Programming ASP.NET, 3rd Edition

Projects and Solutions

A typical .NET web application consists of many items: content files (such as .aspx files), source files (such as .cs files), assemblies (such as .exe and .dllfiles) and assembly information files, data sources (such as .mdb files), references, and icons, as well as miscellaneous other files and folders. VS2005 organizes these items into a folder that represents the web site. All the files that make up the web site are contained in a solution. When you create a new web site, VS2005 automatically creates the solution and displays it in the Solution Explorer. Additional projects (described below) can also be added to the web site.

In addition to web sites, VS2005 can create projects. These projects can be added to the solution or placed in their own solution. Many types of projects can be built in VS2005, including among others:

• Windows Application

• Windows Service

• Windows Control Libray

• Web Control Library

• Class Library

• Pocket PC Application, Class Library, Control Library, or Empty Project

• SmartPhone Application, Class Library, or Empty Project

• Windows CE Application, Class Library, Control Library, or Empty Project

• SQL Server Project

• Empty Project

Notable in its absence from the above list are Web Applications. Web applications are not contained within projects, just solutions and, as you saw above, you open new web sites directly, using File → New Web Site... rather than File → New Project. You can, however, add a project to a web application solution. You will see this ...