viewstate question

[ecannizzo]

Where I work Viewstate is shut off for every project in the web.config. I'm told it's because viewstate is inefficient and unnecessary.

I was wanting to know if other programmers felt that way and what your reasons behind it might be? Or do you disagree with the statement?

 

[jmeckley]

Viewstate is less effecient than Session or Cache because it must be (de)serialized. It also can exponentially increase the size of a webpage when working with DataSourceObjects and Grid/Form/DetialViews.

However viewstate is convient because you don't need to manage objects like session/cache or query the db when visting a page. And depending on bandwidth file size may not be an issue. (intranet, cable modem, dsl, dial-up)

All in all, there is no right answer. Viewstate is a tool for web programming which serves a purpose. Like all tools they can be used incorrectly.

Personally, I won't write off viewstate altogether. The more I develope the more I find ways to reduce the viewstate size by utilizing output caching, session/application/cache objects and other programming techniques.

Jason Meckley
Programmer
Specialty Bakers, Inc.