MasterPages ContentPages and Meta tags

michaelcode · May 30th, 2006, 11:46 AM

I saw a post
http://p2p.wrox.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=34053 and wondered if anyone could help me regarding placing meta tags within content pages.

There's a couple of questions I've placed below within the instructions given.

1. In your Master page, add the following tag to the <head> of the page:
  <meta name="keywords" content="" id="MyMetaTag" runat="server" />
2. In the code behind of the Master page, add the following property:
  Public Property MetaData() As String
    Get
      Return MyMetaTag.Content
    End Get
    Set(ByVal value As String)
      MyMetaTag.Content = value
    End Set
  End Property

Question do I have to import anything, and does this have to be placed in the page_load event?

3. In your Content page get a strongly typed version of your master and set the MetaData property like this:
    Dim myMaster As MainMaster = CType(Me.Master, MainMaster)
    myMaster.MetaData = "Hello World"

Where do I place this code in my content page?

thanks.
Michael.

Imar · May 30th, 2006, 03:33 PM

Hi Michael,

No, you don't need to add an Imports system.

First, add the meta tag as described in my post. Make sure it's placed inside the <head> section that has a runat="server" attribute as well.

Then add the MetaData as a property to the page. You should end up with something like this:

Code:

Partial Class MainMaster 
  Inherits System.Web.UI.MasterPage

  ' Other stuff, like Page_Load etc can go here

  Public Property MetaData() As String
    Get
      Return MyMetaTag.Content
    End Get
    Set(ByVal value As String)
      MyMetaTag.Content = value
    End Set
  End Property

End Class

This gives your master page a property that you can access from other pages.

Then in your content page, set the MetaData property in any place that makes sense. Most likely, this is inside the Page_Load event, like this:

Code:

Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
       ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
  Dim myMaster As MainMaster = CType(Me.Master, MainMaster)
  myMaster.MetaData = "Hello World"
End Sub

Instead of in Page_Load, you can use the exact same code in a custom method (or any other event) that you have in your page.

Does this help?

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004

michaelcode · May 31st, 2006, 12:42 AM

Hi Imar,
When I place the code below in my masterpage 'masterpage.master.vb' (I'm using VWD) I get a blue squigley line underneath MyMetaTag. When I hover over it I get the tooltip - Name 'MyMetaTag' is not declared.
any ideas what's wrong?

here's the code for 'masterpage.master.vb'

Partial Class masterpage
    Inherits System.Web.UI.MasterPage

    ' Other stuff, like Page_Load etc can go here

    Public Property MetaData() As String
        Get
            Return MyMetaTag.Content
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            MyMetaTag.Content = value
        End Set
    End Property

End Class

Here's part of the MasterPage 'MasterPage.master'

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" >
<head runat="server">
  <title>Untitled Page</title>
<meta name="keywords" content="" id="MyMetaTag" runat="server" />
<link href="StyleSheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
</head>

And here's the testmonials codebehind file code

Partial Class testimonials
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
           ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        Dim myMaster As MasterPage = CType(Me.Master, MasterPage)
        myMaster.MetaData = "Hello World"
    End Sub

End Class

thanks,
Michael.

Imar · May 31st, 2006, 01:39 PM

That's weird, and now it's supposed to be. I successfully implemented the meta stuff with the steps I described.

Can you post the code for the master page and its code behind?

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
While typing this post, I was listening to: The Story Ends by Clan of Xymox (Track 13 from the album: Hidden Faces) What's This?

michaelcode · May 31st, 2006, 02:36 PM

Imar thank you for all your help it's been greatly appreciated.

The problem was my master page had the directives

<%@ Master Language="VB" %>

and should have been

<%@ Master Language="VB" CodeFile="MasterPage.master.vb" Inherits="MasterPage"

thanks,
Michael.

Imar · June 1st, 2006, 04:13 PM

You're welcome. Glad it's working now...

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
While typing this post, I was listening to: Half the Man by Hed Planet Earth (Track 7 from the album: Blackout ) What's This?