Hello! Sort of a "newbie", so please forgive the ignorance. I want to be able to build a page (and edit screen) dynamically, based on some mechanism of persistable per-control screen location/formatting/field masking information - storeable/retrievable as a "unit", representing a particular "view" of a model/data in a database. For example, I have a database of related information, for which I must track and version representations of this info as time goes on. There are a number of separate "views", each of which may have a field added, deleted, or attributes (length, data type) updated. I also need the ability to add new views, but I think I can manage that once I get a handle on the proper mechanics to be able to store, retrieve, and "paint" these views from persisted data I mentioned. I can manage the representation of stuff like screen position, but was wondering of there were any suggestions on how to store data type info (simply N vs A/N as this point), (numeric) field masking, etc. Conidered several options for persisting the view characteristics, but I guess I'm stuck on "rehydrating" (to use a BizTalk term!) this info dynamically. Could I store each view as XML and use CSS/XSLT some way to dynamically interpret/build the screen?

Not only am I confused by choosing from the myriad technologies like SilverLight, ASP/Ajax, and straight ASP/Webforms to best implement this, but the notable "best-parctice" patterns applicable in each of those that handle the above scenario (if any) - and/or any suggestions you guys may have! Sorry for the fagueness, but I was indeed expecting a dialog, offering more info if necessary becaue I'm probably not asking this the right way. Am really lookng for an ASP/Ajax solution; concerned about the SilverLight player installation requirement, but like the managed code environment.

I've done similar things on the WinForms side - via generic control array manipulation and so forth, but am new to the web side (the development, not architecting the paradigm).

Thanks a lot! PRetty desparate and deadline's approaching (of course, why woudn't it be!)...