
- You can change the appearance of each element in each state either directly via properties or by assigning a CSS class.
- Several auto-formats are available so you can apply a nice design to your tabs with just a couple of mouse clicks. (Show Me)
- ASPxPageControl supports two ways to activate a tab - by clicking it or by hovering it with the mouse pointer. (Show Me)
AJAX Callback Support
- You can enable AJAX support by setting the EnableCallbacks property to true. In this instance, ASPxPageControl initially loads only the active page's content onto the client. When end-users activate other pages, their content is loaded via callbacks. Once a page's content has been loaded, end-users can switch to this page on the client-side without callbacks or postbacks. You can try this functionality on the home page of this site. (Show Me)
Client-side Features and API
- Client-side events allow you to perform custom actions when an end-user click on a tab and immediately after the corresponding page has been loaded. If you use AJAX functionality, you will need these events to indicate that a callback is in progress. (Show Me)
- You can use client-side API to activate tabs, obtain tab information and specify HTML content for pages in ASPxPageControl. (Show Me)
Tab Features
- A convenient tab collection design-time editor is available.
- Customizable tab spacing.
- Tab position and alignment can be changed to display tabs at any edge and corner of a page control.
- Custom images can be displayed within tabs.
- You can specify tooltips for tabs.
DevExpress Core Framework for ASP.NET AJAX Controls
The entire DevExpress ASP.NET Product Line was built on top of a shared framework implementing numerous advanced features like callback-enabled processing, Client-side API, SharePoint Integration, Web Accessibility, cross-browser rendering and much more.
We chose the DevExpress ASPxperience Suite because we needed a robust, flexible and end-user friendly set of libraries for .Net RIA development against a constantly shifting set of business needs, that where still powerful enough to integrate with our other back office systems with minimal effort.
As a donor supported organisation, our IT strategies need to reflect a lean, knowledge based approach. So, while getting value for money is always a concern, portability and standardisation of code is also primary to ensure that we find the best development resources for each piece of work, and create a happy marriage between business users, analysts and developers. After years of experience building .Net applications, our IT staff knew the ASPxperience Suite was an obvious choice for rapid RIA development; with its powerful AJAX integration, Upload and Data View controls, all built on top of a standardised framework meant our code was not only portable between development teams but that it was easy to adopt, adapt and improve over time. We looked at open source libraries too, many of which were also very well equipped, but with the added value DevExpress offered in terms of reliability, service and customer support, as well as a strong eco system of developers we where ‘sold'. Our first project saw the ASPxperience Suite used as a foundation to build a RIA extension to our externally developed financial system and reporting tools. Our a small technical team worked closely with the external consultants on an extremely tight budget. As both teams knew the common framework and GUI controls that the ASPxperience Suite offered they were able to together seamlessly on very specific details using a set of tools that behaved and performed predictably. This meant that the tech, business and external teams could dynamically collaborate to try out different solutions together in a truly agile fashion; allowing them to pro-actively refine the system designs during the project's lifecycle. All together, the DevExpress suite really helped make the production process a success, with an on-budget solution and the ultimate result – very happy users! We are very pleased with our decision to use the DevExpress products and can highly recommend them and their fantastic support team.
Matt Evans, Web and IT Strategy Officer
Global Water Partnership Organisation
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