Hi

i done a related links parameter type it loads and works fine in RTE but when i debbug the Value set metod is never called and that results in an empty value...

I can add items and everyting and when i click on Save and publish it jumbs into the Value Set method and saves the correct information.

but when i reopen the page its empty. the code im useing is the following:

public class RelatedLinksEditor : RelatedLinksControl, IMacroGuiRendering 
    {
        #region IMacroGuiRendering

        private string _value = string.Empty;
        public string Value
        {
            get
            {
                // The get is only used when umbraco saves the value
                return XmlValue;
            }
            set
            {
        // The set method is used to load the saved value the first time if any.
                _value = value;
            }
        }

        protected override void OnInit(System.EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnInit(e);

            // Check if we have any value to load
            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(_value))
            {
                return;
            }

            LoadXml(_value);
        }

        public bool ShowCaption
        {
            get { return true; }
        }

        #endregion
    }

And the control thats used

public abstract class RelatedLinksControl : UpdatePanel
    {
        private ListBox _listboxLinks;
        private Button _buttonUp;
        private Button _buttonDown;
        private Button _buttonDelete;
        private TextBox _textboxLinkTitle;
        private CheckBox _checkNewWindow;
        private TextBox _textBoxExtUrl;
        private Button _buttonAddExtUrl;
        private Button _buttonAddIntUrlCp;
        private XmlDocument _xml;
        protected ContentPicker PagePicker;

        public string XmlValue { get { return ToXmlDocument().InnerXml; } }
        public ListItemCollection Items { get { return _listboxLinks.Items; } }

        protected RelatedLinksControl(string xml)
        {
            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(xml) == false)
            {
                LoadXml(xml);
            }
        }

        #region EventMappings

        public event NewItemAddedHandler OnNewItemAddedHandler;

        public delegate void NewItemAddedHandler(ListItem item, EventArgs e);

        #endregion

        protected RelatedLinksControl()
        {
            OnNewItemAddedHandler += RelatedLinksControl_OnNewItemAddedHandler;
        }

        protected override void OnInit(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnInit(e);
            EnsureChildControls();
        }

        private void RefreshItems()
        {
            EnsureChildControls();

            try
            {
                _xml = ToXmlDocument();

                // Clear items
                _listboxLinks.Items.Clear();

                if (_xml.DocumentElement != null)
                {
                    foreach (XmlNode node in _xml.DocumentElement.ChildNodes)
                    {
                        if (node.Attributes != null)
                        {
                            string text = node.Attributes["title"].Value;
                            string value = (node.Attributes["type"].Value.Equals("internal") ? "i" : "e")
                                           + (node.Attributes["newwindow"].Value.Equals("1") ? "n" : "o")
                                           + node.Attributes["link"].Value;
                            _listboxLinks.Items.Add(new ListItem(text, value));
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            catch
            {
                _xml = createBaseXmlDocument();
            }
        }

        protected override void CreateChildControls()
        {
            base.CreateChildControls();

            _listboxLinks = new ListBox();
            _listboxLinks.ID = "links" + base.ID;
            _listboxLinks.Width = 400;
            _listboxLinks.Height = 140;

            _buttonUp = new Button();
            _buttonUp.ID = "btnUp" + base.ID;
            _buttonUp.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "modeUp");
            _buttonUp.Width = 80;
            _buttonUp.Click += buttonUp_Click;


            _buttonDown = new Button();
            _buttonDown.ID = "btnDown" + base.ID;
            _buttonDown.Attributes.Add("style", "margin-top: 5px;");
            _buttonDown.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "modeDown");
            _buttonDown.Width = 80;
            _buttonDown.Click += buttonDown_Click;

            _buttonDelete = new Button();
            _buttonDelete.ID = "btnDel" + base.ID;
            _buttonDelete.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "removeLink");
            _buttonDelete.Width = 80;
            _buttonDelete.Click += buttonDel_Click;

            _textboxLinkTitle = new TextBox();
            _textboxLinkTitle.Width = 400;
            _textboxLinkTitle.ID = "linktitle" + base.ID;

            _checkNewWindow = new CheckBox();
            _checkNewWindow.ID = "checkNewWindow" + base.ID;
            _checkNewWindow.Checked = false;
            _checkNewWindow.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "newWindow");

            _textBoxExtUrl = new TextBox();
            _textBoxExtUrl.Width = 400;
            _textBoxExtUrl.ID = "exturl" + base.ID;

