Is it possible to save and load a dock's collapse state?

[Steve Y]

Hi,

As per the title, I have managed to save the raddocklayout state to a database and restore it sucessfully. However, it only seems to be saving/restoring all the dock's positions within a dockzone. i.e. it restores docks to the appropriate dockzones and to their places within the dockzones.

However, it does not seem to be restoring the collapse state of any dock. I got the code from various forum posts and the demo etc.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
Steve

My save code:

JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
            string serializedPositions = serializer.Serialize(e.Positions);
            string serializedIndices = serializer.Serialize(e.Indices);

            string serializedLayout = serializer.Serialize(new string[] { serializedPositions, serializedIndices });

// save it to a SQL Server database

 
My restore code:

string layout = /* get the string from the database */;
                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(layout))
                    {
                        JavaScriptSerializer serializer = new JavaScriptSerializer();
                        string[] positionsAndIndices = serializer.Deserialize<string[]>(layout);

                        e.Positions = serializer.Deserialize<Dictionary<string, string>>(positionsAndIndices[0]);
                        e.Indices = serializer.Deserialize<Dictionary<string, int>>(positionsAndIndices[1]);
                    }

[Petio Petkov]

Hi Steve Y,

The problem comes from the fact that the Unit object cannot be serialized.  This means that once the object has been serialized and then deserialized, the properties such as Top, Left, Width and Height etc. will loose their values.
Please note that this has nothing to do with Telerik components but with the .NET Framework and missing serialization.This is a shortcoming of the .Net Framework but it could be overcomed. For example you could use the JavaScriptSerializer class to serialize the state of the docks and write your own implementation of a custom JavaScriptConverter class. This custom class will take care of serialization/deserialization of Unit objects.
 
I created a simple example(SaveDockPositionInDB/DefaultVB.aspx ) which illustrates how to save the state for collapsed, docked, floating etc. RadDocks in DB. Please find it attached.

Sincerely yours,
Petio Petkov
the Telerik team

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[Mike Conine]

Petio;

You load/Save script works like a charm. I was hopping that I could get some assistance modifying this to look to the database on first load.I have tried:
'===========================

 

        Protected Sub Page_Init(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            If Not IsPostBack Then
                Dim serializer As New Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer()
                Dim sDockState As String = ""
                Try
                    dbCon = New SqlClient.SqlConnection(System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("CO9"))
                    Dim SiteControlsCMD As New SqlClient.SqlCommand("Select dockState From siteControls WHERE PageId = 1", dbCon)
                    dbCon.Open()
                    Dim SiteControls_Reader As SqlClient.SqlDataReader = SiteControlsCMD.ExecuteReader()
                    Do While SiteControls_Reader.Read()
                        sDockState = SiteControls_Reader("dockState")
                    Loop
                Catch
                End Try
                Dim currentDockStates As String() = sDockState.Split("|"c)
                For Each stringState As String In currentDockStates
                    If stringState.Trim() <> String.Empty Then
                        Dim state As DockState = serializer.Deserialize(Of DockState)(stringState)
                        Dim dock As RadDock = CreateRadDockFromState(state)
                        RadDockLayout1.Controls.Add(dock)
                        CreateSaveStateTrigger(dock)
                    End If
                Next
            Else
                Dim i As Integer = 0
                While i < CurrentDockStates.Count
                    Dim dock As RadDock = CreateRadDockFromState(CurrentDockStates(i))
                    RadDockLayout1.Controls.Add(dock)
                    CreateSaveStateTrigger(dock)
                    System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(i), i - 1)
                End While
            End If

        End Sub

 

'=====================================================

 

 

 

 

 

It seems to always look to the session bject first.

Any help would be appreciated.

Mike Conine

[Petio Petkov]

Hello Mike Conine,

You should put this code in RadDockLayout1_LoadDockLayout handler and the state will be loaded from the db only the first time page loads, e.g.

