DataForm.NET provides several built-in web server controls for data entry. However, there are so many great components on the market and perhaps you have already purchased some of them and have been using them for a long time. To protect your investment and don't let both of us miss out those great components, from version 2.1, DataForm.NET supports 3rd party controls, as long as those controls derive from System.Web.UI.Control class which most web server controls for ASP.NET should. So they are eligible to integrate into DataForm.
Manage 3rd party controlsCoding with 3rd party control
Every controls that can integrate into DataForm.NET are derived from System.Web.UI.Control class, so they can be accessed by "FindControl" method. For instance:
[VB] Dim ctrl_3rd As YourControl = CType(EDataForm1.FindControl(FieldID), YourControl)
[C#] YourControl ctrl_3rd = (YourControl)EDataForm1.FindControl(FieldID);
If you just want to set or get its value, use eDataForm's default property(eDataForm.ItemValue property). For instance:
[VB]
'Sets control's value
EDataForm1(FieldID) = "your string goes here"
'Gets control's value
Dim str as String = EDataForm1(FieldID)
[C#]
//Sets control's value
EDataForm1[FieldID] = "your string goes here";
//Gets control's value
string str = EDataForm1[FieldID];