---
title: AutoBindControlAncestor
summary: API reference for AutoBindControlAncestor.
status: draft
owner: SAIF Doc Gen
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111
reference_type: package
---

# AutoBindControlAncestor

`AutoBindControlAncestor` is the shared implementation of [iAutoBindingControl](iAutoBindingControl.md) used by every concrete auto-binding editor ([AutoBindTextbox](AutoBindTextbox.md), [AutoBindWebMaskEdit](AutoBindWebMaskEdit.md), [AutoBindWebDateTimeEdit](AutoBindWebDateTimeEdit.md)). It resolves a dotted model path to a bound object by reflection, copies values in both directions, drives validation off the bound object's `IDataErrorInfo`, writes assembled messages to the page's `LblErrorMsg` label, and wraps each editor in an Infragistics WARP inside a hover-trigger panel so validation updates render asynchronously.

## Purpose
- Resolves `BoundObject` by walking the dotted `BindSource` path from `RootBindingObject` and copies its `BindProperty` value into the control's `Value` on bind, and back on user edit. ([BR-AJAX-004](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-004-bound-target-resolved-by-walking-the-dotted-bindsource-path))
- Drives automatic validation after data binding and after user edits unless the corresponding switch is turned off, keeping the model and UI in sync without page code. ([BR-AJAX-006](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-006-controls-validate-automatically-after-bind-and-edit-unless-disabled))
- Surfaces the bound object's `IDataErrorInfo` messages for the bound property, deduplicated and written to the page-level `LblErrorMsg` label. ([BR-AJAX-008](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-008-validation-messages-come-from-the-bound-objects-idataerrorinfo), [BR-AJAX-010](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-010-duplicate-validation-messages-are-shown-only-once), [BR-AJAX-011](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-011-validation-messages-are-written-to-the-pages-lblerrormsg-label))
- Wraps the concrete editor in a WARP and hover-trigger panel, registering the page's error label as a WARP refresh target so validation feedback updates asynchronously without a full postback.

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.V2.AJAX`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111` (packaged in `SAIF.BOF.Presentation.Web.Infragistics111`)
- Implements: [iAutoBindingControl](iAutoBindingControl.md)
- Base class: [SAIFAJAXControlAncestor](SAIFAJAXControlAncestor.md)