Protected Sub RadDockLayout1_LoadDockLayout(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.DockLayoutEventArgs)
        If Not Page.IsPostBack Then
            Dim dock As RadDock = Nothing
            Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
            Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
            converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
            serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)

            'Get saved state string from the database - set it to dockState variable for example
            Dim dockState As String = ""
            Try

                _conn.Open()
                Dim command As New SqlCommand("select State from States where id=1", _conn)
                dockState = command.ExecuteScalar().ToString()
                _conn.Close()
            Catch
            End Try

            Dim currentDockStates As String() = dockState.Split("|"c)
            For Each stringState As String In currentDockStates
                If stringState.Trim() <> String.Empty Then
                    Dim state As DockState = serializer.Deserialize(Of DockState)(stringState)
                    'e.Positions(state.UniqueName) = state.DockZoneID
                    'e.Indices(state.UniqueName) = state.Index
                    dock = DirectCast(RadDockLayout1.FindControl(state.UniqueName), RadDock)
                    dock.ApplyState(state)
                    dock.Index = state.Index
                End If
            Next
        End If
    End Sub

Let us know if you have other questions.

Regards,
Petio Petkov
the Telerik team

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[Mike Conine]

Petio;

Thank you for the quick reply.

I keep running into issues configuring the following:
==============================================
    Dim serializer As New Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer()
    Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
    converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
    serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)
==============================================

The break down seems to start with converters. I can set:
==============================================
     Dim converters As New List(Of Script.Serialization.JavaScriptConverter)()  

 

==============================================

When I do I get no options for converters.Add. The message i get is: Value of type 'System.Web.UI.WebControls.UnitConverter' cannot be converted to 'System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptConverter'.

When i run the app I get without converting I get:
==============================================

Type 'Telerik.Web.UI.DockState' is not supported for deserialization of an array.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.InvalidOperationException: Type 'Telerik.Web.UI.DockState' is not supported for deserialization of an array.

==============================================

Thank you for the assistance

Mike

[Petio Petkov]

Hi Mike Conine,

Could you please open a new support thread and send us a running project where we could observe the mentioned errors? Once we receive it we will do our best to fix them for you.

Greetings,
Petio Petkov
the Telerik team

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[Mike Conine]

Petio;

Thank you for the follow up. I altered my approach and I am simply iterating client side to grab the get_index() and then saving it as a Rank via an AJAX button click. Thus I do not know that i need to go with the requested solution.

However It may be an issue affecting others.

So i do not neccesarily need the fix but i would be more than happy to forward code if you wantt o check it out.

Mike

[Petio Petkov]

Hello Mike Conine,

I'm glad to hear that you resolve the problem on your side.

If you still want to find what was wrong before, you can open a support thread and send us a running project where we could observe the problem on our side. Once we receive it we will do our best to resolve it and provide you a solution.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Kind regards,
Petio Petkov
the Telerik team

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[AK]

I'm still looking for a solution to save and restore collapse and close states for Dock from a database.

Using the code supplied, I run into the same issue as Mike originally did with the following line:

converters.Add(New UnitConverter())

Visual Studio returns error:

 

Error 70 Value of type 'System.Web.UI.WebControls.UnitConverter' cannot be converted to 'System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptConverter'.

Any suggests?

[Mike Conine]

AK;

My concern was not with open closed state. I ultimately wanted to save and retrieve the dock position and rank. I gave up on the recommendations and went a different direction.

I generate an update panel at run time based upon a database value. At the same time utilize a user control to do the heavy lifting. The User Control essentially becomes the dockZone. In the user control i have a textBox I pass the dock Id.

