Newbie - need advice on methodology

I am just getting started working on some small, in-house web projects for our work group. These are within the corporate fire-wall, about 10 users or so. Question: The video tutorials on this site show a pretty simple, straightforward way of hooking up a SQl database, master pages, etc. On the other hand, the on-line or PDF tutorials show a much more complex method with what looks to be a lot of hand coding. Leaving aside the standard "It depends on what your're tryingto do" answer for the moment, and given the situation outlined above, is there a reason to go with the all the hand coding as opposed to the drag and drop methods?

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

It depends on what you're trying to do... :)

Drag and drop should be fine, especially for one-off apps that may never be updated. As you gain in your skill set, you'll find where you need to modify your process.

Jeff

I would agree that drag and drop is best to get started as that is what i did. Then once the control is there you can modify it a little more each time. For instance in a gridview maybe format some fields or add hyperlinking.

One caveat is that I had issues with update/insertion working with drag and drop. Also keep in mind that a three tier approrach is best for scalablilty but for under 20 users you can just go straight to the sql. The point of 2.0 and on is ease of development.

Good Luck

It will be much faster to create application if you know how to hand code. However, in my experience, Drag/Drop was a quick and easy way to get started. In about 2-3 weeks, I found my self hand coding since I needed more control over what I was trying to do. Try dragging the controls on to your form, changing settings, then reviewing the code for what you did.

newbie help

Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our users a
1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it each
user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a new
virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering if
there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build an
ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the call
and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the rest of
the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if someone
can point me in the right direction here.
many thanks in advance,
RPthis may be of interest to you, I've never done it, but the beginning =
example looks to be about what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.codeproject.com/aspnet/URLRewriter.asp
"RP" <rp@.nospam.com> wrote in message =
news:O6BNelxTEHA.1472@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our =
users a
> 1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it =
each
> user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
> http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a =
new
> virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering =
if
> there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build =
an
> ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
> portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the =
call
> and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the =
rest of
> the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if =
someone
> can point me in the right direction here.
>=20
> many thanks in advance,
> RP
>=20
>
Thank you. That is just what I needed.
"Raterus" <raterus@.spam.org> wrote in message
news:uv2OmyxTEHA.1244@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
this may be of interest to you, I've never done it, but the beginning
example looks to be about what you are trying to accomplish.
http://www.codeproject.com/aspnet/URLRewriter.asp
"RP" <rp@.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:O6BNelxTEHA.1472@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our users
a
> 1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it each
> user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
> http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a new
> virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering if
> there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build an
> ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
> portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the call
> and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the rest
of
> the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if someone
> can point me in the right direction here.
> many thanks in advance,
> RP
>

newbie help

Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our users a
1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it each
user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a new
virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering if
there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build an
ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the call
and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the rest of
the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if someone
can point me in the right direction here.

many thanks in advance,
RPthis may be of interest to you, I've never done it, but the beginning example looks to be about what you are trying to accomplish.

http://www.codeproject.com/aspnet/URLRewriter.asp

"RP" <rp@.nospam.com> wrote in message news:O6BNelxTEHA.1472@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our users a
> 1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it each
> user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
> http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a new
> virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering if
> there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build an
> ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
> portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the call
> and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the rest of
> the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if someone
> can point me in the right direction here.
>
> many thanks in advance,
> RP
>
Thank you. That is just what I needed.

"Raterus" <raterus@.spam.org> wrote in message
news:uv2OmyxTEHA.1244@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
this may be of interest to you, I've never done it, but the beginning
example looks to be about what you are trying to accomplish.

http://www.codeproject.com/aspnet/URLRewriter.asp

"RP" <rp@.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:O6BNelxTEHA.1472@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi all, we plan on implementing a project where we will provide our users
a
> 1 page website. Something like a PWP. What we would like to have it each
> user would have their own url e.g. http://users.domain.com/username1,
> http://users.domain.com/username2. Now instead of having to setup a new
> virtual dir in IIS everytime a new user is to be setup I was wondering if
> there is anyway to accomplish this in asp.net without having to build an
> ISAPI Filter. Ideally I would really like to have only 1 page called
> portal.aspx. If somehow I can have some code that will intercept the call
> and pass the username as a querystring parameter to portal.aspx, the rest
of
> the work will be done by that page. I would greatly appreciate if someone
> can point me in the right direction here.
> many thanks in advance,
> RP

