Ajax ComboBox in ASP.NET

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Introduction

I have created a ComboBox control that mimics the functionality of Google suggest.

As you type a search phrase, it automatically displays a list of matching entries in a dropdown without any postback.

See the picture below displaying matching moves with the ComboBox Control.

Using the Code

I have used five files to make this project:

1. A user control ComboBox.ascx - It contains one textbox to enter and listbox to display result.
2. A JavaScript file AjaxCallBack.js - Used to request and get response data from server
3. A default.aspx to display the user control - It asks for input and displays the result
4. A frmRemote.aspx - It gets data from the server and sends filtered result to the caller
5. An EmployeeList.xml - It contains the list of employees

Whenever we press a key in the textbox, on onkeyup event, a getResult() function is called.

That calls a FillCombo() function that sends a request to the server and gets a response.

Here is the JavaScript to make a call and get a response from the server.

// JScript File
var XMLHttp; 
var requestURL = 'http://localhost:1455/AjaxComboBox/frmRemote.aspx?SearchText='; 
var is_ie = (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('MSIE') >= 0) ? 1 : 0; 
var is_ie5 = (navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 5.5")!=-1) ? 1 : 0; 
var is_opera = ((navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Opera6")!=-1)||
		(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Opera/6")!=-1)) ? 1 : 0; 
    
var count=0;
var is_netscape = (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Netscape') >= 0) ? 1 : 0; 
var _Combo;

function FillCombo(combo,txt)
{
    _Combo=combo;
    var url = requestURL + txt ;
                       
    XMLHttp = GetXmlHttpObject(stateChangeHandler);
    XMLHttp.open('GET',url,true);
    XMLHttp.send(null);
}
    
function GetXmlHttpObject(handler)
{
    var objXmlHttp = null;
    if (is_ie)
    { 
        var strObjName = (is_ie5) ? 'Microsoft.XMLHTTP' : 'Msxml2.XMLHTTP'; 
        try
        { 
            objXmlHttp = new ActiveXObject(strObjName); 
            objXmlHttp.onreadystatechange = handler; 
        } 
        catch(e)
        { 
           alert('IE detected, but object could not be created. 
		Verify that active scripting and activeX controls are enabled'); 
           return; 
        } 
     } 
     else if (is_opera)
     { 
        alert('Opera detected. The page may not behave as expected.'); 
        return; 
     } 
     else
     { 
        objXmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); 
        objXmlHttp.onload = handler; 
        objXmlHttp.onerror = handler; 
     } 
     return objXmlHttp; 
} 
     
function stateChangeHandler() 
{           
    if(XMLHttp.readyState==4 || XMLHttp.readyState == 'complete')
    { 
        var str = XMLHttp.responseText;    
        if (XMLHttp.responseXML.documentElement != null)
        {   
            FillComboBox_Blur(XMLHttp.responseXML.documentElement);
        }
        else
        {
            alert("No Match");
        }                         
    }   
}  
    
function FillComboBox_Blur(Node)
{    
    var NodeList;  
    NodeList = _Combo;
        
    var TextNodeList = Node.getElementsByTagName('Text'); 
    var IdNodeList = Node.getElementsByTagName('Id');     
        
    var textName; 
    var valueName;
          
    for (var count = NodeList.options.length-1; count >-1; count--)
    {
        NodeList.options[count] = null;            
    }        
        
    for (var count = 0; count < TextNodeList.length; count++)
    {           
        textName = GetInnerText(TextNodeList[count]);  
        valueName = GetInnerText(IdNodeList[count]); 
        TempOption = new Option( textName, valueName,  false, false);
        NodeList.options[NodeList.length] = TempOption; 
        NodeList.size= NodeList.options.length;
        NodeList.style.display='block';
    } 
    if(TextNodeList.length==0)
    {
        NodeList.style.display='none';          
    }
}     
    
function GetInnerText (node)
{
    return (node.textContent || node.innerText || node.text) ;
}

A call from the JavaScript is made to the server. On the server, there is a file frmRemote.aspx, that retrieves the result from the XML file, filters it and sends the resultant data as response.

if (Request["SearchText"] != null)
        {
            string SearchText = Request["SearchText"].ToString();
            int count = 0;
            string strXmlNames = "";

            if (SearchText != "")
            {
                XPathDocument xDoc = new XPathDocument(System.Web.HttpContext.
		Current.Request.PhysicalApplicationPath + "EmployeeList.xml");
                XPathNavigator xNav = xDoc.CreateNavigator();

                XPathExpression strExpression = xNav.Compile("Employee/EmpName");

                XPathNodeIterator xIterator = xNav.Select(strExpression);

                while (xIterator.MoveNext())
                {
                    XPathNavigator nav = xIterator.Current.Clone();
                    if (nav.Value.Trim().StartsWith(SearchText, true, null))
                    {
                        strXmlNames += "<element><Text>" + nav.Value + 
				"</Text> <Id>" + nav.Value + "</Id></element>";
                        count++;
                    }
                }                
            }
            if(count>0)
                strXmlNames += "<element><Text>" + "Total search result: " + 
			count + "</Text> <Id>" + count + "</Id></element>";
            strXmlNames = "<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?><Records>" + strXmlNames + 
			"</Records>";

            Response.Clear();
            Response.ContentType = "text/xml";

            Response.Write(strXmlNames);
            Response.End();
        } 

Point of Interest

The amazing thing about this control is that every time you enter a letter into the search box, an AJAX call is performed to retrieve a list of matching results from the server. 

History

• 5^th November, 2008: Initial post