Control Templates
A control template is a template that you can reuse at multiple locations in the pages of your design. The main steps and key mechanisms for using control templates are listed briefly below and described in detail in the sub-sections of this section. The Example Projects section shows, through examples, the different ways in which control templates can be used.
Creating a control template
A control template is designed like a page. You can add controls to it that structure the design of the page and use data from page sources.
Note the following key features:
•You can create multiple control templates in a project.
•You can reuse a control template at different locations in the design.
•You can change the design of a page by switching templates
•You can select a template based on runtime conditions or user input
•You can modify the contents of a template based on runtime conditions or user input
These uses are demonstrated in the project files described in the Example Projects section.
Using a control template via the Placeholder Control
After a control template has been created, you can use it via a Placeholder Control. This is a control which you (i) place at the location where you want to use the control template, and (ii) associate with the control template you want to instantiate there.
The Placeholder Control's properties specify the following:
•Which control template to use at the Placeholder Control's location
•The XPath expressions that define the parameter values to pass to the selected control template
•A new context node for XPath expressions that are used in the control template
All of these properties are specified as values of the Placeholder Control's properties in the Styles & Properties Pane.
This section
This section consists of the following sub-sections:
•Using a Control Template: Placeholder Controls