---
title: AppViewPageBase
summary: API reference for AppViewPageBase.
status: draft
owner: SAIF Documentation Team
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Core.Infragistics103
reference_type: package
---

# AppViewPageBase

`AppViewPageBase` is the shared, `MustInherit` page base class for consuming SAIF applications, extending `SAIF.Presentation.Web.mvc.ViewPageBase` with session keep-alive, per-user grid layout preference persistence (`UltraWebGrid` and `WebDataGrid`), Infragistics editor focus support, context-sensitive hover-help, and grid-row business-rule error highlighting. Application pages derive from this class instead of directly from the framework's `ViewPageBase`.

## Purpose
- Manage a periodic session-ping keep-alive script for internal (non-external) client sessions, gated by [BR-AVPB-001](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-001-session-keep-alive-only-applies-to-internal-non-external-clients).
- Persist, apply, and clear per-user grid column order/width/sort/size preferences via `SAIF.Framework.Preferences`, for both `UltraWebGrid` and `WebDataGrid` controls.
- Render BOF business-rule validation failures onto data-bound grid cells, enforcing [BR-AVPB-002](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-002-broken-business-rules-are-visually-flagged-on-their-bound-grid-cell).
- Provide hover-help content properties that require `HelpFolderName` to be configured first, enforcing [BR-AVPB-003](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-003-helpfoldername-must-be-configured-before-any-help-property-is-used).

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Core`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Core.Infragistics103` (merged into `SAIF.BOF.Presentation.Web.Infragistics103` NuGet package)

