Using the SharePoint PeopleEditor in a GridView

 

All I can say is WOW.   If something as simple as the PeopleEditor takes me a week to implement and that is with having two Microsoft Premier Support cases open on it, than once I figure it out its worth writing an article on it.

 

My business requirement:

• I need a grid view to have data bound to it, but the data won’t come until after a drop down list selects what data source it needs to use. 
• The data source is created using a generics list object in the code behind. 
• The PeopleEditor object must be an object where people can enter just a single name.
• The gridview can range in size
• It MUST be in an AJAX Update Panel

See the example below of what it should look like once it is finished.

 

The problems I was facing… …And the solution…

1. JScript Error: Microsoft JScript runtime error: The value of the property ‘PickerAdjustHeight’ is null or undefined, not a Function or object.

   

   Solution: Add the following line to the control’s front end source above the ScriptManger
                 <script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/entityeditor.js"></script>

2. JScript Error: Microsoft JScript runtime error: Thevalue of the property ‘StoreOldValue’ is null or undefined, not a Function object

   

   Solution: Add the following line to the control’s front end source above the ScriptManger
                 <script type="text/javascript" src="/_layouts/entityeditor.js"></script>

3. Error with the People Editor:
   The target ‘ctl00$m$g_1c88d7ea_ab45_4c52_92a6_d0402a2ec996$ctl00$GridView1$ctl04$PeopleEditor2’ for the callback could not be found or did not implement ICallbackEventHandler.

   

   Solution: The solution for this is much more complicated, I will quickly try to explain what the problem is and  how to resolve it.

First you have to understand that you can’t just add the PeopleEditor control to your GridView in the WYSIWYG editor, in fact, its not even in the tool box.  You must instead add it in code behind on each row that exists.

When you start out with an empty grid, then populate it within in runtime, you will notice there are some missing javascript functions that the gridview uses.  So you must first some how find a way to get those functions in the page when it renders.  But there is only one path that I have found that allows you to do it.  I have layed it out in VISIO so you can see what it looks like.

This solved my issue with this, and here is the samples.  If anyone wants a copy of my solution, please enter a post on it with your email, and I would be happy to send it to you.

 

Bill.