            _buttonAddExtUrl = new Button();
            _buttonAddExtUrl.ID = "btnAddExtUrl" + base.ID;
            _buttonAddExtUrl.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "addlink");
            _buttonAddExtUrl.Width = 80;
            _buttonAddExtUrl.Click += buttonAddExt_Click;

            _buttonAddIntUrlCp = new Button();
            _buttonAddIntUrlCp.ID = "btnAddIntUrl" + base.ID;
            _buttonAddIntUrlCp.Text = umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "addlink");
            _buttonAddIntUrlCp.Width = 80;
            _buttonAddIntUrlCp.Click += buttonAddIntCP_Click;

            PagePicker = new ContentPicker();
            PagePicker.ID = "pagePicker" + base.ID;

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<div class=\"relatedlinksdatatype\" style=\"text-align: left;  padding: 5px;\"><table><tr><td rowspan=\"2\">"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_listboxLinks);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</td><td style=\"vertical-align: top\">"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_buttonUp);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<br />"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_buttonDown);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</td></tr><tr><td style=\"vertical-align: bottom\">"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_buttonDelete);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<br />"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</td></tr></table>"));

            // Add related links container
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<a href=\"javascript:;\" onClick=\"document.getElementById('{0}_addExternalLinkPanel').style.display='none';document.getElementById('{0}_addExternalLinkButton').style.display='none';document.getElementById('{0}_addLinkContainer').style.display='block';document.getElementById('{0}_addInternalLinkPanel').style.display='block';document.getElementById('{0}_addInternalLinkButton').style.display='block';\"><strong>{1}</strong></a>", ClientID, umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "addInternal"))));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format(" | <a href=\"javascript:;\" onClick=\"document.getElementById('{0}_addInternalLinkPanel').style.display='none';document.getElementById('{0}_addInternalLinkButton').style.display='none';document.getElementById('{0}_addLinkContainer').style.display='block';document.getElementById('{0}_addExternalLinkPanel').style.display='block';document.getElementById('{0}_addExternalLinkButton').style.display='block';\"><strong>{1}</strong></a>", ClientID, umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "addExternal"))));

            // All urls
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<div id=\"{0}_addLinkContainer\" style=\"display: none; padding: 4px; border: 1px solid #ccc; margin-top: 5px;margin-right:10px;\">", ClientID)));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<a href=\"javascript:;\" onClick=\"document.getElementById('{0}_addLinkContainer').style.display='none';\" style=\"border: none;\"><img src=\"{1}/images/close.png\" style=\"float: right\" /></a>", ClientID, Page.ResolveUrl(SystemDirectories.Umbraco))));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("{0}:<br />", umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "caption"))));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_textboxLinkTitle);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<br />"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<div id=\"{0}_addExternalLinkPanel\" style=\"display: none; margin: 3px 0\">", ClientID)));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("{0}:<br />", umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "linkurl"))));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_textBoxExtUrl);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<div id=\"{0}_addInternalLinkPanel\" style=\"display: none; margin: 3px 0\">", ClientID)));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("{0}:<br />", umbraco.ui.GetText("relatedlinks", "internalPage"))));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(PagePicker);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<div style=\"margin: 5px 0\">"));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_checkNewWindow);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<div id=\"{0}_addInternalLinkButton\" style=\"display: none;\">", ClientID)));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_buttonAddIntUrlCp);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl(String.Format("<div id=\"{0}_addExternalLinkButton\" style=\"display: none;\">", ClientID)));
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(_buttonAddExtUrl);
            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ContentTemplateContainer.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</div>"));

            ResetInputMedia();
        }

        private XmlDocument createBaseXmlDocument()
        {
            var xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();
            var newChild = (XmlNode)xmlDocument.CreateElement("links");
            xmlDocument.AppendChild(newChild);
            return xmlDocument;
        }

        private XmlDocument ToXmlDocument()
        {
            EnsureChildControls();

            XmlDocument baseXmlDocument = createBaseXmlDocument();
            XmlNode xmlNode = baseXmlDocument.DocumentElement;

            foreach (ListItem listItem in _listboxLinks.Items)
            {
                string str = listItem.Value;
                var newChild = (XmlNode)baseXmlDocument.CreateElement("link");
                XmlNode node1 = baseXmlDocument.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Attribute, "title", null);
                node1.Value = listItem.Text;

                if (newChild.Attributes != null)
                {
                    newChild.Attributes.SetNamedItem(node1);
                    XmlNode node2 = baseXmlDocument.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Attribute, "link", null);

                    node2.Value = str.Substring(2);
                    newChild.Attributes.SetNamedItem(node2);
                    XmlNode node3 = baseXmlDocument.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Attribute, "type", null);

                    node3.Value = !str.Substring(0, 1).Equals("i") ? "external" : "internal";
                    newChild.Attributes.SetNamedItem(node3);

