How to: Partial Page Load

[jakkjakk]

Hi Guys,
I'm trying to build an igoogle like interface and I can get it to work, but my data for the panels loads to slow which makes the complete page load way to slow. So I need a way to load the page and then start loading panels individually. I looked at update panels but they seem to only work when post back occurs. I need a way to load the page by piece from the first time the person comes to the site.

Any ideas? Anyone know the technical term for that? Probably help when I'm searching for information on it. Thanks.

[jdogg]

Have you looked into storing the data in a Session or Application variable? Not sure if that would help, since it would be the users first time on the page. It may help on subsequent visits, but not really sure. I have only used Session/Application for holding data like user name or password, stuff like that. So I am not sure if it can be used for what you looking for

[techgnome]

I've done this before using JQuery... firing off a javascript segment that waits for the page to load, then executes additional calls to retrieve the information and uses it to update the display... So that's probably what you should be looking for. ASP.NET may have something that you can drop in that does the samething.

-tg

[jakkjakk]

What do you call that? Do you have any examples? I've heard of using JSON, but can't find any good examples of it. Also heard about using web services but still not any good examples.

This seems like something like what I'm looking for but need a better example:
http://encosia.com/using-jquery-to-d...-page-methods/

[techgnome]

Sorry, AJAX is what you should be looking for... JQuery is a specific library that's available (and seems to be the most common one in use)... JSON is used with AJAX to transfer data back and forth... when I was workign with JQuery, I used simple XML to send data back from the server.

-tg

[jakkjakk]

Still can't seem to find what I'm looking for. What I'm trying to do is dynamically build tables when the user comes to the site and then display them as they build. From what I've seen it looks like what I want but can't figure out how it helps me. Any ideas? Does anyone know of any examples?

[gep13]

Hello,

Do you have a reference website that you could point us at which shows what you are trying to implement?

Based on what you have said, jQuery is definitely a library that you are going to want to look into. You might not find an exact example of what you are trying to do, but you should be able to build on other examples that are out there.

Gary

[jakkjakk]

Here's a better description of what I'm trying to do:

I have a web site that has multiple tables on it. Kinda like an iGoogle interface. These tables get built dynamically at load time and because each table needs to make some http requests. They take a little while to build. Right now it basically builds all the tables and then displays all the tables after all the tables are done loading.

What I want to do is use AJAX to display the web page in parts so that the each table becomes visible as soon as its done being rendered. I thought of using update panels but the user is stuck staring at a blank screen till all the tables are loaded when they first come to the site.

I thought of using javascript but the jquery stuff doesn't look like it really works with asp tables so I don't see how that would work.

It's basically an iGoogle interface, which I have working, but the problem is that the user is starting at a blank screen till all the tables get loaded when they first come to the site.

I'm wondering if a web service that uses JSON or something like that would help me? That's what I've started to look at. Could you have panels then when the website gets visited fire off a request to the server for the tables and then have each panel load their own tables?

[gep13]

You can definitely use jQuery to create a dynamic table:

http://ajondeck.net/post/2010/06/24/...ate-Table.aspx

What I suspect is "missing" from this sample is the time it takes to make the web service call from the client, and render to the result to the page.

You can handle this in a number of ways, but normally you would have some form of waiting indicator:

http://api.jquery.com/ajaxStart/
http://www.sitekiwis.com/2010/11/cre...n-with-jquery/

Which you could easily add in, while you are waiting for the response from the web service call.

Gary