javascript viewstate problem

Question

I have a situation that I am stuck with, and hoping someone can help. I am building a .NET/C# web application in which I have a tabbed panel layout, and when the user clicks on each of the tabs the display panel is updated using javascript to hide and show some divs. None of these clicks cause postback, it is all client-side, so I can't use viewstate or session.

What I want to do is somehow remember which panel was last visible when the page is refreshed, yet without posting back to the server I am unsure how to do this. I have tried a hidden field but obviously its value is reset every time because the form is never submitted. I do know that I can achieve this using cookies but its a little annoying to implement for such a (seemingly) trivial operation ... but maybe this is the only way?

Does anyone have any more elegant solution to this problem?

Using a function like this to show and hide tabs):

function makeCurrent(tab) {

if (tab.title == 'Manage orders') {        
    document.getElementById('panelOrders').style.display = "block";
    // Hide others
    document.getElementById('panelAccounts').style.display = "none";
    document.getElementById('panelProducts').style.display = "none";
    document.getElementById('panelSettings').style.display = "none";

    // Remember last viewed panel
    document.getElementById('hdnCurrentlyViewing').value = "orders";
}

The panels are just divs with style.display controlling their visibility. Not sure if its useful to post HTML code because its fairly self explanatory ...?

Answer 1

You can make this happen without a postback is to make an AJAX call from Javascript where you tell your server what the current panel is as you switch it.

I prefer using a framework like JQuery or Prototype to help make these AJAX calls myself.

Answer 2

I think Hidden field will be the best option. have you tried ASP:HiddenField? It can be accessed across postbacks.

But if you still have some reservations with postbacks and hiddenfield you can also use cookies from JS http://techpatterns.com/downloads/javascript_cookies.php this is helper lib for cookies manipulation within JS.

Regards.