The code for loading the docks is:

            '==================================================================
            'Build update panels. Update panels are in the sitetemplate tagged
            'by page id. they are concated as HWLeft,HWRight... The split is ","
            '==================================================================
            Dim updatePanels As String = AdminLogic.Get_TemplateData("updatePanels", PageId)
            Dim panelsArray() As String = updatePanels.Split(",")
            Dim i As Integer
            For i = 0 To UBound(panelsArray)    'run through the list of update panels
                _Location = panelsArray(i)
                Dim wPlaceHolder As PlaceHolder
                wPlaceHolder = Page.FindControl(_Location)
                Try
                    Dim genericControl As UserControl = LoadControl("~/UCL/GenericEdit.ascx")
                    Dim control_Label As Label = genericControl.FindControl("controlLabel")
                    control_Label.Text = _Location
                    wPlaceHolder.Controls.Add(genericControl)
                Catch
                End Try
            Next i

When the RadDocks fill the dockZone I utilize another textBox to store the information.

when i drop the Dock I essentially delete the textBox value, iterate through the DockZone and repopulate the textbox

The code for saving is:

    Protected Sub dockButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles dockButton.Click
        Dim zone As String = zoneLabel.Text
        Dim updateRank As New RadDockTableAdapters.SiteControlsTableAdapter()
        Dim i As Integer
        Dim dock As String = dockLabel.Text
        Dim dockArray() As String = dock.Split("|")
        For i = 0 To UBound(dockArray) - 1
            'MsgBox(dockArray(i))       'test alert
            Dim dockSplit() As String = dockArray(i).Split("^")
            updateRank.UpdateRank(dockSplit(1), zone, dockSplit(0))
        Next i
    End Sub

To get around the Ajax issue I utilize some hidden text fields.

As to your dilemma i assume that you could also incorporate the state open/closed. I know this is not ectremely elegant but it gets the job done :)

I am sure that I could tewak this to impliment session or application state. Potentially I could even take it directly to the database. i was satisfied that hidden textboxes fit the bill.

If you think this is a direction to go let me know and I can look more closely at what I did.

Mike

[Pero]

Hello Andrew,

I ran the project that Petio provided (attached) in some of the previous posts of this thread, and everything works fine. No errors occurred and the state of the docks is saved and restored correctly. Also the collapse and closed state of every RadDock is preserved and respectively recreated on a postback.

This being said, my suggestion is to open a new support ticket and send us a sample running project where the described behavior can be observed. We need to have a clearer picture of your project in order to offer you an adequate solution.


Sincerely yours,
Pero
the Telerik team

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[AK]

Thanks. I finally realized that I didn't add the UnitConverter.vb page which was obviously causing the compilation error. It's still not working properly though so I create a ticket as you have suggested.

Thanks.

[bradley baker]

How can I modify this to use a users login name for the ID.

I made a new database and made the id field text so I can store "CORP\brad.baker"

I need to modify this

 

 

Dim command As New SqlCommand("select State from States where id=1", _conn)  so that insted of 1 its the user name.

I also need to modify this

 

Dim

 

command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update States set State='{0}' where id=1", dockState), _conn)

 

 so that insted of 1 it uses the user name but I also need to add a check becuase if its not in the DB to begin with it needs to insert and not update.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

You can check what the "update query" returns. If there is an error you should insert a new record. 

[bradley baker]

This is what I did and it works for the most part except when you go back to the page after you close the browser it resaves the old settings, its like it saves the settings on pageload which I dont want.  But if I keep the page open and do postbacks etc its fine.

Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Security
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts
Imports System.Web.UI.HtmlControls
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports Telerik.Web.UI
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Web.Script.Serialization

Partial Public Class DefaultVB
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page
    Private _conn As New SqlConnection(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("DockConnectionString").ConnectionString)
    Private _count As Integer = 0
    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

    End Sub
    Protected Sub RadDockLayout1_LoadDockLayout(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.DockLayoutEventArgs)

        Dim dock As RadDock = Nothing
        Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
        Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
        converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
        serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)

        'Get saved state string from the database - set it to dockState variable for example
        Dim dockState As String = ""
        Try