newbie needs help with storing stateful information

Hi,
I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
plain text file on server side.
Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told session
does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
one time and others at other time.
TIAFor my application I use a dataset to store things within the procedures and
if I need to share it to other pages or to store it permenantly I write it
to disk with DataSet.WriteXML(filename, how to store it)
When I need it again, I user DataSet.ReadXML(filename, how it was stored)
It's maybe not the best method but it works for me.
The great thing about this is, that you can easily read the file to check
for errors during the programming.
rg,
Eric
"Raymond Du" <rdrd@.yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
news:OKmysXSYEHA.2520@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
> methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
> know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
> plain text file on server side.
> Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told
session
> does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
> one time and others at other time.
> TIA
>
Thank you for the response. How do you make other pages aware of the file
name you use, did you pass it to other pages via querystring ,session,
cookie,...? Or did I misunderstand your response?
Thanks Again
"EMW" <SomeOne@.MicroSoftdotCom> wrote in message
news:40e6f7aa$0$62398$5fc3050@.dreader2.news.tiscali.nl...
> For my application I use a dataset to store things within the procedures
and
> if I need to share it to other pages or to store it permenantly I write it
> to disk with DataSet.WriteXML(filename, how to store it)
> When I need it again, I user DataSet.ReadXML(filename, how it was stored)
> It's maybe not the best method but it works for me.
> The great thing about this is, that you can easily read the file to check
> for errors during the programming.
> rg,
> Eric
>
> "Raymond Du" <rdrd@.yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
> news:OKmysXSYEHA.2520@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
best
I
table,
> session
at
>
Hi Raymond,
Session work correctly in a web farm too. With ASP.NET you can store
session variables in a sqlserver DB or in a machine accessible by all
others in the web farm. What's more everithing is transparent, you
access the session variables always in the same way.
i.e.
string myvar = Session["NAME"].ToString();
Session["NAME"] = "Stefano";
The only thing you have to configure is the sessionState element of the
web.config file in you application. Keep in mind that storing session in
an external store slow down aplication performance due to additional
step in the process of acquiring Session.
HTH,
Stefano Mostarda MCP
Rome Italy
Raymond Du wrote:
> Hi,
> I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
> methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
> know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
> plain text file on server side.
> Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told sessi
on
> does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
> one time and others at other time.
> TIA
>

newbie needs help with storing stateful information

Hi,

I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
plain text file on server side.

Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told session
does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
one time and others at other time.

TIAFor my application I use a dataset to store things within the procedures and
if I need to share it to other pages or to store it permenantly I write it
to disk with DataSet.WriteXML(filename, how to store it)

When I need it again, I user DataSet.ReadXML(filename, how it was stored)

It's maybe not the best method but it works for me.
The great thing about this is, that you can easily read the file to check
for errors during the programming.

rg,
Eric

"Raymond Du" <rdrd@.yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
news:OKmysXSYEHA.2520@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
> methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
> know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
> plain text file on server side.
> Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told
session
> does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
> one time and others at other time.
> TIA
Thank you for the response. How do you make other pages aware of the file
name you use, did you pass it to other pages via querystring ,session,
cookie,...? Or did I misunderstand your response?

Thanks Again
"EMW" <SomeOne@.MicroSoftdotCom> wrote in message
news:40e6f7aa$0$62398$5fc3050@.dreader2.news.tiscal i.nl...
> For my application I use a dataset to store things within the procedures
and
> if I need to share it to other pages or to store it permenantly I write it
> to disk with DataSet.WriteXML(filename, how to store it)
> When I need it again, I user DataSet.ReadXML(filename, how it was stored)
> It's maybe not the best method but it works for me.
> The great thing about this is, that you can easily read the file to check
> for errors during the programming.
> rg,
> Eric
>
> "Raymond Du" <rdrd@.yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
> news:OKmysXSYEHA.2520@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > Hi,
> > I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the
best
> > methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as
I
> > know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database
table,
> > plain text file on server side.
> > Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told
> session
> > does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server
at
> > one time and others at other time.
> > TIA
Hi Raymond,

Session work correctly in a web farm too. With ASP.NET you can store
session variables in a sqlserver DB or in a machine accessible by all
others in the web farm. What's more everithing is transparent, you
access the session variables always in the same way.
i.e.
string myvar = Session["NAME"].ToString();
Session["NAME"] = "Stefano";

The only thing you have to configure is the sessionState element of the
web.config file in you application. Keep in mind that storing session in
an external store slow down aplication performance due to additional
step in the process of acquiring Session.

HTH,
Stefano Mostarda MCP
Rome Italy

Raymond Du wrote:
> Hi,
> I am working on a shopping cart application, I would like to know the best
> methods to keep track of items users put into shopping cart. As far as I
> know, here are some possible solutions: session, cookie, database table,
> plain text file on server side.
> Please consider the possibility of web farm environment, I was told session
> does not even work in this situation because you could be on one server at
> one time and others at other time.
> TIA
>