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GRAY | `Public Const GRAY As String = "#F2F2F2"` | Standard background color constant available to descendant pages for consistent grid/cell shading. |
| TABCOLOR | `Public Const TABCOLOR As String = "#D3D3D3"` | Standard tab-color constant available to descendant pages for consistent tab-control styling. |
| MENUCONTEXTTEXTBOX | `Public Const MENUCONTEXTTEXTBOX As Integer = 2` | Conventional numeric identifier used by descendant pages when locating the menu-context textbox control on the page. |
| COLUMN_SORT | `Public Const COLUMN_SORT As String = "ColSort"` | Preference-key suffix used to store/retrieve a grid's saved sort state; shared across the `UltraWebGrid`/`WebDataGrid` preference methods. |
| ControlManager | `Public ControlManager As Utilities.clsControlManager` | Field giving page code direct access to the shared control-manipulation utility class. |
| ErrorColor | `Public ErrorColor As Drawing.Color = Drawing.Color.Red` | Default color used when highlighting grid cells bound to properties with broken BOF business rules; consumed by `SetErrorColorInGrid`, per [BR-AVPB-002](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-002-broken-business-rules-are-visually-flagged-on-their-bound-grid-cell). |
| EnableSessionPing | `Public Property EnableSessionPing() As Boolean` | Controls whether the session keep-alive script is registered for this page; defaults to `True` in `Page_Init`. |
| CallResetBackcolor | `Public Property CallResetBackcolor() As Boolean` | Controls whether `clsControlManager.ResetBackColor` runs on `Page_Load` to normalize control CSS classes across the page. |
| HelpBody | `Public ReadOnly Property HelpBody() As String` | Returns the resolved hover-help body content path, derived from `HelpFolderName`; throws if `HelpFolderName` is unset. |
| HelpBookmark | `Public ReadOnly Property HelpBookmark() As String` | Returns the resolved hover-help bookmark anchor, derived from `HelpFolderName`; throws if `HelpFolderName` is unset. |
| HelpFolderName | `Public Property HelpFolderName() As String` | Gets or sets the folder name under which hover-help content is stored; must be set (typically in an ancestor `Configure` override) before any `Help*` property is read. |
| HelpHeader | `Public ReadOnly Property HelpHeader() As String` | Returns the resolved hover-help header content path, derived from `HelpFolderName`; throws if `HelpFolderName` is unset. |
| HelpTOC | `Public ReadOnly Property HelpTOC() As String` | Returns the resolved hover-help table-of-contents path, derived from `HelpFolderName`; throws if `HelpFolderName` is unset. |
| CallSessionPing | `Public Sub CallSessionPing()` | Registers the session-ping keep-alive script when `EnableSessionPing` is `True` and the current client is not external, per [BR-AVPB-001](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-001-session-keep-alive-only-applies-to-internal-non-external-clients). |
| Configure | `Public MustOverride Sub Configure(ByVal inSAIFMenu As SAIFMenu, ByVal inSAIFTopMenu As SAIFMenuTop)` | Abstract extension point that descendant pages must implement to perform page-specific setup (e.g., setting `HelpFolderName`), receiving the page's bound menu and top-menu controls. |
| OpenEmailPopup | `Public Sub OpenEmailPopup(ByVal recip As String, ByVal subject As String, ByVal body As String)` | Opens a client-side popup window (via `mailto:`) for composing an outbound email from the page, after cleaning the recipient/subject for safe inclusion in the script. |
| OpenEmailScriptManager | `Public Sub OpenEmailScriptManager(ByVal recip As String, ByVal subject As String, ByVal body As String)` | Registers the client script needed to open the email popup via `ScriptManager.RegisterClientScriptBlock`, for pages using an `UpdatePanel`/`ScriptManager`. |
| OpenEmailScriptManager (Cc overload) | `Public Sub OpenEmailScriptManager(ByVal recip As String, ByVal cc As String, ByVal subject As String, ByVal body As String)` | Overload that additionally supports a Cc recipient, registering the equivalent `ScriptManager`-compatible client script. |
| GetSortStringFromGrid | `Public Overridable Function GetSortStringFromGrid(ByVal inGrid As Infragistics.WebUI.UltraWebGrid.UltraWebGrid) As String` | Derives a comma/`,`-delimited `"column direction"` sort-order string from the grid's current live sort state (its first band's `SortedColumns`), for use in a data query. |
| ConfigureHoverHelpItem (HoverHelp overload) | `Public Sub ConfigureHoverHelpItem(ByVal inHoverHelp As HoverHelp, ByVal inHelpCollection As clsHelpTextCollection, ByVal inReferenceKey As String, Optional ByVal inWidth As Integer = 200, Optional ByVal inPopupPosition As HoverMenuPopupPosition = HoverMenuPopupPosition.Top)` | Wires up a legacy `HoverHelp` UI element using content resolved from `inHelpCollection`/`inReferenceKey`. |
| ConfigureHoverHelpItem (SAIFHoverHelp/collection overload) | `Public Sub ConfigureHoverHelpItem(ByVal inHoverHelp As SAIFHoverHelp, ByVal inHelpCollection As clsHelpTextCollection, ByVal inReferenceKey As String, Optional ByVal inWidth As Integer = 200, Optional ByVal inPopupPosition As HoverHelpPopupPosition = HoverHelpPopupPosition.TopCenter)` | Wires up a `SAIFHoverHelp` UI element using content resolved from `inHelpCollection`/`inReferenceKey`. |
| ConfigureHoverHelpItem (SAIFHoverHelp/text overload) | `Public Sub ConfigureHoverHelpItem(ByVal inHoverHelp As SAIFHoverHelp, ByVal inHelpText As String, Optional ByVal inWidth As Integer = 200, Optional ByVal inPopupPosition As HoverHelpPopupPosition = HoverHelpPopupPosition.TopCenter)` | Wires up a `SAIFHoverHelp` UI element using a literal help-text string rather than a resolved help collection. |

