ASP.NET Web Forms

Walkthrough: Creating an ASP.NET Web Forms App

This video demonstrates the entire process of creating a simple ASP.NET Web Forms application. In so doing, it will show how to add controls from the Tool, the use of Server Controls like the Drop Down List box, the Required Field Validator, and the Hyperlink control, and introduce concepts like PostBack, CodeBehind and more.

Understanding Code Behind

Code Behind allows the seperation between the code to render the presentation of the page and the programmatic logic of the page by putting each of these types of code into their own file. The presentation layer (with a .ASPX file extension) links to the programmatic layer (with a .ASPX.VB or .ASPX.CS file extnesion) through the use of a page directive called Inherits. This video thoroughly explains the concept of Code Behind and how it is facilitated in the IDE.

Understanding Events, Postback and Page State

This video looks into how Code Behind is used by ASP.NET to allow developers to handle events, such as button clicks, that are invoked by a user. The events cause post backs, which means that the content of the Web Form are sent back to the web page on the web server, and the appropriate action is taken that is coded by the developer for that event. Also, When these events are invoked, the present condition and selections of the page are preserved through View State, a hash of information that is saved into hidden form fields on the web browser client.

Understanding Request and Response Objects

While the Request and Response objects are less important in Visual Studio.NET than they were in "classic" ASP due to PostBack and CodeBehind, they still can be used to obtain information from or send information to the web browser. This video demonstrates how these objects can be used in Visual Studio.NET.

Using the Application Object

The Application object can be used to store values that are accessible across all user instances of the application. The Application object hasn't changed significantly from its use in "classic" ASP, although to reset the Application object's settings you must now shut down the ASP.NET Worker process instead of restarting IIS. This video explains the use of the Application object in your ASP.NET Web Form applications.

Using the Session Object

The Session object can be used to store values that are accessible only to a given user's instance of the application. The Session object has changed significantly from its use in "classic" ASP due to its ability to be used across a Web Server Farm and does not require the use of cookies. This video explains and demonstrates the use of the Session object in your ASP.NET Web Form applications.

ASP.NET Internals

Compares "classic" ASP versus ASP.NET, noting how ASP.NET works and why it is faster. Explains ILDasm, and IL. Both screencam and slide presentation.

Walkthrough: Creating a User Control

This video demonstrates the creation of a simple Hello World user control, and then a more advanced User Control that pulls information from a database and displays it in a DataList of Hyperlinks. Shows how to then use the new control in your ASP.NET Web Pages.

Tracing Using the Trace.AXD

By employing tracing in your ASP.NET applications, you can see all information that the ASP.NET HttpHandler sees ... the HTTP Header, server variables, client information, cookie content and more. You can also add your own information to the trace by using the TraceContext. Moreover, you can send that TraceContext to other components that will be used by your application to include trace messages from your components. This video shows you everything you'll need to know about the TraceContext component and the Trace.AXD utility.

Using Cascading Style Sheets

Cascading Style Sheets allow you to change the appearance of your web site by simply changing one file, a .css file that is associated (or rather, linked) to each of your web pages. Each HTML paragraph, table cell, heading, etc. can be customized to look or perform in a certain way, and custom classes can be created and applied to text areas. This video demonstrates how Visual Studio.NET makes the creation and linking of .css files easy.

Previewing the Cascading Style Sheet

Once you have created your style sheet (.css) file, you can test it before applying it to your application by using the built-in Visual Studio.NET CSS testing harness. This video shows you how.

Creating a Style Rule

Style Rules allow the developer to assign a ranking or priority to overlapping CSS styles that are applied to your web pages. This video demonstrates how Visual Studio.NET makes this defining order of precedence easy.

Creating a Frameset

Framesets allow you to refresh areas of the viewable browser area without reloading the entire screen. In theory, this reduces the amount that must be downloaded by the user for each subsequent page view within the web site. In practice, sometimes the creation (and use) of frames can be 'painful' if not done right. Visual Studio.NET allows you to create frames in a very visual way, and this video shows how to accomplish that.

Caching with ASP.NET

Demonstrates various modes of caching within ASP.NET. See artcle on 4GuysFromRolla: http://aspnet.4guysfromrolla.com/articles/022802-1.aspx

Creating an HTTP Handler

Demonstrates how to create an HTTP Handler that can process your custom file extensions.

Fragment Caching with User Controls

Fragment Caching with User Controls

Sending an Email in ASP.NET

Sending an Email in ASP.NET

Setting Password Values in ASP.NET Text Boxes

Setting Password Values in ASP.NET Text Boxes

Handling Exceptions Globally in ASP.NET

Handling Exceptions Globally in ASP.NET

Updating the Browser Capabilities Info

Updating the Browser Capabilities Info

Adding Data to Session

Adding Data to Session

Beware of Absolute Positioning

Beware of Absolute Positioning

Creating Skins for your ASP.NET Apps

Creating Skins for your ASP.NET Apps

Absolute Positioning Revisited

Absolute Positioning Revisited

Passing Values Between Pages in ASP.NET

Passing Values Between Pages in ASP.NET

Creating a Scrollable Area in ASP.NET

Creating a Scrollable Area in ASP.NET

Accepting PayPal Payments

Accepting PayPal Payments