            _conn.Open()
            Dim command As New SqlCommand("select state from states where userid='" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "'", _conn)
            dockState = command.ExecuteScalar().ToString()
            _conn.Close()
        Catch
        End Try

        Dim currentDockStates As String() = dockState.Split("|"c)
        For Each stringState As String In currentDockStates
            If stringState.Trim() <> String.Empty Then
                Dim state As DockState = serializer.Deserialize(Of DockState)(stringState)
                'e.Positions(state.UniqueName) = state.DockZoneID
                'e.Indices(state.UniqueName) = state.Index
                dock = DirectCast(RadDockLayout1.FindControl(state.UniqueName), RadDock)
                dock.ApplyState(state)
            End If
        Next

    End Sub

    Protected Sub RadDockLayout1_SaveDockLayout(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.DockLayoutEventArgs)
        Dim dockState As String
        Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
        Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
        converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
        serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)

        Dim stateList As List(Of DockState) = RadDockLayout1.GetRegisteredDocksState()
        Dim serializedList As New StringBuilder()
        Dim i As Integer = 0

        While i < stateList.Count
            serializedList.Append(serializer.Serialize(stateList(i)))
            serializedList.Append("|")
            System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(i), i - 1)
        End While

        dockState = serializedList.ToString()

        Dim uniqid As Integer
        Try

            _conn.Open()
            Dim command As New SqlCommand("select uniqueid from states where userid='" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "'", _conn)
            uniqid = Val(command.ExecuteScalar().ToString())
            _conn.Close()
        Catch
        End Try

        '_conn.Close()
        If dockState.Trim() <> [String].Empty Then
            If uniqid = 0 Then

                Try
                    _conn.Open()
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update States set State='{0}' where id=1", dockState), _conn)
                    Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into states (userid, state) values('" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "','{0}')", dockState), _conn)
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into dbo.states (uniqueid,userid, state) values('1','test','test')", dockState), _conn)
                    command.ExecuteNonQuery()
                    _conn.Close()
                Catch
                End Try

            Else
                MsgBox("Hi")
                Try
                    _conn.Open()
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update States set State='{0}' where id=1", dockState), _conn)
                    Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update states set state ='{0}' where uniqueid='" + uniqid + "'", dockState), _conn)
                    'Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into states (userid, state) values('test','test')", dockState), _conn)
                    command.ExecuteNonQuery()
                    _conn.Close()
                Catch
                End Try
            End If
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

[Pero]

Hi Bradley,

It seems that the connection to the DataBase is not closed correctly when an exception is thrown. I got the same errors when trying to save the state in the DataBase. You should close the connection anytime you are opening a connection as shown in the code below:

Try
      _conn.Open()
      Dim command As New SqlCommand("select uniqueid from States where id='" + UserID + "'", _conn)
      uniqid = Val(command.ExecuteScalar().ToString())
Catch
Finally
     _conn.Close()
End Try

 
Let us know if the problem still exists.

Greetings,
Pero
the Telerik team

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[bradley baker]

It still exists.  Whenever the page is loaded it saves the default layout into the database insted of loading it first.  I added a MSGBOX to test to see and everytime I close the page and reopen it I get the MSGBOX which is in the save section of the code.

Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Security
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts
Imports System.Web.UI.HtmlControls
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports Telerik.Web.UI
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Web.Script.Serialization

Partial Public Class DefaultVB
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page
    Private _conn As New SqlConnection(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("DockConnectionString").ConnectionString)
    Private _count As Integer = 0
    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

    End Sub
    Protected Sub RadDockLayout1_LoadDockLayout(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.DockLayoutEventArgs)

        Dim dock As RadDock = Nothing
        Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
        Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
        converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
        serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)

        'Get saved state string from the database - set it to dockState variable for example
        Dim dockState As String = ""
        Try
            _conn.Open()
            Dim command As New SqlCommand("select state from states where userid='" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "'", _conn)
            dockState = command.ExecuteScalar().ToString()
        Catch
        Finally
            _conn.Close()
        End Try

