List of Figures

Chapter 1: ASP.NET 2.0 at a Glance

Figure 1-1: The ASP.NET architecture stack is made up of three logical units.

Figure 1-2: Here are the new Data Controls as they appear in a real zero-code scenario.

Figure 1-3: Master Pages help to ensure a consistent design.

Figure 1-4: Including TreeView navigation is really easy now.

Figure 1-5: The Security Setup Wizard helps set up a secured web site.

Figure 1-6: You can now manage users and roles out of the box.

Figure 1-7: It's not that hot in L.A. today.

Figure 1-8: This Theme is called Basic Blue . . .

Figure 1-9: . . . and this one is called Smoke And Glass.

Figure 1-10: Use common controls to create mobile web apps. (Image courtesy Openwave Systems Inc.)

Figure 1-11: The Configuration Settings Editor allows editing of virtually any setting by enhancing the IIS MMC Snap-In.

Figure 1-12: VB .NET now supports XML documentation.

Chapter 2: Introducing vs .NET for Web Developers

Figure 2-1: Here's the new Visual Studio .NET at work.

Figure 2-2: Creating a new web site is quite simple nowadays.

Figure 2-3: In the Choose Location dialog box, you choose among the File System, IIS Local, FTP Sites, or SharePoint Sites options.

Figure 2-4: To open a web site, just point to the corresponding directory in the Open Web Site dialog box.

Figure 2-5: VS .NET now fully preserves your HTML code.

Figure 2-6: VS NET now supports smart tags.

Figure 2-7: Editing templates is much easier now.

Figure 2-8: You can assign data bindings easily using this dialog box.

Figure 2-9: The table editing features have been slightly improved.

Figure 2-10: Select the validation schema you want to target.

Figure 2-11: Just select the event you need to handle.

Figure 2-12: You can now apply even client-side event handlers easily.

Figure 2-13: IntelliSense now supports client-side scripting.

Figure 2-14: You no longer need IIS to run your project—just click and go for it.

Figure 2-15: You can change the value of a variable in the tool tip while you debug.

Figure 2-16: VB NET allows a detailed view into every object.

Figure 2-17: Code-beside keeps your files clean.

Figure 2-18: Any known file types placed within the code directory are dynamically compiled.

Figure 2-19: The precompilation tool creates a marker file for each page of your site.

Figure 2-20: You can customize virtually any editor behavior.

Figure 2-21: In the Import/Export Settings dialog box you back up, share, and reset your individual IDE settings.

Chapter 3: Enhanced Data Controls

Figure 3-1: This wizard helps you create queries.

Figure 3-2: Are you ready for another zero-code-scenario?

Figure 3-3: The GridView control supports sorting and paging out of the box.

Figure 3-4: You can easily define the displayed fields.

Figure 3-5: You can visually define any templated field.

Figure 3-6: Assign a data binding by selecting the corresponding data field.

Figure 3-7: The GridView automatically generates Delete link buttons.

Figure 3-8: ASP.NET now supports better client-side integration.

Figure 3-9: Gosh! Everything you need to edit data already ships with ASP.NET version 2.0.

Figure 3-10: Showing Master/Detail records is a must-have feature!

Figure 3-11: The Query Editor deals with parameters.

Figure 3-12: The DetailsView control displays a single record at once.

Figure 3-13: You can define what users should see and what they shouldn't.

Figure 3-14: The DetailsView control supports insertion of new records.

Figure 3-15: You even can mix a custom template with auto-generated fields.

Figure 3-16: Edit and update the selected record or add a new one.

Figure 3-17: You can create, edit, and move your static tree nodes.

Figure 3-18: The newly created tree nodes are displayed in an MSDN-like style.

Figure 3-19: Looks like the Explorer, but what about the actual data?

Figure 3-20: Oh, that's really better, I think.

Figure 3-21: Nested directories are populated dynamically if you click the parent.

Figure 3-22: You can connect business objects directly to any Data Control.

Figure 3-23: Use parameters to select what data you want displayed.

Figure 3-24: Enter a valid ID to display the corresponding Person object.

Figure 3-25: You can edit and delete your business object in a very direct manner.

Figure 3-26: Of course, inserting new records is now supported as well.

Chapter 4: Working with Master Pages

Figure 4-1: Design your site any way you want!

Figure 4-2: Select which Master Page to use.

Figure 4-3: You can visually edit your Content Pages.

Figure 4-4: You can define default content that is spread over the pages.

Figure 4-5: The control tree shows how ASP.NET is handling Master Pages.

Figure 4-6: Both master pages are merged with the Content Page.

Figure 4-7: Gosh—it works!

Chapter 5: Integrating Site Navigation

Figure 5-1: You can use the TreeView control to display any kind of hierarchical site map.

Figure 5-2: The main navigation and area navigation are split.

Figure 5-3: The new SiteMapPath control offers your visitors a way to see where they actually are.

Chapter 6: Managing Users

Figure 6-1: Choose which data you want to save.

Figure 6-2: You can define as many custom roles as you like.

Figure 6-3: Here you can create one or more users and assign them to one or more of the created roles.

Figure 6-4: You can define which user is allowed to access what content.

Figure 6-5: The new web site contains two protected areas, one for any users and one for administrators only.

Figure 6-6: Just start the new administration tool to update the configuration.

Figure 6-7: The main page is accessible even for anonymous users like me.

Figure 6-8: The Login control includes everything you need for a user to log in to your web site.

