TokenControlReplacer

Class library to take a string input with tokens and replace with LiteralControls and UserControls

Features

• This utility library allows you to take multiple text strings containg [TOKENS] and replace them with anything that derives from the Control type.
• Any additional non-token text surrounding your tokens will be converted into a LiteralControl
• Attributes are also supported for tokens. [BUTTON:Text="Click Me"] will replace the Text property on a button control. Any attribute added that is not a valid property will be added to the controls attribute collection.
• Token locations are processed only once and are cataloged a preformance benefit on additional replacements.

Instructions

• Add this project to your solution or simple copy the TokenControlReplacer.cs class into your project.
• Initialize the class and assign what begin and ends your tokens

var replacer = new TokenControlReplacer("[", "]");

• Append one or more text blocks to the class

replacer.Append("I am a block of text with a [BUTTON] token.");

• Identity the token and what you would like to replace it with.

replacer.Replace("[BUTTON]", new Func<Control>(() =>
{
    var buttonCtl = new LinkButton();
    buttonCtl.Click += delegate(object o, EventArgs args) { Response.Redirect("http://inspectorit.com"); };
    buttonCtl.Text = "Go to Website";
    return buttonCtl;
})());

• Another replacement example

replacer.Replace("[BUTTON]", LoadControl("/PathToControl.ascx"));

• Add the replaced controls to another control. Recommend a PlaceHolder control

placeHolderOutput.Controls.Add(replacer.Output());