<%= ... %> displaying expression

• display the result of an expression
• will not work in a server control attribute
• <%= DateTime.Now() %>

<%# ... %> data-binding expression

• bind a server control property to a data source...
• ...when the control's DataBind method is called

• Three techniques:

  1. Call Eval() for one-way, read-only binding
  2. Call Bind() for two-way, read-write binding
  3. Call any publicly available code and and display its return value.

• <%# MyMethodOrProperty() %>

<%$ ... %> expression builder

• set values based on configuration or resource files
• e.g. read web.config settings
• <%$ AppSettings: someKey %>

<%-- ... -- %> server-side comments block

• comment out code.
• <%-- This is a comment. --%>

<%@ ... %> directive expression

• provide page and user control settings
• <%@Page Language="C#" ... />

<% ... %> embedded code blocks

• designed for backward compatibility
• avoid

See Also

Introduction to ASP.NET inline expressions in the .NET Framework