Active Server Pages technology is still a relatively new way to create dynamic web sites and applications. It has, however, evolved quickly to become the foremost tool in the Windows-oriented Web programmer's toolbox. Microsoft is currently working on the next generation of ASP, provisionally called ASP+ Next Generation Web Services. This is not just an update to ASP as we know it, but instead an evolutionary leap in the whole concept of how ASP can provide a dynamic Web development environment. Who is this book for? This book covers a product that is still under development, and as such it is aimed at experienced ASP developers who are working at the leading edge, rather than the casual ASP developer or beginner. To make the most of this book, you should be experienced with ASP. You should also understand the general principles of using components, and have knowledge of Visual Basic (or VBScript). What does the Book Cover? This book was written as Microsoft was about to release the first preview version of his release is almost feature complete, and stable enough for developers to begin learning about and using. While we can't guarantee that the final release version will be identical, you can be sure that almost all of the concepts, examples and explanations we provide are accurate within the timeframe of the first full version of ASP+. In this book we will: Explain what ASP+ is, and how it makes building applications even easier. Show how easy it is to work with ASP+ pages and server-side controls s data of all kinds in our ASP+ pages, and introduce ADO+. Use Web Services to provide asynchronous background services to applications. Introduce and demonstrate the ASP+ application framework. Show how easy it is to build and deploy custom ASP+ controls. Combine the concepts discussed in the book into an ASP+ application. Discuss how it is possible to migrate from ASP to ASP+
Microsoft's new Active Server Pages+ (ASP+) standard promises a lot more for Web developers who work on the Windows platform.
A Preview of Active Server Pages+ surveys the new features and APIs that you'll need to know to develop effectively with ASP+. Stressing practical e-commerce examples, this book will be a welcome resource to anyone who programs in ASP already and wants a look at what's next from Microsoft.
This text gives you an excellent comparison of the old ASP with the new ASP+. (Many examples show both ways of coding by using a side-by-side comparison.) The book makes the case that ASP+ is a better way to program with easier scripting (by using the new Visual Basic 7 or the new C# [pronounced c-sharp], available with the next version of Visual C++) and easier access to components. Based on Microsoft's grandly named Next Generation Web Services (NGWS), ASP+ promises a new era of more maintainable code. Prominent sections showcase the various controls available in ASP+, from HTML controls to intrinsic controls to more advanced ("rich") controls. How to add data validation by using built-in ASP+ objects is explained, too, as is how to create custom components. Later chapters look at the improved abilities of ASP+, such as easier configuration, authentication and deployment. The book ends by showing you a nicely functional e-commerce application that's written in ASP+.
By listing ASP+ objects and APIs from Microsoft in a handy appendix, programmers can get a sample of what's available. (There's also a useful section that details the most important differences for developers who are moving from ASP to ASP+.) Although some of this material might change as ASP+ moves to its final form, A Preview of Active Server Pages+ sets the stage with a valuable tour of what to expect in what surely will be a better way to create dynamic Web content on the Windows platform. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com