Master Pages

Master pages give your site a steady look and feel

Master pages contain both HTML and a code part

They create a common template that can be used on many pages

Updating the master page automatically updates all pages using it

A master page has 2 parts

1. Content that appears on each page that inherits the master page
2. Regions that can be customized by the pages inheriting the master page

Master pages can contain HTML, Web controls and server side source code

• Open Visual Studio
• Add a new item
• Select Master Page

Master pages end with .Master

BY default visual studio names the master page masterPage.master

A Master page need to specify both the parts common to all pages and the parts that are customizable

Items you add to the master page appear on all pages that inherit it

Use contentPlaceHolder controls to specify a region that can be customized

Add a table to the Master page

It adds on ContentPlaceHolder by default

If you place controls outside the content placeholders they will be displayed on all pages

You can have multiple contentPlaceHolder controls

Each contentPlaceHolder control can be used to customize the ASP.Net page that inherits the master page

• Add a new item
• Select Web form
• Check Select Master Page checkbox

• Select the master page you created.

All masterpages in your site will appear

All is grayed out except the contentPlaceHolder control

You can only add controls to and modify inside the ContentPlaceHolder

The purpose of a master page is to define a template for the website

Master pages contain a default contentPlaceHolder control when you create then

To add another contentPlaceHolder control

• Open the master page
• Drag a contentPlaceHolder to the master page

This control appears in the toolbox when you are in a master page

Master pages start with <%@ Master %> directive instead of a <%@Page %> directive

Websites can have more than one master page

Using a table for layout

• Add a new Master page

Select from MENU: Layout Insert Table

• Select the table settings
• Pick the number of rows and columns, alignment, width, height etc
• Select Header,Footer, and Side setting from the template

• Drag the contentPlaceHolder into one of the table cells

Format a table Cell

• Click inside a table cell
• Click on the style property

This opens the style builder

• Set the font, background, layout etc

Default Content in a Master page

You can put content in the contentPlaceHolder control in a Masterpage, then in the ASP.Net page you can replace it with different content or leave it in there

In the master page

In the ASP.Net page inheriting from the Master page

If it doesn’t show up in the ASP.Net page right click on the control and select Create Custom Content

You can replace this content or use the default version

You can right click the control and select Default to Master’s content