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Using ASP.NET Render Blocks


Learn More about Server Intellect


ASP.NET provides syntax compatibility with existing ASP pages. This includes support for <% %> code render blocks that can be intermixed with HTML content within an .aspx file. These code blocks execute in a top-down manner at page render time.

The below example demonstrates how <% %> render blocks can be used to loop over an HTML block (increasing the font size each time):

<%@ Page Language="VB" %>
<html>
<head>
</head>

<body>

<center>

<form action="form.aspx" method="post">

<h3> Name: <input id="Name" type=text>

Category: <select id="Category" size=1>
<option>psychology</option>
<option>business</option>
<option>popular_comp</option>
</select>

</h3>

<input type=submit value="Lookup">

<p>

<% Dim I As Integer
For I = 0 to 7 %>
<font size="<%=I%>"> Welcome to ASP.NET </font> <br>
<% Next %>

</form>

</center>

</body>
</html>

Important: Unlike with ASP, the code used within the above <% %> blocks is actually compiled--not interpreted using a script engine. This results in improved runtime execution performance.

ASP.NET page developers can utilize <% %> code blocks to dynamically modify HTML output much as they can today with ASP. For example, the following sample demonstrates how <% %> code blocks can be used to interpret results posted back from a client.

<%@ Page Language="VB" %>

<html>
<head>
</head>

<body>

<center>

<form action="form.aspx">

<h3> Name: <input name="Name" type=text value="<%= Request.QueryString("Name")%>">

Category: <select name="Category" size=1>

<%
Dim I As Integer
Dim Values(2) As String
Values(0) = "psychology"
Values(1) = "business"
Values(2) = "popular_comp"

For I = 0 To Values.Length - 1
%>

<% If (Request.QueryString("Category") = Values(i)) %>
<option selected>
<% Else %>
<option>
<% End If %>
<%=Values(i)%>
</option>

<% Next %>

</select>
</h3>

<input type=submit name="Lookup" value="Lookup">

<p>

<% If (Not Request.QueryString("Lookup") = Nothing) %>

Hi <%= Server.HtmlEncode(Request.QueryString("Name")) %>, you selected: <%=Request.QueryString("Category") %>

<% End If %>

</form>

</center>

</body>
</html>

Important: While <% %> code blocks provide a powerful way to custom manipulate the text output returned from an ASP.NET page, they do not provide a clean HTML programming model. As the sample above illustrates, developers using only <% %> code blocks must custom manage page state between round trips and custom interpret posted values.