prodigy
12-30-2005, 12:47 AM
Hi,
Am planning to learn to develop applications that work on the Internet.
I have been developing applications on MS-Access.
Let me explain that. I want to develop a simple database application that works on internet. The database will be in a server (centrally located). The clients will access the central Server, add/delete/edit/find records. And I have no idea on how to go about.
I have heard that these things are developed with the help of Visual Basic/HTML/ASP/XML/Scripting etc.... Can any one HELP me so that I can walkthrough and develop the application.
Prodigy.
Sergeant
12-30-2005, 07:17 AM
1. Set up a local testing server to help you learn ASP. Will you be learning at home or at work? What operating system do you have there? (The only OS that doesn't cooperate well is WinXP Home.)
2. There are about a gazillion sites where you can learn ASP for free. Many tutorials, references, and forums. Start off with something simple, though, to make sure your server is set up to run ASP/VBScript...
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<%
DIM DT
DT = DATE()
%>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<%RESPONSE.WRITE(DT)%>
</BODY>
</HTML>
(Write that in notepad and save it in your C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\[MySiteName] folder as "test.asp".)
Open internet explorer and write this address:
http://localhost/[MySiteName]/test.asp
You will either see today's date or an error. The rest is the 'learning' part.
Keep this in mind...ASP pages can connect to databases, but they don't remain 'connected' in the sense that your Access form is connected to your table(s). They build an HTML page from your data and then they're done. If you want to edit/add/delete, you need to build a utility page (or frame, or whatever) that will process the transaction.
My recommendation is that if you don't know ASP that you skip it and move right to ASP.NET. There's a bit of a learning curve to it but once you can a handle on the basics, you can make sites with those features you want rather quickly.
VS.NET Express is free
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx
SQL sever 2005 express is free
http://msdn.microsoft.com/sql/express/
Sergeant
12-30-2005, 07:54 AM
Kodo, you are absolutely correct...I wish I had jumped right into ASP.NET. I am always a bit behind the "latest thing". There are a LOT of sites still running on classic ASP, though, so I'm not alone.
I do have a lot of books on ASP.NET, maybe I should crack them open?
Kodo, you are absolutely correct...I wish I had jumped right into ASP.NET. I am always a bit behind the "latest thing". There are a LOT of sites still running on classic ASP, though, so I'm not alone.
I do have a lot of books on ASP.NET, maybe I should crack them open?
I hear ya man, I actually dev 80-90% in classic ASP at work.. *BLECH*.. infact, I just built a pagable, sortable gridview class and stored proc to go with it over the past few days so I can plop a grid in where I need it and not have to screw around with copy paste. It acts similar to a GridView in .NET sans events (obviously). I got tired of my boss putting list views without any paging in them so I ventured off on a mission. :) All my personal projects are .NET, however.
prodigy
12-30-2005, 09:11 PM
Sergeant's Quote: Set up a local testing server to help you learn ASP.
================================================== ==
Hi Kodo and Sergeant,
Thanks for the quick advice. Will try getting my hand on ASP.NET as suggested. But I'll be back as so much to learn.
Sergeant can u help me on how to setup local testing server. Am working at office with Domain Controller (server; win 2003 advance server) and multiple clients (win 2k pro). Hope this info helps.
Thanks
Prodigy
Sergeant
12-30-2005, 11:26 PM
Right, providing you have sufficient permissions on your local machine...
Select Start/Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs.
Select Add/Remove Windows Components.
Check the "IIS" box...click OK.
Now you have a server on your machine. All you need to do is make a site folder at C:\inetpub\wwwroot\[MySiteName].
If you want to develop in ASP.NET, you need to download the .NET framework from Microsoft.