## Protected Friend members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ApplyColumnPreferences (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ApplyColumnPreferences(ByVal inGrid As UltraWebGrid, Optional ByRef InSizeDiv As HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl = Nothing)` | Applies a user's previously saved column order/width (and, for the first band, size) preferences to an `UltraWebGrid`, after first capturing the as-designed layout via `SaveDefaultLayout`. |
| ApplySortPreferences (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ApplySortPreferences(ByVal inGrid As UltraWebGrid)` | Applies a user's previously saved sort-column/direction preferences to an `UltraWebGrid`, per band; silently ignores a missing/renamed column key via `Try/Catch`*. |
| GetSortPreferenceOrderBy (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Friend Function GetSortPreferenceOrderBy(ByVal inGrid As UltraWebGrid, Optional ByVal bandIndex As Integer = 0) As String` | Builds an ORDER BY-style string from the user's saved sort preference for the given band, for use in a data query. |
| SavePreferences (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub SavePreferences(ByVal inGrid As UltraWebGrid, ByVal IncludeSort As Boolean, Optional ByVal Height As Integer = 0, Optional ByVal Width As Integer = 0, Optional ByVal SizeOnly As Boolean = False)` | Persists the grid's current live column order/width, sort, and size state as the user's preferences. |
| ClearPreferences (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ClearPreferences(ByVal inGrid As UltraWebGrid, Optional ByRef InSizeDiv As HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl = Nothing)` | Removes all saved preference keys for the grid and restores the pre-preference default layout. |
| ApplyColumnPreferences (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ApplyColumnPreferences(ByVal inGrid As WebDataGrid, Optional ByVal ApplyGridSize As Boolean = False)` | Applies a user's previously saved column order/width (and, optionally, size) preferences to a `WebDataGrid`, after first capturing the as-designed layout via `SaveDefaultLayout`. |
| ApplySortPreferences (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ApplySortPreferences(ByVal inGrid As WebDataGrid)` | Applies a user's previously saved sort-column/direction preferences to a `WebDataGrid`; silently ignores a missing/renamed column key via `Try/Catch`*. |
| GetSortPreferenceOrderBy (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Friend Function GetSortPreferenceOrderBy(ByVal inGrid As WebDataGrid) As String` | Builds an ORDER BY-style string from the user's saved sort preference for use in a data query. |
| SavePreferences (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub SavePreferences(ByVal inGrid As WebDataGrid, ByVal IncludeSort As Boolean, Optional ByVal Height As Integer = 0, Optional ByVal Width As Integer = 0, Optional ByVal SizeOnly As Boolean = False)` | Persists the grid's current live column order/width, sort, and size state as the user's preferences. |
| ClearPreferences (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Friend Sub ClearPreferences(ByVal inGrid As WebDataGrid)` | Removes all saved preference keys for the grid and restores the pre-preference default layout. |
| SetErrorColorInGrid | `Protected Friend Function SetErrorColorInGrid(ByRef inDataGrid As WebDataGrid, Optional ByVal inSetFocusOnFirstError As Boolean = True) As Boolean` | Highlights grid cells bound to properties with broken BOF business rules using `ErrorColor`, per [BR-AVPB-002](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-002-broken-business-rules-are-visually-flagged-on-their-bound-grid-cell); returns `True` if no errors were found. |

## Protected members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GetHoverHelpFromGrid (UltraWebGrid) | `Protected Function GetHoverHelpFromGrid(ByRef inGrid As Infragistics.WebUI.UltraWebGrid.UltraWebGrid, ByVal inControlName As String) As SAIFHoverHelp` | Locates a named `SAIFHoverHelp` control nested inside an `UltraWebGrid` templated column's header item. |
| GetHoverHelpFromGrid (WebDataGrid) | `Protected Function GetHoverHelpFromGrid(ByRef inGrid As Infragistics.Web.UI.GridControls.WebDataGrid, ByVal inControlName As String) As SAIFHoverHelp` | Locates a named `SAIFHoverHelp` control nested inside a `WebDataGrid` template data field's header template container. |
| GetGridHeaderHelpControl | `Protected Function GetGridHeaderHelpControl(ByRef inGrid As Infragistics.WebUI.UltraWebGrid.UltraWebGrid, ByVal inControlName As String) As HoverHelp` | Locates a named legacy `HoverHelp` control nested inside an `UltraWebGrid` templated column's header item. |

## Inherited public members

Members in this section are inherited from `SAIF.Presentation.Web.mvc.ViewPageBase` (documented in `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC`), and, transitively through it, from `System.Web.UI.Page`/`System.Web.UI.Control`. All entries are retrieved from `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC`'s own documentation and are listed here directly so this page is self-contained; see that library's [`ViewPageBase` API reference](../../../saif-presentation-web-mvc/api/SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC/ViewPageBase.md) for further detail.

### From ViewPageBase (SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC)

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `PageModeEnum` | `Public Enum PageModeEnum` | Enumerates the page's display mode (e.g., add/edit/view).† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |
| `VIEWSTATE_CTRL_ENUM` | `Public Enum VIEWSTATE_CTRL_ENUM` | Enumerates ViewState-in-session behavior options consumed by the framework's session-based ViewState business rule.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |
| `MessageControl` | `Public Property MessageControl() As Label` | The page's designated label control for displaying status/error messages to the user.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |
| `PageMode` | `Public Property PageMode() As PageModeEnum` | The page's current display mode.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |
| `ViewStateInSession` | `Public Property ViewStateInSession() As VIEWSTATE_CTRL_ENUM` | Configures which users get server-side (session-based) ViewState persistence rather than the default page-embedded ViewState.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |
| `ViewID` | `Public Property ViewID() As String` | The GUID identifying this page's model/view-data instance in session.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |

### From System.Web.UI.Page

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `IsPostBack` | `Public ReadOnly Property IsPostBack() As Boolean` | Whether the page is being loaded in response to a client postback, as opposed to a fresh request.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Session` | `Public ReadOnly Property Session() As HttpSessionState` | The current `HttpSessionState` for the request.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Request` | `Public ReadOnly Property Request() As HttpRequest` | The `HttpRequest` for the current page request.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Response` | `Public ReadOnly Property Response() As HttpResponse` | The `HttpResponse` associated with the page.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Server` | `Public ReadOnly Property Server() As HttpServerUtility` | The `HttpServerUtility` associated with the page.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Cache` | `Public ReadOnly Property Cache() As Cache` | The application-level `Cache` object for the current request.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `ClientScript` | `Public ReadOnly Property ClientScript() As ClientScriptManager` | Manager used to register client-side script blocks.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `User` | `Public ReadOnly Property User() As IPrincipal` | The security principal associated with the current request.† | `System.Web.UI.Page` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |

### From System.Web.UI.Control

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `Controls` | `Public ReadOnly Property Controls() As ControlCollection` | Collection of top-level child controls contained within the page.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `Visible` | `Public Property Visible() As Boolean` | Whether the control is rendered as UI on the page.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `DataBind` | `Public Overridable Sub DataBind()` | Binds a data source to this control and its child controls.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `FindControl` | `Public Function FindControl(ByVal id As String) As Control` | Searches the current naming container for a server control with the given ID.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |

## Inherited protected/friend members

Members in this section are inherited from `SAIF.Presentation.Web.mvc.ViewPageBase` (or, transitively, from `System.Web.UI.Control`) but are **not** part of the public API surface — they are `Protected Friend` or `Protected` and are only usable from this class, its descendants, or (for `Protected Friend`) other code in the same assembly. They are listed here, separately from [Inherited public members](#inherited-public-members), so the public-surface tables above accurately reflect only public members. All entries are retrieved from `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC`'s own documentation; see that library's [`ViewPageBase` API reference](../../../saif-presentation-web-mvc/api/SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC/ViewPageBase.md) for further detail.

### From ViewPageBase (SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC)

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `HandleApplicationError` | `Protected Friend Overridable Function HandleApplicationError(ByVal ex As Exception) As Boolean` | Overridable hook giving the concrete page a chance to fully handle an unhandled exception itself before `ProcessError` continues its dispatch.† | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase` |

### From System.Web.UI.Control

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ViewState` | `Protected ReadOnly Property ViewState() As StateBag` | Dictionary of view-state values saved/restored across postbacks; `ViewPageBase.PageStatePersister` governs where this is physically stored.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `OnInit` | `Protected Overridable Sub OnInit(ByVal e As EventArgs)` | Raises the `Init` event.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |
| `OnLoad` | `Protected Overridable Sub OnLoad(ByVal e As EventArgs)` | Raises the `Load` event.† | `System.Web.UI.Control` (via `SAIF.Presentation.Web.MVC` — `ViewPageBase`) |

## Behavioral notes
- `Page_Init` defaults `EnableSessionPing` to `True`; `Page_Load` always calls `CallSessionPing()` and conditionally calls `clsControlManager.ResetBackColor` when `CallResetBackcolor` is `True`.
- `HelpFolderName`'s getter throws an unhandled `ApplicationException` if accessed before being set, per [BR-AVPB-003](../../business-rules.md#br-avpb-003-helpfoldername-must-be-configured-before-any-help-property-is-used).
- `ApplySortPreferences` silently ignores a missing/renamed column key via `Try/Catch`*.

## Constraints and usage notes
- `Configure` is `MustOverride`; every concrete descendant page must implement it, typically to set `HelpFolderName`.
- `SetErrorColorInGrid` only operates on `WebDataGrid` instances bound to BOF `clsBusinessBase`-derived objects; non-BOF-bound rows are skipped.
- Session keep-alive depends on a `SessionPing.aspx` page existing in the consuming application; this is a documented constraint, not enforced in code*.

> **Note:** Statements marked with `†` are derived from dependency library
> documentation via the Legends CLI. Statements marked with `*` were inferred
> from code structure or contextual evidence. Statements marked with `**` could
> not be confirmed; treat as unknown until verified.

## Sources
- SAIF.Presentation.Web.Core.Infragistics103\AppViewPageBase.aspx.vb
- SAIF.Presentation.Web.Core.Infragistics103\AppViewPageBase.aspx