Professional ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 Edition: In C# and VB

Chapter 30. ASP.NET Dynamic Data

ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 offers a new feature that allows you to dynamically create data-driven Web applications. ASP.NET Dynamic Data is more than purely a code generator, and although it can provide a base application, it is completely modifiable by you. This allows you to quickly and easily create data entry or applications that allow your end users to work with and view the backend database.

The data-driven applications require a few components in order to work. The first is the template system. The second is a database to drive the application from, and the last requirement is the ability to work from an object model such as LINQ to SQL or LINQ to Entities.

This chapter illustrates how to build and customize an ASP.NET Dynamic Data application.

Creating Your Base Application with Visual Studio 2008

In order to work with the new ASP.NET Dynamic Data capabilities, you need to have SP1 installed for both the .NET Framework 3.5 and Visual Studio 2008. Once you have this service pack installed, you will notice that there are a couple of new projects in this area when you open the list of available projects. Figure 30-1 shows the two new projects: Dynamic Data Web Application and Dynamic Data Entities Web Application.

Which of the two application types you choose depends on how you are going to approach the object model. If you are going to work with LINQ to SQL as your object model, then you will choose the Dynamic Data Web Application option. If you are going ...