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `AutoPostback` | `Property AutoPostback As Boolean` | Controls whether the inner editor posts back on change |
| `AutoBind` | `Property AutoBind As Boolean` | Enables or disables participation in `BindingManager.DataBind` |
| `AutoValidate` | `Property AutoValidate As Boolean` (default `True`) | Enables automatic validation after a user edit ([BR-AJAX-006](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-006-controls-validate-automatically-after-bind-and-edit-unless-disabled)) |
| `AutoValidateOnDataBind` | `Property AutoValidateOnDataBind As Boolean` (default `True`) | Enables automatic validation after data binding ([BR-AJAX-006](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-006-controls-validate-automatically-after-bind-and-edit-unless-disabled)) |
| `RootBindingObject` | `Property RootBindingObject As Object` | The page model instance assigned by `BindingManager` |
| `BoundObject` | `ReadOnly Property BoundObject As Object` | Object resolved by walking `BindSource` from `RootBindingObject` ([BR-AJAX-004](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-004-bound-target-resolved-by-walking-the-dotted-bindsource-path)) |
| `BindSource` | `Property BindSource As String` | Dotted model path to `BoundObject` |
| `BindProperty` | `Property BindProperty As String` | Name of the property on `BoundObject` this control reads/writes |
| `IsBound` | `ReadOnly Property IsBound As Boolean` | Whether `BoundObject` currently resolves |
| `IsValid` | `ReadOnly Property IsValid As Boolean` | Current validity from `IDataErrorInfo` for the bound property |
| `ErrorMessages` | `ReadOnly Property ErrorMessages As String` | Deduplicated, `<br>`-joined validation messages ([BR-AJAX-010](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-010-duplicate-validation-messages-are-shown-only-once)) |
| `Value` | `Property Value As Object` | The editor's current value |
| `DataBind` | `Overrides Sub DataBind()` | Calls `MyBase.DataBind()`, then `BindToControl` if `RootBindingObject` is set, then validates if enabled ([BR-AJAX-003](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-003-no-root-binding-object-means-no-binding)) |
| `BindToControl` | `Sub BindToControl()` | Resolves `BoundObject` and copies its property into `Value` |
| `BindToObject` | `Sub BindToObject()` | Copies `Value` into `BoundObject.<BindProperty>` by reflection ([BR-AJAX-007](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-007-a-user-edit-is-captured-and-pushed-to-the-model-immediately)) |
| `StyleControl` | `Sub StyleControl(inValid As Boolean)` | Paints the editor red when invalid, resets it otherwise ([BR-AJAX-012](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-012-an-invalid-editor-is-highlighted-red-a-valid-one-is-reset)) |
| `Validate` | `Function Validate() As Boolean` | Assembles error messages, writes `LblErrorMsg`, styles the control, and always returns `True`* ([BR-AJAX-011](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-011-validation-messages-are-written-to-the-pages-lblerrormsg-label)) |
| `GetErrorMessages` | `Function GetErrorMessages() As String()` | Casts `BoundObject` to `IDataErrorInfo`, reads `Item(BindProperty)`, splits on CRLF; returns empty for an unbound control ([BR-AJAX-008](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-008-validation-messages-come-from-the-bound-objects-idataerrorinfo), [BR-AJAX-009](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-009-an-unbound-control-reports-no-errors)) |
| `PageErrorLabel` | `ReadOnly Property PageErrorLabel As Label` | Locates the page's `LblErrorMsg` label by recursive, case-insensitive `UniqueID` search ([BR-AJAX-011](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-011-validation-messages-are-written-to-the-pages-lblerrormsg-label)) |

## Inherited public members

Members in this section are inherited from `SAIFAJAXControlAncestor` in `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111`. They are available on this type through inheritance.

| Member | Signature | Purpose | Origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `RootObject` | `ReadOnly Property RootObject As Object` | The hosting page's `Model` property value | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111` — `SAIFAJAXControlAncestor` |
| `IsFirefox` | `ReadOnly Property IsFirefox As Boolean` | Browser-capability test for the current request | `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111` — `SAIFAJAXControlAncestor` |

## Behavioral notes
- Reflection failures anywhere in the bind/write-back path are caught and ignored, so a mistyped `BindSource`/`BindProperty` fails silently and the control simply keeps its previous `Value`. ([BR-AJAX-005](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-005-reflection-failures-during-binding-are-suppressed))
- `Validate()` always returns `True` regardless of the computed validity, so callers must read `IsValid` separately; no caller in this library's own code uses the return value.*
- This class is `MustInherit` and is never instantiated directly; concrete editors supply the actual ASP.NET input control it wraps.

## Constraints and usage notes
- The hosting page must expose a control literally named `LblErrorMsg` for validation messages to be displayed anywhere. ([BR-AJAX-011](../../business-rules.md#br-ajax-011-validation-messages-are-written-to-the-pages-lblerrormsg-label))
- `AutoValidate` and `AutoValidateOnDataBind` both default to `True`; validation cannot be silently skipped unless a page explicitly turns them off.

## Related documentation
- [Index](../../index.md)
- [Overview](../../overview.md)
- [Architecture](../../architecture.md)
- [Business rules](../../business-rules.md)
- [API reference](../index.md)

> **Note:** Statements marked with `*` were inferred from code structure, naming conventions, or contextual evidence where direct confirmation was not available in source artifacts. Statements marked with `**` could not be confirmed; treat as unknown until verified.

## Sources
- `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111/AutoBindControlAncestor.vb`
- `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics111/iAutoBindingControl.vb`