Access ASP.NET control from static [WebMethod] (JS ajax call)

Question

I have a ASP.NET WebSite and a custom control (lets call it myControl) on it. I need to call a method on this control with AJAX. I'm posting ajax call from JavaScript (jQuery) to C# WebMethod. This works fine, but I can't get to myControl in a static WebMethod. Any ideas how to solve this problem?

Short version: AJAX call from JS to C# WebMethod works -> * here (in this method) I need to call a method on my custom control which is inaccessible because of static method type *

[WebMethod]
public static List<CustomListControl.IListItem> GetListItems()
{
    // CAN'T GET TO MY CONTROL - need to return myContorl.Items;
    return null;
}

Solution

Well, that's not the correct approach. At the web service method level you cannot see anything about the page structure. In this method you can only load your list of items and return it. Where this list is binded to is none of GetListItems' business.

You can manage the display of the Items by implementing a callback function (see http://mattberseth.com/blog/2007/06/aspnet_ajax_invoke_a_static_me.html for example) or by using the UpdatePanel approach.