Can the umbraco API be used to retrieve an editor for a data type. Or the data needed to build an editor (for example the possible selection values in a simple drop down list).

What I am hoping to do is create a .net user control and within that include a control that allows the user to select a value from a known datatype. The system admin will be able to control the values available to edit by maintaining the datatype.

I really am a bit of a novice with Umbraco and hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. I've made a few simple .net user controls but so far not tried to read information from umbraco into the .net control, only write stuff from my control to umbraco.

I'm sure this must be possible as Umbraco is such an excellent and intuitive tool but I am stuck at what direction to look in to take this further.