[dba-VB] ASP.NET, separated programming and visual design

Hi Jim, Michael and Shamil

First, this will be a simple application, only four tables as in most "ASP Beginner Course":

  Customer
  Product
  Order
  OrderLine

I could probably just copy one of the VS samples!

Then, that about Notepad was a joke. Don't know which tool he uses but he would have a look at Programmer's Notepad, that's at least one step forward.
But I think I will try to persuade him for VS Express. If he is fluent in ASP, it must be a gift.

Finally, as this will be the simple case as Shamil describes, if I upload the application and he does some changes to the .aspx/.ascx files, all I need to do is to download the .aspx/.ascx files and overwrite my local files to have the full application?
But if I don't do that and needed to make some changes to the "mechanics", will VS be so clever when uploading the revised application that it will not touch the newer .aspx/.ascx files?
That would be perfect.

/gustav


>>> shamil at users.mns.ru 04-04-2008 01:53 >>>
Hi Gustav,

"separated programming and visual design" for asp.net application in the
most simple case usually means that visual design part of web pages/custom
controls is kept in .aspx/.ascx files, and code to process events of these
web pages/controls is kept in accompanying .aspx.cs/.ascx.cs (C#) or
.aspx.vb/.ascx.vb (VB) code behind files. In more advanced cases part of
code is stored in \bin subfolder; in even more advanced cases one can create
(visual layer) classlib DLLs etc....

Yes, one can type entire ASP.Net application in Notepad (except graphics of
course)...

But I'd doubt such a practice - ASP.NET experts AFAIS are usually typing
.aspx markup in text view in Visual Studio - when used that way then one can
use Intellisence, which is very handy...

After release you can replace parts of ASP.NET application or the whole
application just by replacing/copying over parts/all the files of the
ASP.NET application...

You can do such replacing/copying over even for live running ASP.NET
application: when separate .aspx pages are replaced then after replacing the
new version of .aspx page will be rendered on the new page request, and
ASP.NET application *will not be* restarted...

If you replace certain files as e.g. ASP.NET app's web.config, master page,
code files/classlib .dlls in \bin folder and some others then ASP.NET
application gets restarted but assuming that the usual practice is to have
most of the pages of ASP.NET app stateless such restarting shouldn't harm
(NB: ASP.Net application restarting clears/destroys all session level
variables and application cache but preserve live user sessions, which
identity is usually kept in cookies...)



--
Shamil
 
-----Original Message-----
From: dba-vb-bounces at databaseadvisors.com 
[mailto:dba-vb-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 3:35 PM
To: dba-vb at databaseadvisors.com 
Subject: [dba-VB] ASP.NET, separated programming and visual design

Hi all

A client asks if we can create a small database application (usual stuff for
order registration) for him with only a very basic design and then he will
create the visual design.

That should be doable with ASP.NET and Visual Studio 2008 Standard for my
part but what will he need? I would say Visual Studio Web edition but he
claims to be an expert in ASP and prefers Notepad! I could leave the problem
to him but I prefer to stay clear of possible disasters.

Also, I must be able to pull back the application, make some changes and
forward it again.

Anyone having experiences with a process like this?

/gustav