Using ASP.NET Server Controls in MVC?

Question

On my current project I need to add a functionality that allows the user to view a thumbnail of their uploaded PDF. I\'ve found a handy component that achieves this (the ba

Answer 1

I worked around it in a project of mine by reimplementing the control as a HtmlHelper. Assuming the control isn't too complicated then it should work for you too. Do this:

1. Dump the Control's source using Reflector
2. Massage the source so it actually compiles (as source from Reflector doesn't usually compile straight away)
3. Identify what state the control has. Convert the state from member properties into members of its own new ViewModel class.
4. Find the Render method and convert it to a HtmlHelper that uses ViewContext.Writer

For example:

public class FooControl : Control {
    public String Message { get; set; }

    public override void Render(HtmlTextWriter wtr) {
        wtr.WriteLine("<p>");
        wtr.WriteLine( message );
        wtr.WriteLine("</p>");
    }
}

Becomes this:

public class FooViewModel {
    public String Message { get; set; }
}

// This method should exist in a static Extensions class for HtmlHelper
public static void Foo(this HtmlHelper html, FooViewModel model) {
    HtmlTextWriter wtr = html.ViewContext.Writer;
    wtr.WriteLine("<p>");
    wtr.WriteLine( model.Message );
    wtr.WriteLine("</p>");
}