Beginning Active Server Pages 2.0 (Beginning)

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 653 pages
• Published by: Wrox Press
• Edition: 1st Edition June 1998
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1861001347
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1861001344
• Book Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 1.4 inches
• Weighs: 2.4 pounds

Product Review
If you're new to Web development--or even new to programming in general--Beginning Active Server Pages 2.0 is good place to start for learning how to program with Active Server Pages (ASPs) using Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). In this accessible and clearly written text, the authors do a fine job of presenting the basics of using ASPs in digestible increments, including how to program with databases.

The book starts with the basics of client-side technologies--using HTML with JavaScript and VBScript. Once these terms are introduced, the move toward server-side processing and ASPs begins. The authors include the basics of setting up Personal Web Server (with screen shots) and the basics of using ASPs to process simple user requests on a server.

Next, the authors look at some of the objects available in ASP programming (including Request, Response, Applications, Sessions, and Cookies objects). They present the basics of customizing Web content for particular browsers and managing indexes of pages. The sections on debugging ASPs--including how to use the Microsoft Script Debugger--are also useful.

Some of the book's best material is in its coverage of the Microsoft databases, including ActiveX Data Object (ADO), open database connectivity (ODBC), and the newer object linking and embedding database (OLE-DB) standards. The authors describe the basic objects used to manipulate data with ASPs. The book rounds out with a sizeable example that uses live data for an online classified section, complete with user bidding for items. --Richard Dragan

Product Description
ASP is the future of the web. With ASP you can make your web pages more dynamic, more efficient and more responsive to the specific requirement of your users. It is not just a technology and to get the best out of it you will be using it in tandem with HTML and with one or more of the web's simple scripting languages. You'll also see how to use ASP and ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) to put database content on to your web pages. This book will teach you everything you need to create useful real-world applications on the web.

Reader Reviews
When I was on the market for an ASP book, I was torn whether or not to get 2.0, go straight to 3.0, or try my hand at a Professional 2.0 or 3.0. I was scared away from anything 3.0 because I didn't have Win2000 and IIS 5.0. As it turns out, I learned plenty about ASP with this book, regardless of which Win operating system I'm on (or you are on). It is true what reviewers write below, this is a very introductory book to ASP. It assumes you are a beginner to programming. It also favors VBScript as opposed to JavaScript. But the most important part is that it is an intro and it sets the foundation to learn more (which i would suggest ASP Databases with Kauffman next!) I had no previous ASP experience but plenty of HTML and VBScript. This book was a good choice for me because I could breeze through the HTML/VB and concentrate on how to use what I knew with ASP. It helps you with the PWS download and gets it running (which allows individuals to run ASP if you don't have Server of IIS). It spends a fair amount of time on the big 6 ASP objects. However, there are a few other really great parts to this book. They give a few great scripts, including one that detects browsers. In addition, I really like the last three chapters. After they teach you about ASP, Ch. 13 introduces ASP with databases (including ODBC and OLE-DB), Ch. 14 discusses the ADO model (with SQL) and Ch. 15 integrates it all together with a big, 100-page database classifieds example that anyone can use and manipulate to something of their own.