book

Designing Active Server Pages

Name: Designing Active Server Pages
Author: Scott Mitchell
ISBN: 9780596000448

by Scott Mitchell

September 2000

Intermediate to advanced

368 pages

10h 6m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Designing Active Server Pages
Preface
Who This Book Is For
How This Book Is Organized
ASP Information on the Web
Obtaining the Sample Code
Conventions Used in This Book
How to Contact Us
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
What Is Application Design?Designing for the Web
What’s Wrong with ASP Design?

Why Hasn’t ASP Design Advanced?
What Can Be Done to Improve ASP Design?
Server-Side IncludesFile types that can perform server-side includesDynamic server-side includesNaming your include filesProtecting the contents of your include files from prying eyesMore about server-side includesVBScript ClassesUsing Server.ExecuteUsing Server.Transfer
Further Reading
2. Choosing a Server-Side Scripting Language
The Popularity of VBScript
Specifying the Scripting Language
Specifying the Server-Side Scripting Language with SCRIPT BlocksChoosing the Right Scripting Language
Creating ASP Pages with JScript
Statement TerminationJScript’s Variables and DatatypesCase SensitivityRegular ExpressionsError HandlingAn ASP Example Using JScript
Creating ASP Pages with PerlScript
PerlScript’s Variables and DatatypesCase Sensitivity and Object ReferenceReading and Writing Files with PerlScriptRegular ExpressionsOther PerlScript FeaturesAn ASP Example Using PerlScript
Creating ASP Pages with Python
Further Reading
3. Exception Handling
A Bit of Terminology
Detecting When Exceptions Occur
Detecting Exceptions with Scripting Language Error-Handling MechanismsDetecting errors with VBScriptDeciding when to check if an exception occurredError handling in functions and subroutinesStreamlining VBScript error-handling codeDetecting errors with JScriptNested try ... catch blocksVBScript’s error handling versus JScript’s error handlingDetecting Exceptions with the ASPError ObjectScripting language errorsDetecting compile-time errors with the ASPError objectInternal ASP errorsExternal COM object errors
Responding to Exceptions
Displaying an Understandable Error MessageNotifying the Support Team When an Error OccursNotifying the support team with scripting language error-handling techniquesNotifying the support team with the ASPError objectRecovering from an Error
Creating Custom HTTP Error Pages
Further Reading
4. Regular Expressions, Classes, and Dynamic Evaluation and Execution
Using the RegExp ObjectRegExp’s PropertiesLegal Regular Expression SyntaxRegExp’s Methods
Using Object-Oriented Programming with VBScript
Object-Oriented Programming 101An object and an instanceEncapsulating complexityUsing Classes in VBScriptCreating classesThe Initialize and Terminate eventsProperties, methods, member variables, and member functionsThe public and private statementsUsing Property GetUsing Property LetUsing Property SetCreating read-only or write-only propertiesCreating Useful, Reusable Code
Using Dynamic Evaluation and Execution
Dynamic evaluationDynamic execution
Further Reading
5. Form Reuse
The Importance of Code ReuseCode Reuse in ASPExamining form usage
A Primer on Form Use
Creating HTML FormsThe building blocks of formsProcessing Forms Through an ASP PageWorking with the QueryString and Form collections
Form Validation
Client-Side Form ValidationServer-Side Form Validation
Creating Reusable Server-Side Form Validation Routines
Using Classes to Enhance Server-Side ValidationFurther enhancements to the server-side validation class
Developing Reusable Form Creation Routines
Form Implementation ComplexityMasking Implementation Complexity Using Classes
The Practicality of Reuse
Further Reading
6. Database Reuse
Examining Database Usage
The Building Blocks for Creating Reusable Administration Pages
The Ideal Reusable Administration Page ScriptDatabase SchemasImporting enumerations with adovbs.incImporting enumerations with the METADATA tagOpening schemasThe Criteria parameter
Creating Reusable Administration Pages
A Review of Database TermsPrimary key constraintsAutoNumber columnsForeign key constraintsGathering Column InformationThe ColumnInformation classThe Columns classColumns’s class properties and member variablesColumns’s class methodsTesting the Columns and ColumnInformation classesGathering Foreign Key InformationThe ForeignKeyInformation classThe ForeignKeys classTesting the ForeignKeys and ForeignKeyInformation classesDeciding How to Display the Table Columns in a FormThe DataTypeFormElementInformation classDataTypeFormElementInformation’s other methodsTesting the DataTypeFormElementInformation classCreating the Administration Page FormsThe AdminPageGenerator classThe AdminPageGenerator member variables and propertiesThe AdminPageGenerator methodsThe “Insert a New Record” administration pageThe “Delete an Existing Record” administration pageThe “Edit an Existing Record” administration pageInserting, Updating, and Deleting Database RecordsThe ModifyDatabase class’s properties and event handlersModifyDatabase’s methodsInserting a record into the databaseSelecting a particular record to editEditing an existing database recordDeleting an existing database recordTying the Administration Pages TogetherMenuItem’s methods, properties, and event handlersTesting the MenuItem classAdminPageMenu’s properties and event handlersAdminPageMenu’s methodsGenerating a menu with the AdminPageMenu and MenuItem classes/CODEREUSE/DisplayAdminPage.asp: the single administration page form generation scriptLimitations and Possible EnhancementsA note on performance
Further Reading
7. Using Components
COM—A Quick Overview
Lesser-Known Microsoft COM Components
Creating a Random Banner Rotation System with Ad RotatorCreating a rotator schedule fileDisplaying a bannerThe redirection fileTracking banner statisticsProviding impression and click-through tracking via a classUsing the AdRotation classPossible enhancements to the AdRotation classDid we really accomplish anything?Managing Web Site Content with the Content LinkerThe Content Linker list fileProviding a next and previous hyperlink in each tutorialCreating an index listing of the JScript Control Structure tutorials
Enhancing Microsoft’s COM Components
Building Components
Wrapping Business Logic Within a COM ObjectUsing COM Objects in a Multienvironment ScenarioBuilding COM Components with ScriptDissecting the Windows Script Component fileWindows Script Components versus classical, binary COM components
Further Reading
8. Enhancing Your Web Site with Third-Party Components
Executing DOS and Windows Applications on the Web Server with ASPExecASPExec’s Properties and MethodsExecuting a Command-Line Program with ASPExec
Obtaining Detailed Information About Your Users’s Browsers
Using Microsoft’s Browser Capabilities ComponentA More Versatile Solution: cyScape’s BrowserHawkUsing the BrowserHawk componentRedirecting users based on their browser’s enabled capabilities
Grabbing Information from Other Web Servers
ASPHTTP’s Properties and MethodsRetrieving a Web Page with ASPHTTPRetrieving Binary Data with ASPHTTP
Encrypting Information
Encrypting Information with a KeySymmetric cryptographyAsymmetric cryptographyAuthenticationDigital CertificatesClient and server certificatesSending Digitally Signed, Encrypted Email with ASPEncryptObtaining the client’s certificateSending encrypted emailSending digitally signed emailsSending digitally signed, encrypted email
Uploading Files from the Browser to the Web Server
Creating a Simple “Upload a File” ASP PageUploading Binary Objects to a DatabaseDisplaying a property’s picturesOther SA-FileUp Features
Why Reinvent the Wheel?
Further Reading
Index
Colophon