        Dim currentDockStates As String() = dockState.Split("|"c)
        For Each stringState As String In currentDockStates
            If stringState.Trim() <> String.Empty Then
                Dim state As DockState = serializer.Deserialize(Of DockState)(stringState)
                'e.Positions(state.UniqueName) = state.DockZoneID
                'e.Indices(state.UniqueName) = state.Index
                dock = DirectCast(RadDockLayout1.FindControl(state.UniqueName), RadDock)
                dock.ApplyState(state)
            End If
        Next

    End Sub

    Protected Sub RadDockLayout1_SaveDockLayout(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Telerik.Web.UI.DockLayoutEventArgs)
        Dim dockState As String
        Dim serializer As New JavaScriptSerializer()
        Dim converters As New List(Of JavaScriptConverter)()
        converters.Add(New UnitConverter())
        serializer.RegisterConverters(converters)

        Dim stateList As List(Of DockState) = RadDockLayout1.GetRegisteredDocksState()
        Dim serializedList As New StringBuilder()
        Dim i As Integer = 0

        While i < stateList.Count
            serializedList.Append(serializer.Serialize(stateList(i)))
            serializedList.Append("|")
            System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(i), i - 1)
        End While

        dockState = serializedList.ToString()

        Dim uniqid As Integer
        Try

            _conn.Open()
            Dim command As New SqlCommand("select uniqueid from states where userid='" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "'", _conn)
            uniqid = Val(command.ExecuteScalar().ToString())
        Catch
        Finally
            _conn.Close()
        End Try

        If dockState.Trim() <> [String].Empty Then
            If uniqid = 0 Then

                Try
                    _conn.Open()
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update States set State='{0}' where id=1", dockState), _conn)
                    Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into states (userid, state) values('" + Context.User.Identity.Name + "','{0}')", dockState), _conn)
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into dbo.states (uniqueid,userid, state) values('1','test','test')", dockState), _conn)
                    command.ExecuteNonQuery()
                Catch
                Finally
                    _conn.Close()
                End Try

            Else
                MsgBox(uniqid)
                Try
                    _conn.Open()
                    ' Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update States set State='{0}' where id=1", dockState), _conn)
                    Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("update states set state ='" + dockState + "' where uniqueid=" + uniqid + ""), _conn)
                    'Dim command As New SqlCommand([String].Format("insert into states (userid, state) values('test','test')", dockState), _conn)
                    command.ExecuteNonQuery()
                Catch
                Finally
                    _conn.Close()
                End Try
            End If
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

[Pero]

Hello Bradley,

For your convenience I have created a sample project that saves the state of the RadDocks based on which user is logged into the system. At the moment the Database that stores the states of the RadDocks does not contain any information, so basically when the user logs for the first time a row is inserted into the States table with the Id and the State of the RadDocks. The project is attached to the thread, you only need to paste the DLL's in the Bin folder. To run the application load the Login.aspx page first. After login you will be redirected to the page that contains the RadDocks.


Sincerely yours,
Pero
the Telerik team

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[jfkrueger]

Just an fyi...

The way to save dock layouts has obviously switched in this version (Q3 2010) and there are no breaking changes in the release notes. This is definitely a breaking change, i had to spend over an hour updating all of my code to this new way as the old way only produces errors after updating. Kind of frustrating. If you are going to update something that actually breaks previous code, you need to let us know.

Thanks.

[jfkrueger]

Actually it's been over an hour and it is still not working correctly. I used to be able to reset to the ORIGINAL state (IE the way the docks are loaded on the page in markup), with this new way of doing it i'm not seeing how that is possible. I need to be able to set the docks back to how they are laid out in the markup and "reset" the cookie basically. Can someone please explain how to do this using this new method of persisting dock layout?

This seems to be working as in the example, looks like it is loading up the "original" state in the session before the docklayouts are persisted from the cookie so that should work. My bad!

Thanks!