DotNetNuke and the Tab Module Drop Down

Every build something you’re certain you need, finish it, and then realize there’s a better way, but you love the solution so much you can just trash it?  That’s the origin of this post.  I’m sure I’ll need this later so I don’t want to just delete but I can’t leave it in my project because then I’ll forget why it’s there and shouldn’t be and then try to use and create an unmitigated coding mess.

I know you developers have been there.

But I can’t just throw it away, so here it is for all to enjoy.

Ever needed to use the Tab Module drop down that DotNetNuke uses to put modules on a page?  I did.

Start with a user control and put this code on the presentation page

<asp:Label runat="server" ID="lblErr" ForeColor="White"></asp:Label>
<asp:UpdatePanel runat="server" ID="upTabs" ChildrenAsTriggers="true">
    <Triggers>
        <asp:AsyncPostBackTrigger ControlID="ddlTabs" EventName="SelectedIndexChanged" />
    </Triggers>
    <ContentTemplate>
        <asp:Label runat="server" ID="lblModErr"></asp:Label>
        <asp:DropDownList runat="server" ID="ddlTabs" AutoPostBack="true">
        </asp:DropDownList>
        <asp:DropDownList runat="server" ID="ddlModules">
        </asp:DropDownList>
    </ContentTemplate>
</asp:UpdatePanel>

And this code belongs in the code behind

Private Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Try
  If Not Page.IsPostBack Then
    ddlTabs.DataSource = TabController.GetPortalTabs(Me.PortalId, -1, True, Localization.GetString("DefaultPagesListItem.Text", LocalResourceFile), True, False, False, True, True)
    ddlTabs.DataValueField = "TabID"
    ddlTabs.DataTextField = "IndentedTabName"
    ddlTabs.DataBind()
  End If
Catch exc As Exception    'Module failed to load
  ProcessModuleLoadException(Me, exc)
End Try
End Sub

Protected Sub ddlTabs_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ddlTabs.SelectedIndexChanged
Try
  ddlModules.Items.Clear()

  Dim objModules As New ModuleController
  Dim tabModules As Dictionary(Of Integer, ModuleInfo) = objModules.GetTabModules(ddlTabs.SelectedValue)
  Dim result As New Dictionary(Of String, Integer)

  For Each tabModule In tabModules.Values
    ddlModules.Items.Add(New ListItem(tabModule.ModuleTitle, tabModule.ModuleID))
  Next
Catch ex As Exception
  lblModErr.Text = ex.Message
End Try
End Sub

Simple and yet no one else seems to have it on one page.  Now, at long last, well, not long last, but here it is!