Facebook Request Dialog for ASP.NET

Facebook Request Dialog is new Facebook component used for inviting friends to start using Facebook application or Facebook Connect website, and for requesting particular action from friends who already use the application. Facebook Request Dialog component is intended to be replacement of Facebook Invite Friends component based on XFBML which is becoming deprecated. Since Facebook Request Dialog still lacks some features in comparison to Invite Friends (for example, getting the list of invited friends), it still cannot be replacement for all applications, especially old ones. However, it has some other features and advantages, and it is strongly recommended for usage in new applications, instead of Invite friends.

Facebook Request Dialog ASP.NET control allows easy integration of Facebook Request Dialog in ASP.NET pages and dynamic configuration from the code behind and data sources. The control is wrapper around Facebook JavaScript methods, and it also has verification if all parameters are correctly set. In case of typing error, exception is thrown, and the error is immediately seen by developer. The control can be used in 3 ways, i.e. in 3 different forms: as a link or a button which have to be pressed to open the request dialog, or to be automatically opened on page load. Compiled version and source code version of this ASP.NET control are available in C# and VB.NET programming languages, as part of Facebook ASP.NET (C# and VB.NET) Control library.

Picture of Facebook Request Dialog:

Following picture shows Facebook Request Dialog. Pictures of friends and last names are hidden, because of privacy protection.

Configuration

Configuration of the Facebook Request Dialog ASP.NET control is done in ASPX page by setting mandatory property Message and other optional properties. If dynamic setting of properties is required, they can also be set in the code behind, for example on Page_Load method. Following table shows the list of all properties, with their types and descriptions.

Property Name

Type

Description

Message

String

Message of request dialog.

Title

String

Title of request dialog.

FriedId

String

Id of friend to which request has to be sent. If omited, friend selector is shown.

AdditionalData

String

Optional data which is sent with request.

CommandType

String

Can be set on 'link', 'button', or 'auto_open'. This means request dialog is opened by pressing a link, button, or automatically on page load. Default value is 'button'.

CommandTitle

String

Text of command button or link. If 'auto_open' command type is used, this parameter is ignored. Default value is 'Send Request'.

Usage Examples:

Following examples show registration and insertion of Facebook Request Dialog ASP.NET control in ASPX file. The first example shows default Request Dialog with only Message property set. The second example shows Request Dialog with all properties set. Examples of ASPX files show only the code required for registration and integration of ASP.NET control in a web page. To see all requirements for registered components, including JavaScript, CSS style and header setting, please look at the manual for page requirements. For following examples, all page requirements are placed in ASP.NET master page. Important parts for registration and integration of Facebook Request Dialog inside ASP.NET page are highlighted.

 <%@ Page MasterPageFile="~/Master.Master" AutoEventWireup="true" Inherits="FVK_Demo.RequestDialog" %>
 <%@ Register TagPrefix="fvk" TagName="requestdialog" Src="~/FVK/RequestDialog.ascx" %>
 <asp:Content ID="Content1" ContentPlaceHolderID="head" runat="server"%>
    <title%>Facebook Request Dialog for ASP.NET</title%>
    <meta name="description" content="ASP.NET implementation of Facebook Request Dialog in C# and VB.NET" /%>
 </asp:Content%>
 <asp:Content ID="Content2" ContentPlaceHolderID="ContentPlaceHolder1" runat="server"%>
    <fvk:requestdialog ID="request1" runat="server" Message="Join to my application" /%>
 </asp:Content%>

 <%@ Page MasterPageFile="~/Master.Master" AutoEventWireup="true" Inherits="FVK_Demo.RequestDialog" %>
 <%@ Register TagPrefix="fvk" TagName="requestdialog" Src="~/FVK/RequestDialog.ascx" %>
 <asp:Content ID="Content1" ContentPlaceHolderID="head" runat="server"%>
    <title%>Facebook Request Dialog for ASP.NET</title%>
    <meta name="description" content="ASP.NET implementation of Facebook Request Dialog in C# and VB.NET" /%>
 </asp:Content%>
 <asp:Content ID="Content2" ContentPlaceHolderID="ContentPlaceHolder1" runat="server"%>
    <fvk:requestdialog ID="request1" runat="server"
       Message="Join to my application"
       Title="Request dialog"
       FriedId="23876283618381"
       AdditionalData="Type: 3, Item: 2"
       CommandType="link"
       CommandTitle="Request Item"
    /%>
 </asp:Content%>