Do you really need a Text attribute in an ASP.NET Label?

Question

What is the difference between the following?

<asp:Label runat="server">Hello World</asp:Label>

<asp:Label runat="server" Text="Hello World"></asp:Label>

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UPDATED:

If they are exactly the same then why does

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server">
There were <%#transactionCount%> transactions today
</asp:Label>

bind correctly when using single-value databinding and displays the correct value for transactionCount, while...

<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="There were <%#transactionCount%> transactions today">
</asp:Label>

does not show a value for transactionCount in the page?

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UPDATED AGAIN:

I understand the points being made about using the Literal controls. I shall slap my face accordingly - but it still doesn't solve the problem - though is perhaps getting closer to a solution.

If I use...

<asp:Literal ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="<%#transactionCount%>"></asp:Literal>

...I see transactionCount's value show up in the web page.

On the other hand, if I put any character or word in front of the single-value databinding field e.g.

<asp:Literal ID="Label1" runat="server" Text="No. <%#transactionCount%>"></asp:Literal>

...transactionCount does not appear.

Answer 1

They will render the same in your final HTML. However the Text attribute is useful for programmatically setting the displayed text in your code behind.

Answer 2

Yes, outside of satisfying the ITextControl interface. Remember that 99% of developers use Labels wrong--one generally should be using Literals to hold output, if not just <%# Databind() %>. You don't need a server-side span for most things.

Where one should use a label is to create a label field in your form:

<asp:Label runat="server" id="LabelForFirstName" Text="First Name:" AssociatedControlID="firstname />
<asp:TextBox runat="server" id="FirstName" />

Gives one a label tied to the first name tag and semantically correct HTML.

Answer 3

If you set the text as Hello World you cannot change its value progamatically from your code-bhind file.

Whereas, woukd let you change the value as mytxt.Text = "New text"

But they will be rendered the same way.

Answer 4

Another reason why they are different is to support implicit localization. In the resource file you specify ID.Property (i.e. Label1.Text).