Inline rendering template override

Question

Using SharePoint Designer, how can an inline rendering template be specified for a given SharePoint:FormField in a DataFormWebPart ? For example, I want to arrange a multiple lookup field vertically, instead of the default horizontal layout. I know I can do this with jQuery, but I'm looking for a pure HTML/markup solution.

I'm sure this is possible as I've done this before, but can't remember how (the blog I bookmarked with an example of what I'm trying to do is not available anymore). I recall the solution involved copying the HTML markup of the given control from DefaultTemplate.ascx, modifying it according to the requirements and then copying it somehwere inside the <SharePoint:FormField>markup. The solution could be fully performed in SharePoint Designer and did not involved any custom ascx control.

Thanks for your shedding some light on this.

Answer 1

Once again, answering my own question.

It turns out that it's easy. The file %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\14\TEMPLATE\CONTROLTEMPLATES\DefaultTemplates.ascx contains all the predefined rendering templates for all the SharePoint form controls.

In order to override inline in SharePoint Designer (so, no deployment of features/controls is required) the rendering template of a control, copy all what is inside the <Template></Template> tag of the <SharePoint:RenderingTemplate> and paste it in your custom form, inside the <SharePoint:FormField> whose template you want to override.

An example of overriding the default TextBox rendered for a field of type text:

<SharePoint:FormField runat="server" FieldName="MyField" Id="ff1{$Pos}" __designer:bind="{ddwrt:DataBind('i',concat('ff1',$Pos),'Value','ValueChanged','ID',ddwrt:EscapeDelims(string(@ID)),'@MyField')}">
    <Template>
      <asp:TextBox id="TextField" maxlength="255" runat="server"/>
     <!-- get rid of this annoying <br/>  tag -->
    </Template>
</SharePoint:FormField>

Now, your FormField will be rendered as TextBox, without the annoying <br> tag that is normally put after it.