RadPanelBar supports binding to various types of data sources, including declarative
datasources.
Some of the declarative data sources are inherently hierarchical. These include
SiteMapDataSource and XmlDataSource. When data-bound
to these types of data sources, RadPanelBar automatically creates the panel item
hierarchy. There is no need to use the DataFieldID and DataFieldParentID
properties.
The AccessDataSource is a table-based DataSource component. It
can be used to bind the panelbar declaratively in design time. As with binding to
a DataSet, DataPanel Itemle, or DataView, you can use the ID-ParentID
relation to establish a hierarchy among the panel items.
RadPanelBar supports binding to an ObjectDataSource as well. In
addition to the standard Panel Item properties (Text, Value, Navigate Url, etc.)
that can be bound to the underlying business objects, the DataFieldID
and DataFieldParentID properties can be specified, too. In this
way, RadPanelBar can create a hierarchy of Panel Items.
Still, the business objects should provide the data needed for the RadPanelBar to
build the hierarchy. If the ParentID property of the business objects are of nullable
or reference type, then null values denote root Panel Items. In case, the ParentID
property is of value type (Integer, Guid, etc.), '0'/'Guid.Empty' values denote
the root Panel Items.