Dynamic headers and footers with C# in ASP.net

I am currently running a ASP.net solution written in C#. The problem that Im running into is dynamic headers and footers. The directory structure is as follows:

/default.aspx <- main page in root

/images

/Controls/Header.aspx <- header control
/Controls/Footer.aspx <- footer control

/area51/default.aspx <- page that has the problems.

What I have to do here is dynamically point all the image src attributes back one directory when in the area51 directory.

I already have it working with running the HTML tag object at the server and appending the src attributes.

I guess my main question is, what is the best way to do this?

Also, is there a way to reference the instance of my control from the HTML view in the VS IDE? This would answer the whole issue.

This sounds to me like a simple HTML issue rather than an issue with ASP.NET or any other scripting / programming language for that matter.

I have always advocated referencing images or any links sitewide from the server; not from the page.

A simple example of what you need to do:

Images are here: /images
I'm assuming you have links to images inside the header and footer files, which you have included in /default.aspx.

When running /default.aspx you have no problem linking images because you are linking images like this:

images/myimage.jpg
when you should be linking to
/images/myimage.jpg

The reason the images show up when running /default.aspx is because the links are actually relative to the root directory... as there is no images directory under the area51 directory, this does not work for the /area51/default.aspx page.

The current application that I am designing has a requirement to have the images, hrefs, css etc links all dynamically generated. The application can be placed in /site1/logic or /site4/logic

I need it relative not absolute. Any suggestions?

Maybe I'm missing something, but why do you have to link everything relatively?

This allows the app to run in any dir. Not just the root dir.

ie:

Site1

/images
/default.aspx

Site2

/cluster1/images
/cluster1/default.aspx

if you have src="/images/someimage.gif" it will not work in site2 because it is absolute. Buy by having it relative to the dir that calls the image you dont have to change any code.

Kewl?

In your application code you need a variable that will hold your current location on the server. Call the variable currentPath.

When you are in /default.aspx currentPath = "/" (empty).
When you are in /area51/default.aspx currentPath = "/area51"

Create links by appending the path with the rest of the link. Now, no matter where you put the application code your links should figure out where you are.

Easily said but not that easy to implement in C# ASP.net.

ASPX does not work the same as ASP pages. MS has seperated content from code. Try it yourself and I bet u will be sratching your head just as I am.

Challenge:

Reference a web control that have you made.

The Catch:

Call the variable from the HTML view in the VS IDE. Heres some more details.

Make a control called Header. Define a public string (not static or const) called BASE and assign it "../".

Add it to any aspx page, and try to get the value for BASE.

I had no luck doing so. If you crack this challenge then it will solve my problem. Try it! Goodluck!

Ask youself, how do I get the instance of my control from the HTML view (Content view)

I'd try it except I don't have an ASP.NET ready server to try it on.
All I can give you is a concept. I'm sure there is a way to do it... you might want to try digging through some of microsoft's documentation... I'm sure there is a reasonable way to do this.