ExpressionPrefixAttribute Class

Definition

Specifies the prefix attribute to use for the expression builder. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class ExpressionPrefixAttribute sealed : Attribute
[System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple=false)]
public sealed class ExpressionPrefixAttribute : Attribute
[<System.AttributeUsage(System.AttributeTargets.Class, AllowMultiple=false)>]
type ExpressionPrefixAttribute = class
    inherit Attribute
Public NotInheritable Class ExpressionPrefixAttribute
Inherits Attribute
Inheritance
ExpressionPrefixAttribute
Attributes

Examples

The following code examples demonstrate how to use the ExpressionPrefixAttribute class. The attribute is applied to a custom expression builder that implements the ExpressionBuilder abstract class. This implementation of ExpressionBuilder returns an evaluated statement that is passed to the expression. To run this example, you must first register the custom expression builder in the Web.config file. The first code example demonstrates how to register the custom expression builder in the Web.config file.

<configuration>  
    <system.web>  
       <compilation>  
          <expressionBuilders>  
              <add expressionPrefix="MyCustomExpression"  
               type="MyCustomExpressionBuilder"/>  
          </expressionBuilders>  
       </compilation>  
    </system.web>  
</configuration>  

The second code example demonstrates how to reference the expression in an .aspx file.

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server"   
Text="<%$ MyCustomExpression:Hello, world! %>" />  

The third code example demonstrates how to develop a customized expression builder by deriving from ExpressionBuilder. To run this code example, you must place the class in the App_Code folder.

using System;
using System.CodeDom;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Web.Compilation;
using System.Web.UI.Design;

// Apply ExpressionEditorAttributes to allow the 
// expression to appear in the designer.
[ExpressionPrefix("MyCustomExpression")]
[ExpressionEditor("MyCustomExpressionEditor")]
public class MyExpressionBuilder : ExpressionBuilder
{
    // Create a method that will return the result 
    // set for the expression argument.
    public static object GetEvalData(string expression, Type target, string entry)
    {
        return expression;
    }

    public override object EvaluateExpression(object target, BoundPropertyEntry entry, 
    object parsedData, ExpressionBuilderContext context)
    {
        return GetEvalData(entry.Expression, target.GetType(), entry.Name);
    }

    public override CodeExpression GetCodeExpression(BoundPropertyEntry entry, 
    object parsedData, ExpressionBuilderContext context)
    {
        Type type1 = entry.DeclaringType;
        PropertyDescriptor descriptor1 = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(type1)[entry.PropertyInfo.Name];
        CodeExpression[] expressionArray1 = new CodeExpression[3];
        expressionArray1[0] = new CodePrimitiveExpression(entry.Expression.Trim());
        expressionArray1[1] = new CodeTypeOfExpression(type1);
        expressionArray1[2] = new CodePrimitiveExpression(entry.Name);
        return new CodeCastExpression(descriptor1.PropertyType, new CodeMethodInvokeExpression(new 
       CodeTypeReferenceExpression(base.GetType()), "GetEvalData", expressionArray1));
    }

    public override bool SupportsEvaluate
    {
        get { return true; }
    }
}
Imports System.CodeDom
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Web.Compilation
Imports System.Web.UI.Design

' Apply ExpressionEditorAttributes to allow the 
' expression to appear in the designer.
<ExpressionPrefix("MyCustomExpression")> _
<ExpressionEditor("MyCustomExpressionEditor")> _
Public Class MyExpressionBuilder
    Inherits ExpressionBuilder
    ' Create a method that will return the result 
    ' set for the expression argument.
    Public Shared Function GetEvalData(ByVal expression As String, _
       ByVal target As Type, ByVal entry As String) As Object
        Return expression
    End Function

    Public Overrides Function EvaluateExpression(ByVal target As Object, _
       ByVal entry As BoundPropertyEntry, ByVal parsedData As Object, _
       ByVal context As ExpressionBuilderContext) As Object
        Return GetEvalData(entry.Expression, target.GetType(), entry.Name)
    End Function

    Public Overrides Function GetCodeExpression(ByVal entry _
       As BoundPropertyEntry, ByVal parsedData As Object, ByVal context _
       As ExpressionBuilderContext) As CodeExpression
        Dim type1 As Type = entry.DeclaringType
        Dim descriptor1 As PropertyDescriptor = _
           TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(type1)(entry.PropertyInfo.Name)
        Dim expressionArray1(2) As CodeExpression
        expressionArray1(0) = New CodePrimitiveExpression(entry.Expression.Trim())
        expressionArray1(1) = New CodeTypeOfExpression(type1)
        expressionArray1(2) = New CodePrimitiveExpression(entry.Name)
        Return New CodeCastExpression(descriptor1.PropertyType, _
           New CodeMethodInvokeExpression(New CodeTypeReferenceExpression _
           (MyBase.GetType()), "GetEvalData", expressionArray1))
    End Function

    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property SupportsEvaluate() As Boolean
        Get
            Return True
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

Remarks

The ExpressionPrefixAttribute class is used at design time with expressions that are not defined in the configuration file. Use the ExpressionPrefix property to get the name of the prefix that is associated with the ExpressionPrefixAttribute object. An expression builder looks for any statements with the following form:

<%$ [expressionPrefix]:[expressionValue] %>

Then the expression builder, based on the prefix of the expression, generates code for the property assignment. The expressionPrefix parameter refers to a configured expression builder, which is defined in the configuration file or through an ExpressionPrefixAttribute object.

Constructors

ExpressionPrefixAttribute(String)

Initializes a new instance of the ExpressionPrefixAttribute class.

Properties

ExpressionPrefix

Gets the prefix value for the current ExpressionBuilder object.

TypeId

When implemented in a derived class, gets a unique identifier for this Attribute.

(Inherited from Attribute)

Methods

Equals(Object)

Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object.

(Inherited from Attribute)
GetHashCode()

Returns the hash code for this instance.

(Inherited from Attribute)
GetType()

Gets the Type of the current instance.

(Inherited from Object)
IsDefaultAttribute()

When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class.

(Inherited from Attribute)
Match(Object)

When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object.

(Inherited from Attribute)
MemberwiseClone()

Creates a shallow copy of the current Object.

(Inherited from Object)
ToString()

Returns a string that represents the current object.

(Inherited from Object)

Explicit Interface Implementations

_Attribute.GetIDsOfNames(Guid, IntPtr, UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr)

Maps a set of names to a corresponding set of dispatch identifiers.

(Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.GetTypeInfo(UInt32, UInt32, IntPtr)

Retrieves the type information for an object, which can be used to get the type information for an interface.

(Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.GetTypeInfoCount(UInt32)

Retrieves the number of type information interfaces that an object provides (either 0 or 1).

(Inherited from Attribute)
_Attribute.Invoke(UInt32, Guid, UInt32, Int16, IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr)

Provides access to properties and methods exposed by an object.

(Inherited from Attribute)

Applies to

See also