ITEC 334 Fall 2008
Computer Programming in the Web Era

Active Server Pages Notes

Last Updated 11/7/09

Online Tutorial Orders Demo
Web HostingBasics  Retrieve  Enter  Delete  Update  Other  XML

Web Hosting Services

• Alentus web and ASP hosting (used in this class for student accounts - pay)
• HelioHost web and ASP hosting (free)
• Zymic web hosting, no ASP just web and PhP (free)

The ASP Environment and Scripting Basics

• The <% tag and ASP script layout
• Variables
• (*) Lab test.asp
• Loops: Factorial Calculation Example
• IF Example
• Creating Functions  [VBScript Built-in Functions]

Retrieving and Displaying Data

• The "connection" object, DSN, ODBC and the recordset
• Displaying a full database table [delivery database design]
• Displaying part of a table
• Quick recordset displays (for 1, 2 and 3 below)
• Displaying part of a table with user input
  [See: delivery database design] [Demo: Products Customers Orders]
• (*) Lab LabASPDisplay.asp

• Delivery menu with both client-side and server-side scripts
• (*) HW Count Bills

Testing and Displaying your Tables

• Testing Displays from test table for a DSN (use with your HW or Prj database DSN)
• Displaying any table with any DSN (to display any table in your HW or Prj database)
• Displaying any table for a student (to display any table in your HW or Prj database--change the database DSN in the URL when the page opens--e.g. from HW22 to HW23 or Prj23)
• Testing a database file connection (use this to test a DSN-less connection--most likely you are not using this)
• Displaying any table with any database file name (use this to display any table with a DSN-less connection--most likely you are not using this)

Entering New Data

• Testing Inserts into test table for a DSN (use with your HW or Prj database DSN)
• The scripts below work with the Salary database   [Display table]
• (1) Inserting a record with fixed values
• (2) Writing and embedding SQL INSERT query strings
• (3a) Inserting a single record with user input [Other demos: Register Customer Place Order]
• (3b) Inserting a single record with picklist  [Other demo: Place Order wPicklist]

Deleting Data

Suggestion: don't delete more than one record at a time, unless you have to and you know what you are doing

• Testing Deletions from test table for a DSN (use with your HW or Prj database DSN)
• The scripts below delete records inserted above, they work with the Salary database  [Display table]
• (1) Deleting a single record with fixed values
• (2) Writing and embedding SQL DELETE query strings
• (3a) Deleting a single record with user input
• (3b) Deleting a single record with picklist

Updating Data

• The scripts below delete records inserted above, they work with the Salary database  [Display table]
• (1) Updating fixed values in a given record
• (2) Writing and embedding SQL UPDATE query strings
• (3a) Updating a single record with user input
• (3b) Updating a single record with picklist
• (*) HW Updating PK's

Other ASP Programming Concepts

• Global settings, application and session variables - also see code for global.asa  [ASP Application and Session Objects]
• Timeouts and the redirect method - this script will redirect you to a login screen -- you will only be able to see this page after you log in through the class_global.asp script.
• Included scripts - this script will only work if you are logged in via the class_global.asp script. Otherwise it will re-direct you there.
• Password protection and user access and roles
• Loging out
• E-mail script
• Product catalogs with pictures, shopping cart and checkout  [use with Orders database]
• Entering orders and order details (line items)  [use with Orders database]
• Surveys: text boxes, check boxes and radio buttons

eXtensibe Markup Language (XML)

• Simple example: Books - hand coded in XML
• Simple example: Nutrition - hand coded in XML
• Creating XML documents with ASP
• Simple example: Books - created with ASP
• Creating XML from database data - Orders & LineItems