                    XmlNode node4 = baseXmlDocument.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Attribute, "newwindow", null);
                    node4.Value = !str.Substring(1, 1).Equals("n") ? "0" : "1";

                    newChild.Attributes.SetNamedItem(node4);

                    if (xmlNode != null)
                    {
                        xmlNode.AppendChild(newChild);
                    }
                }
            }

            return baseXmlDocument;
        }

        private void ResetInputMedia()
        {
            _textBoxExtUrl.Text = "http://";
            _textboxLinkTitle.Text = "";
            PagePicker.Value = "";
        }

        void RelatedLinksControl_OnNewItemAddedHandler(ListItem item, EventArgs e)
        {
            RefreshItems();
        }

        #region ControlMangament

        public void ClearItems()
        {
            _listboxLinks.Items.Clear();
        }

        public void AddItem(ListItem item)
        {
            _listboxLinks.Items.Add(item);
        }

        public void LoadXml(string xml)
        {
            EnsureChildControls();

            try
            {
                _xml = new XmlDocument();
                _xml.LoadXml(xml);

                // Clear items
                _listboxLinks.Items.Clear();

                if (_xml.DocumentElement != null)
                {
                    foreach (XmlNode node in _xml.DocumentElement.ChildNodes)
                    {
                        if (node.Attributes != null)
                        {
                            string text = node.Attributes["title"].Value;
                            string value = (node.Attributes["type"].Value.Equals("internal") ? "i" : "e")
                                           + (node.Attributes["newwindow"].Value.Equals("1") ? "n" : "o")
                                           + node.Attributes["link"].Value;
                            _listboxLinks.Items.Add(new ListItem(text, value));
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            catch
            {
                _xml = createBaseXmlDocument();
            }
        }

        #endregion

        #region ButtonEvents

        private void buttonUp_Click(Object o, EventArgs ea)
        {
            int index = _listboxLinks.SelectedIndex;
            if (index > 0) //not the first item
            {
                ListItem temp = _listboxLinks.SelectedItem;
                _listboxLinks.Items.RemoveAt(index);
                _listboxLinks.Items.Insert(index - 1, temp);
                _listboxLinks.SelectedIndex = index - 1;
            }
        }

        private void buttonDown_Click(Object o, EventArgs ea)
        {
            int index = _listboxLinks.SelectedIndex;
            if (index > -1 && index < _listboxLinks.Items.Count - 1) //not the last item
            {
                ListItem temp = _listboxLinks.SelectedItem;
                _listboxLinks.Items.RemoveAt(index);
                _listboxLinks.Items.Insert(index + 1, temp);
                _listboxLinks.SelectedIndex = index + 1;
            }
        }

        private void buttonDel_Click(Object o, EventArgs ea)
        {
            int index = _listboxLinks.SelectedIndex;
            if (index > -1)
            {
                _listboxLinks.Items.RemoveAt(index);
            }
        }

        private void buttonAddExt_Click(Object o, EventArgs ea)
        {
            string url = _textBoxExtUrl.Text.Trim();
            if (url.Length > 0 && _textboxLinkTitle.Text.Length > 0)
            {
                // use default HTTP protocol if no protocol was specified
                if (!(url.Contains("://")))
                {
                    url = "http://" + url;
                }

                string value = "e" + (_checkNewWindow.Checked ? "n" : "o") + url;
                _listboxLinks.Items.Add(new ListItem(_textboxLinkTitle.Text, value));
                ResetInputMedia();
            }
        }

        private void buttonAddIntCP_Click(Object o, EventArgs ea)
        {
            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(_textboxLinkTitle.Text) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(PagePicker.Value))
            {
                string value = "i" + (_checkNewWindow.Checked ? "n" : "o") + PagePicker.Value;
                var listItem = new ListItem(_textboxLinkTitle.Text, value);

                _listboxLinks.Items.Add(listItem);

                if(OnNewItemAddedHandler != null)
                {
                    OnNewItemAddedHandler(listItem, new EventArgs());
                }

                ResetInputMedia();
            }
        }

        #endregion
    }

If anyone here could help with this last peace of puzzle i would really appreciate it.