Complete a Web Part connection

To complete a Web Part connection, in some cases you may need to provide additional information, such as the connection type or a column you want to filter. You can use two dialog boxes: the Choose Connection dialog box and the Create/Edit Connection dialog box.

Note Depending on how one or both of the Web Parts were created, you may see additional dialog boxes that are unique to the Web Part connection. For more information, see the help information, if any, for the custom Web Part.

You use the Choose Connection dialog box when the Web Part you are connecting to has several compatible connection types available, and you need to select the one you want. For example the List View Web Part has three connection types, Provide Row To, Provide View Data To, and Get Sort/Filter From.

In the Connection type list box, select one the connection types. These are the same connection type commands you see in the Connections submenu under the Web Part menu.

You use the Create/Edit Connection dialog box to match columns between the Web Part getting the data and the Web Part providing the data.

Note It's possible you can make a connection that is correct, but not meaningful. For example, The Web Part providing the data may have a product ID column and the Web Part getting the data has an employee ID column. Although you can match these columns, the results will not make sense.

In the Column list box, either select a column from the Web Part that's getting the data, or the Web Part that is providing the data, or both.

The following are common examples:

Matching a row of data in one Web Part to a cell or field of data in another Web Part

The Web Part you are connecting from is a Contacts List View Web Part. One of the columns in the list view is a column containing a hyperlink called Photo that contains a URL to a picture of the contact. You make a connection to the Image Web Part, which can only display a URL containing a picture. You need to choose the Photo column from the Contacts Web Part to provide the correct match to the Image Web Part.

Matching a row of data in one Web Part to a column of data in another Web Part so you can filter it

The Web Part you are connecting from is a List View Web Part containing order data. One of the columns in the list view is a column containing a line item called OrdersDetailsID. You make a connection to another List View Web Part, which has several columns containing order details, one of which is a matching column called OrdersDetailsID. To connect the two Web Parts so that when you select the Order in one Web Part it displays each line item for that order in the other Web Part, you must match the OrdersDetailsID columns in each Web Part.

Note The column name does not have to be the same, but the underlying data needs to match, or have the same value.