Figure 6-9: Customizing included—the Login control supports templating.

Figure 6-10: Oh dear, did you forget your password again?

Figure 6-11: Are you looking for the protected area?

Figure 6-12: You can define custom role-based templates.

Figure 6-13: ASP.NET automatically generates an anonymous user ID.

Figure 6-14: Starting with the Beta version, ASP.NET 2.0 will include a CreateUser control out of the box.

Figure 6-15: The administrator can access a list of all users, including detailed data.

Figure 6-16: Users can update their personal data on their own.

Figure 6-17: My site is looking for more visitors.

Figure 6-18: Creating an individual console for the administration won't take very long.

Figure 6-19: This wizard helps create a database for storing membership data and much more ASP.NET-related stuff.

Chapter 7: Personalization

Figure 7-1: Any defined properties are available through a type-safe profile object.

Figure 7-2: Profile data is automatically stored.

Figure 7-3: A Microsoft Access database is used to store profile data.

Figure 7-4: You can use any base data type for storing data in the user's profile.

Figure 7-5: The bookmarks are stored using the StringCollection class.

Figure 7-6: Any changes are directly reflected in the profile and available throughout the whole profile lifetime.

Figure 7-7: Even anonymous users can store items in their personal shopping basket.

Figure 7-8: The anonymous basket is merged with the one already saved for the authenticated user.

Chapter 8: Creating Portals with Web Parts

Figure 8-1: MSN.com allows authenticated visitors to customize the portal.

Figure 8-2: Following the ASP.NET terminology, MSN.com consists of three zones and includes several subparts.

Figure 8-3: You can visually define your zones for any single page.

Figure 8-4: Edit the templates.

Figure 8-5: Congratulations! Your first ASP.NET version 2 portal page is ready.

Figure 8-6: Just drag and drop to personalize your page.

Figure 8-7: The way to add a new verb is a little unusal, but still easy to do.

Figure 8-8: Add any removed web parts using the PageCatalogPart Control.

Figure 8-9: Just add all the Web Parts your users can select.

Figure 8-10: Several editor parts allow you to customize your page layout.

Figure 8-11: Maybe they'll get better weather tomorrow.

Figure 8-12: The user can easily change the weather location.

Chapter 9: Applying Themes

Figure 9-1: This Theme is called BlueBasic.

Figure 9-2: This one is known as SmokeAndGlass.

Figure 9-3: The same page shown earlier now uses a very special Theme.

Figure 9-4: Using different stylesheet files with Themes is quite easy.

Figure 9-5: Two identical controls are now using different Skins.

Figure 9-6: Your users can select which Theme to use.

Chapter 10: Tracking Traffic with Site Counters

Figure 10-1: Site counters are tracked using counter rows.

Figure 10-2: Using site counters is quite easy.

Figure 10-3: The Beta version will most likely ship with a reporting tool.

Figure 10-4: A simple reporting tool lists the button clicks.

Figure 10-5: You can easily determine which ad is the most successful.

Figure 10-6: Page counters log every hit on every page of your web site.

Figure 10-7: Here's my first ASP.NET 2.0 graphical counter (woo hoo!).

Chapter 11: The Enhanced Page Framework and Cool New Controls

Figure 11-1: The new BulletedList control is very versatile.

Figure 11-2: The DynamicImage control allows you to scale existing images.

Figure 11-3: Creating a thumbnail list is fun now.

Figure 11-4: Say cheese!

Figure 11-5: Custom Image Generators can use parameters.

Figure 11-6: Welcome to Hollywood!

Figure 11-7: You can use the MultiView and View controls to switch the interface.

Figure 11-8: The new Wizard control allows you to create easy-to-use wizard steps.

Figure 11-9: The Panel control now supports scrolling.

Figure 11-10: You can page content in multiple controls with the new Pager control.

Figure 11-11: File upload is now controllable through the Web.

Figure 11-12: The Substitution control calls the assigned method just in time.

Figure 11-13: Validation groups are definitely a missing feature of version 1.0.

Figure 11-14: You can now post to different target pages.

Figure 11-15: The page's title is set using the @Page directive.

Figure 11-16: The text "Hello World" was reversed by a server-side callback method.

Figure 11-17: Any page or control can be cached with SQL Server Cache Invalidation.

Chapter 12: Going Mobile

Figure 12-1: The same page in Internet Explorer ...

Figure 12-2: ... in Internet Explorer for Pocket PC ...

Figure 12-3: ... and in Openwave WAP Emulator. (Image courtesy Openwave Systems Inc.)

Figure 12-4: MultiView and View are used to switch the current view. (Image courtesy Openwave Systems Inc.)

Figure 12-5: You can visually edit your views.

Figure 12-6: In the Openwave WAP Emulator, the list won't be paged. (Image courtesy Openwave Systems Inc.)

Figure 12-7: Hello, this is me. Who are you? (Image courtesy Openwave Systems Inc.)

Chapter 13: Configuration for Developers and Administrators

Figure 13-1: This new tool is intended to be used by administrators.

Figure 13-2: You can configure your web site even via remote access.

Figure 13-3: The Configuration Settings Editor allows modifying of virtually every setting in your web.config file.

Figure 13-4: You can access the application settings either using the old method or with the new Configuration API.

Figure 13-5: Accessing the new connection string section is very easy, too.

Figure 13-6: Everyone is welcome to visit my site.

Figure 13-7: The nested collections allow you to dive deep into the configuration.

Figure 13-8: This is really a raw configuration XML.