Essential ASP.NET™ fast

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Why Use ASP.NET?

Abstract

ASP.NET is a technology developed by Microsoft to enable you to create dynamic web applications. ASP.NET is part of the .NET framework which also includes VB.NET, C++.NET, C#.NET among others.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 2. The ASP.NET Environment

Abstract

This chapter will explain how to configure your compiler in order that you can begin developing ASP.NET applications.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 3. Introducing ASP.NET

Abstract

The standard hypertext mark-up language (HTML) was designed as a means to create hypertext documents. It is not a programming language and although it can be used to construct user interface forms allowing a user to interact with a web page, it cannot be used alone to build interactive dynamic computer systems. In order to produce web pages whose content is dynamic, some other technologies are required. One such technology is ASP.NET.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 4. VB.NET Basics

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the VB.NET language. VB.NET is the language that we are using to create our ASP.NET applications. This chapter is meant to provide a basic introduction to the language. If you require a more detailed introduction we suggest that you read Essential VB.NET fast, which is part of this series of books.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 5. ASP.NET Objects

Abstract

ASP.NET comes with a large number of predefined objects and classes that we can use to good effect in our applications. We shall introduce some of these in this chapter and provide some examples of their use.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 6. Interacting with the User

Abstract

Forms are used in HTML documents to accept data from a web page user. The original purpose of the HTML form mechanism was to transmit the data back to the server to be processed by a CGI application. This chapter examines how you can use forms and access form data in ASP.NET.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 7. Examining Web Server Controls

Abstract

In this chapter we shall continue to further examine the various user interface controls that were introduced in the previous chapter. We shall see that there are a number of further properties that each of these controls supports to allow us more control over what they do and how they appear.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 8. Further Interface Controls

Abstract

This chapter examines some further interface controls that we have yet to consider. While in most cases we can get by with using textboxes, labels and buttons there are other controls that provide the developer with more scope to create richer, more interesting user interfaces. We shall examine each of these controls in turn, providing examples of their use.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 9. Calendar and Adrotator Controls

Abstract

This chapter introduces two special interface controls, the Calendar and Adrotator controls.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 10. Form Validation Controls

Abstract

This chapter examines the topic of validation. When interacting with users it is essential to validate that the information that a user enters is correct. For example you ask the user to enter their date of birth and they type 39/3/1969 instead of 29/3/1969. Sometimes such errors are made accidentally, other times it is deliberate. Whatever the reason it is prudent programming to validate your user input to ensure as much as possible that what you get is what you are expecting.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 11. File Handling and Cookies

Abstract

This chapter introduces file handling and cookies. In physical terms a file is a sequential collection of characters, which can be manipulated. In logical terms a file might be viewed as a collection of data records, or a computer program. Many computer systems use files for storing information for later access. A cookie is a special text file, which is created and stored by your web browser. ASP.NET has facilities to make use of and manipulate files and cookies.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 12. Databases and the DataGrid

Abstract

This chapter examines how databases can be linked to web pages using the ADO.NET object library. When you can access the power of a database to retrieve and store information via a web-based system the true possibilities of what the .NET framework is capable of become clear.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 13. Interacting with Databases

Abstract

This chapter examines how you can manipulate the content of a database using various ADO.NET controls. Examples of script to add, update and delete records are included.

Simon Stobart

Chapter 14. Where Next?

Abstract

No book, certainly not one of this length, can provide you will all the information you will need as your knowledge of ASP.NET grows. However, the Web is a great resource of information and in this chapter a number of the best resources available are described.

Simon Stobart

Backmatter