Overview

Developers of Active Server Pages often reinvent the wheel. Their background in web design, with its separate HTML page for each viewable web page on a site, leads many ASP developers to create a distinct ASP page each time they think they need one. Often times, these pages are functionally similar. With intelligent planning, an ASP developer stands to save a great deal of time by creating reusable ASP pages. Designing Active Server Pages is tailor-made for these developers. There is currently a plethora of Active Server Pages books. However, the vast majority of these books are either technical references or how-to books for beginners. Designing Active Server Pages is written for the intermediate to advanced user. Furthermore, nearly every other book on ASP focuses on using VBScript, even though ASP supports an array of scripting languages, including JScript and PerlScript. Designing Active Server Pages shows how to start using these other languages. The latest version of the scripting engines (Version 5.1 for VBScript) adds new features not available before the 5.0 release. These features include class support for VBScript, and Regular Expression searching through the use of a COM object. Designing Active Server Pages explains why using classes in VBScript is beneficial, and demonstrates the power of regular expression searching. This book shows how to simplify the process by only requiring one ASP page to handle ALL of the Forms throughout a web site, thus reducing the amount of code one has to write. Topics include:

Using various Microsoft and third-party components to enhance ASP pages
Creating components using VB and/or VC++
Sample code for performing routine ASP tasks
Techniques to allow for reusable database scripts on the database system and on ASP pages
How to obtain and register third-party components, thus saving massive amounts of time by reusing someone else's code

Designing Active Server Pages is for developers who have already mastered the basics of ASP application development and are ready to take the next logical step. It is sure to become an indispensable part of every web developer's library.

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