"The Controls collection cannot be modified because the control contains code blocks"

user_59517 0
Viewed 433197

I am trying to create a simple user control that is a slider. When I add a AjaxToolkit SliderExtender to the user control I get this (*&$#()@# error:

Server Error in '/' Application. The Controls collection cannot be modified because the control contains code blocks (i.e. `<% ... %>`). 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.Web.HttpException: The Controls collection cannot be modified because the control contains code blocks (i.e. `<% ... %>`).

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[HttpException (0x80004005): The Controls collection cannot be modified because the control contains code blocks (i.e. `<% ... %>`).]    System.Web.UI.ControlCollection.Add(Control child) +8677431    AjaxControlToolkit.ScriptObjectBuilder.RegisterCssReferences(Control control) in d:\E\AjaxTk-AjaxControlToolkit\Release\AjaxControlToolkit\ExtenderBase\ScriptObjectBuilder.cs:293 AjaxControlToolkit.ExtenderControlBase.OnLoad(EventArgs e) in d:\E\AjaxTk-AjaxControlToolkit\Release\AjaxControlToolkit\ExtenderBase\ExtenderControlBase.cs:306 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+50    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+141    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+141    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+141    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()             
+141    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+141    System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
+141    System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +627


Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.3074; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.3074

I have tried putting a placeholder in the user control and adding the textbox and slider extender to the placeholder programmatically and I still get the error.

Here is the simple code:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%">
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td></td>
            <td>
                <asp:Label ID="lblMaxValue" runat="server" Text="Maximum" CssClass="float_right" />
                <asp:Label ID="lblMinValue" runat="server" Text="Minimum" />
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td style="width:60%;">
                <asp:CheckBox ID="chkOn" runat="server" />
                <asp:Label ID="lblPrefix" runat="server" />:&nbsp;
                <asp:Label ID="lblSliderValue" runat="server" />&nbsp;
                <asp:Label ID="lblSuffix" runat="server" />
            </td>
            <td style="text-align:right;width:40%;">                

                    <asp:TextBox ID="txtSlider" runat="server" Text="50" style="display:none;" />
                    <ajaxToolkit:SliderExtender ID="seSlider" runat="server" 
                        BehaviorID="seSlider" 
                        TargetControlID="txtSlider" 
                        BoundControlID="lblSliderValue" 
                        Orientation="Horizontal" 
                        EnableHandleAnimation="true" 
                        Length="200" 
                        Minimum="0" 
                        Maximum="100" 
                        Steps="1" />

            </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

What is the problem?

user-controls asp.net c#
22 Answers

First, start the code block with <%# instead of <%= :

<head id="head1" runat="server">
  <title>My Page</title>
  <link href="css/common.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
  <script type="text/javascript" src="<%# ResolveUrl("~/javascript/leesUtils.js") %>"></script>
</head>

This changes the code block from a Response.Write code block to a databinding expression.
Since <%# ... %> databinding expressions aren't code blocks, the CLR won't complain. Then in the code for the master page, you'd add the following:

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
  Page.Header.DataBind();    
}
user_953800

Place the JavaScript under a div tag.

<div runat="server"> //div tag must have runat server
  //Your JavaScript code goes here....
</div>

It'll work!!

user_5753600

I had same issue in the user control. My page that was hosting the control had comments in the head tag, I removed those comments, everything worked afterwards. Some posts also suggest removing scripts from head and placing them in the body.

Admin1

I had the same issue with different circumstances.
I had simple element inside the body tag.
The solution was:

<asp:PlaceHolder ID="container" runat="server">
    <a id="child" href="<%# variable %>">Change me</a>
</asp:PlaceHolder>

protected new void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{    
    Page.Form.DataBind(); // I neded to Call DataBind on Form not on Header
    container.InnerHtml = "Simple text";
}
user_61260330

I had the same issue with my system, I removed the JavaScript code from the of my page and put it at body just before closing body tag

user_41016480
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