asp.net dropdownlist AutoPostBack URL issue

Question

Coders,

I have an asp.net dropdownlist control with an AutoPostBack=True. The control is placed on an html/javascript tab container on the defautl page URL is /Default.aspx. In order to interact with the dropdownlist and fire the AutoPostBack the user must select tab item # 2 which changes the URL of the page to /default.aspx#content-tab-1-2-tab. This is becuase the dropdownlist is placed in the tab item #2 and it is not visible with the user visit /default.aspx .

Now the problem is that whenever the page post back, due to the selection change in the dropdownlist, the page will point to /default.aspx URL and not /default.aspx#content-tab-1-2-tab URL. This causes the dropdownlist to not be visible and the user has to click on the tab item #2 to interact with the dropdownlist again.

How do I force the AutoPostBack action in the dropdownlist to point to /default.aspx#content-tab-1-2-tab and not /default.aspx ?

And here is a snippet from my code

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    DropDownList_City.Enabled = false;
    DropDownList_District.Enabled = false;


    GMap_main.addControl(new GControl(GControl.extraBuilt.MarkCenter));
    GMap_main.addControl(new GControl(GControl.extraBuilt.TextualCoordinatesControl));
    GMap_main.enableGoogleBar = true;
    GMap_main.Language = "ar";


    if (!IsPostBack)
    {
        var countries = from x in db.Countries select x.name_ar;

        //BINDING THE DROP DOWN LIST
        DropDownList_Country.DataSource = countries;
        DropDownList_Country.DataBind();

        DropDownList_City.Enabled = false;
        DropDownList_District.Enabled = false;
    }

}

/// <summary>
/// EVENT HANDLING FOR THE DROP DOWN LIST
/// </summary>
/// <param name="sender"></param>
/// <param name="e"></param>
protected void DropDownList_Country_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var city = from x in db.Cities where x.Country.name_ar == DropDownList_Country.SelectedValue select x.name_ar;

    DropDownList_City.DataSource = city;
    DropDownList_City.DataBind();

    DropDownList_City.Enabled = true;

}

Thank you.

Answer 1

Because the fragment portion of the URL (the part after and including the #) isn't sent to the server, you're going to have a harder time solving this problem than it might seem like you should. One way to fix it would be to add some javascript that sets the value of a hidden field when you change tabs. Then when it posts back, you'll know what page you were on and you can include the fragment as part of your redirect.