The Timer control performs post backs at defined intervals. If you use the Timer control with an Update Panel control, you can enable partial page updates at a defined interval. You can also use the Timer control to post the whole page.

Simply stated, it periodically updates the contents of one or more UpdatePanel controls without refreshing the whole Web page.

You can also run code on the server every time that a Timer control causes a post back. Should you need more information on how to use an UpdatePanel please revert back to my article on this topic.

In our article today we are going to create a kind of a fortune teller. This fortune teller will have ten sentences that will present them randomly. We will also be using an UpdatePanel.

It is also worth noting that in order to be able to create this solution; you have to revert back to the same article cited above on what is needed to be able to continue applying what is described in this article. If your computer is already setup with Microsoft AJAX Extensions, then proceed directly to the next paragraph.