---
title: AutoBindControlAncestor
summary: API reference for AutoBindControlAncestor.
status: draft
owner: SAIF documentation generator
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103
reference_type: package
---

# AutoBindControlAncestor

`AutoBindControlAncestor` implements the shared reflection-based binding and validation plumbing for every auto-binding editor control in this library (`AutoBindTextbox`, `AutoBindWebDateTimeEdit`, `AutoBindWebMaskEdit`). It resolves a bound business-object property via a dotted path (`BindSource`), synchronizes it with the control's `Value`, and surfaces the bound object's own `IDataErrorInfo` validation errors on both the control and a shared page error label.

## Purpose
- Implements `iAutoBindingControl`'s binding contract: resolves `BoundObject` from `RootBindingObject`/`BindSource` via `BindingUtility.GetObject`, and reads/writes `BindProperty` to/from `Value` via `BindingUtility.BindValue` (see [Auto-bind an individual control to its bound object](../../operations/auto-bind-an-individual-control-to-its-bound-object.md)).
- Enforces [BR-AJAX-001](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-001-auto-bound-controls-display-validation-errors-sourced-from-the-bound-objects-idataerrorinfo) by surfacing the bound object's `IDataErrorInfo` error text on the control's background color and on a shared page label (`LblErrorMsg`).
- Wires an Infragistics `WebAsyncRefreshPanel` (WARP) and a `HoverPanel` so inline validation errors update via partial-page (AJAX) postback.

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.V2.AJAX`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103`

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HeaderText | `Property HeaderText() As String` | Header caption text made available to concrete subclasses for hover/label rendering |
| HelpText | `Property HelpText() As String` | Help text made available to concrete subclasses for hover/label rendering |
| BindSource | `Property BindSource() As String` | Dotted property path identifying the bound object relative to `RootBindingObject` |
| BindProperty | `Property BindProperty() As String` | Name of the property on `BoundObject` this control's `Value` reads from and writes to |
| RootBindingObject | `Property RootBindingObject() As Object` | The page model object from which `BoundObject` is resolved |
| AutoPostback | `Property AutoPostback() As Boolean` | Controls whether the underlying editor posts back immediately on value change |
| AutoBind | `Property AutoBind() As Boolean` | Indicates whether the control participates in automatic page-wide binding |
| AutoValidate | `Property AutoValidate() As Boolean` | Controls whether `Validate()` runs automatically after `BindToObject()` |
| AutoValidateOnDataBind | `Property AutoValidateOnDataBind() As Boolean` | Controls whether `Validate()` runs automatically after `DataBind()` |
| IsBound | `ReadOnly Property IsBound() As Boolean` | Guard that determines whether the control has a live target to participate in binding/validation, gating `DataBind()`/`Validate()` from acting on an unresolved object |
| IsValid | `ReadOnly Property IsValid() As Boolean` | Validity status consumed by `Validate()`/`StyleControl` to color the control and by `BindingManager` to aggregate page-wide validity; reflects whether the bound object currently reports any `IDataErrorInfo` errors for `BindProperty` |
| ErrorMessages | `ReadOnly Property ErrorMessages() As String()` | The bound object's current validation errors for `BindProperty`, split from `IDataErrorInfo.Item` |
| Value | `MustOverride Property Value() As Object` | The control's current UI value; concrete subclasses supply the storage and type conversion |
| DataBind | `Overrides Sub DataBind()` | Runs the full bind cycle: reads the bound property into `Value`, then validates if `AutoValidateOnDataBind` |
| Validate | `Overridable Function Validate() As Boolean` | Collects unique error messages, writes them to the page's `LblErrorMsg` control, and calls `StyleControl` |
| StyleControl | `MustOverride Sub StyleControl(inValid As Boolean)` | Applies visual styling (background color) reflecting validity; implemented per concrete control |

## Inherited public members

Members in this section are inherited from `SAIFAJAXControlAncestor` and, transitively, `System.Web.UI.WebControls.CompositeControl` in the .NET Framework Base Class Library. They are available on this type through inheritance.

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RootObject | `Protected ReadOnly Property RootObject() As Object` | Lazily resolves and caches the page's `"Model"` object for use by this control | [SAIFAJAXControlAncestor](SAIFAJAXControlAncestor.md) |
| IsFirefox | `Protected ReadOnly Property IsFirefox() As Boolean` | Indicates whether the requesting browser identifies itself as Firefox | [SAIFAJAXControlAncestor](SAIFAJAXControlAncestor.md) |
| ID | `Property ID As String` | The programmatic identifier assigned to this control instance | `System.Web.dll` — `System.Web.UI.Control` |
| Visible | `Property Visible As Boolean` | Controls whether this control renders on the page | `System.Web.dll` — `System.Web.UI.Control` |
| CssClass | `Property CssClass As String` | The CSS class rendered on the composite control's root container element | `System.Web.dll` — `System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl` |
| CreateChildControls | `Overridable Sub CreateChildControls()` | Builds this composite control's child control tree; overridden by this class's concrete rendering logic | `System.Web.dll` — `System.Web.UI.WebControls.CompositeControl` |
| RenderContents | `Overridable Sub RenderContents(writer As HtmlTextWriter)` | Renders this composite control's markup to the response stream | `System.Web.dll` — `System.Web.UI.WebControls.CompositeControl` |

## Behavioral notes
- `PageErrorLabel` searches `Page.Controls` recursively (case-insensitive `UniqueID` match) for a control named `LblErrorMsg`; if none exists, `SetObjectValue` silently swallows the resulting `NotSupportedException` and no error text is displayed*.
- Several previously-implemented members (`ControlID`, direct `BoundObject`/`BoundProperty` setters, a `Bind()` method) are commented out and not part of the active implementation.

## Constraints and usage notes
- `MustInherit`: concrete controls must implement `Value` and `StyleControl`.
- `DataBind()` no-ops entirely if `RootBindingObject` is `Nothing`.

> **Note:** Statements marked with * were inferred from code structure, naming conventions, or
> contextual evidence where direct confirmation was not available in source artifacts. Statements
> marked with ** could not be confirmed; treat as unknown until verified.

## Sources
- `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103\AutoBindControlAncestor.vb`