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Advanced ServiceManager Functionality

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Ajax

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MB asked on 01 May 2007, 09:25 AM

This is probably going to sound like an “out there” request, but you never know unless you ask.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to implement a complex solution using the RadAjax ServiceManager, and am wondering about the capabilities and/or future of the Prometheus version of ServiceManager and it’s support for the other Telerik controls.

As a backgrounder...

The application I was developing was a complex news page, and the idea was that a reader would get a page of headlines (potentially in quite complex html layout) and they could then click on a headline to read “more” ...the details of which would be inserted, in place. At first glance this might seem simple, just make an Ajax callback and insert the missing content. However, an Ajax callback, would involve a full page cycle and require re-building the entire page, just to add the requested detail. For this application, that was a very expensive requirement, particularly when you start adding lots of readers into the mix, as it would involve multiple SQL queries and a butt-load of server processing... and it would basically kill the website. Hence, I was attempting to pass the request to a webservice... “send me details on article 123456” and insert the returned content at the client. The problem was that the returned content might contain rendered output of other rad controls, like panelbars... I needed to do a lot of server-side hacking of the rendered output and still the content was never rendered/activated properly, as there was no real client support for this in RadAjax... which is not something I’m complaining about, as it was never designed to do it.

However... Prometheus is a new game and a new opportunity, and I know that, in concept, it’s “possible” to do this type of thing with MS-Ajax... you just need to know exactly where everything is and how to register/activate the scripts, etc etc... and am wondering if Telerik have investigated ajax options to provide “update page from service” type of calls, that can manage advanced/complex content.

-- MB.

5 Answers, 1 is accepted

answered on 03 May 2007, 02:46 PM

How would you see a project such as the one I described, working ?

As I see it, the problem is not so much with the webservice call itself (which merely calls the service and accepts json returns) but with the client support for managing the returned html/script.

I don't see where MS would have been able to anticipate the requirements of Telerik controls, such that you could return the rendered output of, say, a new Panelbar, and be able to insert/activate it at the client using just MS-Ajax functions ? Surely this would require specific support from Telerik ? or perhaps I'm missing the point ??

answered on 29 Dec 2007, 12:13 PM

With respect to Manuel's post on 5/3/2007, where he writes
"At the moment we are not planning to port the ServiceManager control from RadAjax to the Prometheus suite of controls due to the outstanding web service support already provided by the Microsoft ASP.NET AJAX framework".

Promtheus is intented to be the successor of RadControls for ASP.net. Given that, how can you justify leaving needed functionality behind?

I am trying to use Prometheus Ajax but lack of webservice support is an obstacle.

Thanks.