Introduction

"Once every five years or so, a software development tool comes along that completely revolutionizes the way software applications are constructed . Some recent examples include Lotus Notes for groupware and PowerBuilder and Visual Basic for client-server applications. These products offer unique features that allow developers to create complex applications quickly and easily using an Integrated Development Environment—they are the tools that spring to mind when you think of groupware or client-server software.

"This type of application has been sorely needed in the Web development arena. For the past several years, Web developers have had to work with a variety of elementary tools in order to construct Web applications. Connecting databases to these Web applications has been even harder because of the nature of HTML and the HTTP protocol.

"Microsoft Visual InterDev is the new Web application development tool that was introduced along with the Visual Studio 97 suite of tools in early 1997. It is Microsoft's component integration tool for assembling components created using products such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual J++.

"Visual InterDev promises to become the de facto standard for constructing dynamic, data-driven Web applications for the entire software industry. In fact, many Web sites and applications have already been created using Visual InterDev, and you can expect to see many more as time goes by."

This was the prediction I made in the introduction to Inside Microsoft Visual InterDev (Microsoft Press, 1997), and today, a year later, those words still stand. In fact, according to independent statistics, Visual InterDev has indeed become the de facto standard for development of dynamic, data-driven Web applications. The list of Internet, intranet, and extranet sites using this technology reads like a who's who of the major corporations throughout the world, including Compaq, Dell, Hallmark, Barnes and Noble, CNNSI, Marriott, CompUSA, and many others.

In this book, we'll look under the hood of Visual InterDev 6.0 and explore the unique features that make it such an exciting new product. The book is divided into six parts , which cover everything from getting started to more complex topics such as advanced database topics, three- tier architectures (incorporating Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 components and Microsoft Transaction Server 2.0), and the incorporation of digital certificates (using Microsoft Certificate Server).

Part I, Getting Started with Visual InterDev , introduces you to the product and covers product installation; the integrated development environment; and how to create, maintain, and debug your applications

Part II, Creating Applications , introduces you to the new Scripting Object Model, the Data Environment, design-time controls, and using Dynamic HTML features. These are all exciting new features in Visual InterDev 6.0 that increase developer productivity and enhance the end- user experience when running Visual InterDev_created applications.

Part III, Scripting the Scripting Object Model , covers scripting design-time controls, using forms (including the new Form Manager), using Active Server Pages (ASP), and integrating client-side Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets.

Part IV, Advanced Database Development , goes into detail about using the Visual Database Tools (including Data View, Database Designer, Query Designer, and the source code editor), scripting the Data Environment, working with Recordset objects, employing stored procedures, and using client database features. These rich database tools make it easy to create powerful Web applications without having to leave the Visual InterDev development environment.

Part V, Developing n-Tier Applications , discusses how to build n-tier applications using Visual InterDev 6.0, Visual Basic 6.0, and Microsoft Transaction Server. Both transactional applications as they relate to COM components and transactional ASP pages are discussed. There is also a comprehensive chapter on how to use the built-in server-side components available from the Visual InterDev Toolbox and a chapter on Microsoft Message Queue Server.

Finally, Part VI, Security , looks at adding security with chapters on standard security and the incorporation of client-side digital certificates for more advanced user authentication using Microsoft Certificate Server.

The CD-ROM contains a wealth of software that illustrates the techniques outlined in the book. It also includes sample applications that illustrate how to wire together complete, transactional, three-tier applications using Visual InterDev 6.0, Visual Basic 6.0, Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0, Microsoft Transaction Server 2.0, Microsoft Certificate Server, and Microsoft SQL Server. A key sample application that is referred to throughout the book is a sample Internet banking application named VI-Bank.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the next generation of Web application development. Whether your background is in client/server development or Web application development, knowledge of Visual InterDev will enable you to rapidly construct the Internet, intranet, and extranet Web applications of today and tomorrow.

Nick Evans

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