Building Web Applications with C# and .NET: A Complete Reference

761 Pages·2002·40.88 MB·English

by  Dudley W. Gill

Building Web
Applications
with
C# and .NET
A Complete Reference
1250-FM-Frame Page 2 Saturday, October 26, 2002 6:26 PM
Building Web
Applications
with
C# and .NET
A Complete Reference
Dudley W. Gill
CRC PR ESS
Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C.
1250 disclaimer Page 1 Monday, October 28, 2002 10:05 AM
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gill, Dudley W.
Building Web applications with C# and .NET : a complete reference / Dudley W. Gill.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-8493-1250-7
1. Web site development. 2. Application software—Development. 3. C# (Computer
program language) 4. Microsoft .NET. I. Title.
TK5105.888 .G54 2002
005.2′76—dc21 2002034915

This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material is quoted with
permission, and sources are indicated. A wide variety of references are listed. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish
reliable data and information, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials
or for the consequences of their use.
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Visit the CRC Press Web site at www.crcpress.com
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
No claim to original U.S. Government works
International Standard Book Number 0-8493-1250-7
Library of Congress Card Number 2002034915
Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
Printed on acid-free paper
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About This Book
Building Web Applications with C# and .NET: A Complete Reference presents the basic knowledge
and illustrative examples needed to build dynamic and robust Web applications using the
.NET Framework technology. This book stresses the use of code-behind procedural coding.
Who Should Read This Book
This book is intended for people interested in Web application development using the
.NET Framework technology. It promotes the use of code-behind file programming; thus,
it should be extremely attractive to Visual Basic programmers familiar with the separation
of visual and procedural components.
No prior experience with Web-page or Web-server development, HTML or XML is
required because the Appendices provide an introduction to these Web standards. Con-
sequently, this book should be useful to newcomers who need a basic understanding of
these standards as well as “technical gurus” needing to research an obscure facet of
these standards.
Familiarity with a procedural programming language is an asset but is not required.
The Appendix contains an introduction to C# that will provide the knowledge and skill
required to develop Web applications using .NET Framework. For this reason, the book
is ideal for beginning programmers, as well as for C++ programmers transitioning to .NET.
This book is also intended for developers needing knowledge and skill with the Visual
Studio.NET integrated development environment. Familiarity with the Microsoft Windows
operating system and Windows-based applications is assumed.
Conventions Used
The following conventions are used throughout the book:
• Important terms are first introduced in bold typeface.
• Throughout the text, references to code variables, references, delegates and
methods are in Courier New typeface.
• In the Hands-On exercises, user-entered data are presented in Courier New bold
typeface.
• Standards, reference materials and code examples are set off from the rest of the
text.
Organization
The book is divided into four parts:
1. Fundamentals: creating Web Forms using the Web Forms Server Controls.
2. Implementing Services: creation and consumption of Web Services including
the use of HTTP, XML and SOAP to move messages across firewalls.
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3. Accessing Data: accessing relational databases including ADO architecture and
datasets.
4. Implementing Web Applications: techniques and concepts underlying Web appli-
cations including navigation, data search, retrieval, presentation and management.
Throughout, the book contains hands-on examples illustrating the development of client
and server applications using Visual Studio.NET, which is an Integrated Development
Environment complementing .NET Framework. It includes a suite of rapid application
development tools addressing the development requirements of client–server application
and distributed computing development. The examples also illustrate the use of .NET
Frameworks classes, a comprehensive collection of object-oriented classes encapsulating
the functionality common to application development.
The following appendices in the book provide tutorial and reference material regarding
associated technologies:
C#: C# is a language targeted to the .NET Framework’s Common Language Runtime.
C# is an object-oriented programming language built from the ground up that
provides the robustness of C++ but without its shortfalls. It has been estimated
that most C++ programmers will migrate to C# in the next 5 years.
Industry Standards: Industry standards comprising the underpinnings of Web
Services include the following:
XML: Extensible Markup Language defines the way information is de-
scribed in a Web Service.
WSDL: Web Services Description Language defines an XML-based docu-
ment that describes a Web Service.
SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol is the core protocol for Web Service
communications.
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language is the language of Web Pages. HTML
concepts, elements and attributes are needed to develop Web Pages
incorporating ASP Web Controls.
Database: An introduction to relational databases including hands-on Access
examples.
Documentation
Documentation based on documentation provided with the .NET Framework SDK is set
apart from the rest of the text. The documentation presents summaries reflecting the more
important and most used features. In general, inherited members are not shown. As the
reader becomes comfortable with .NET Framework technology, reference to the online
documentation will reveal its full capability. A hands-on exercise in Chapter 1 illustrates
several online documentation access modes.
Downloadable Files
Sample code for all hands-on exercises and applications developed in the text are available
for downloading at the CRC Press Web site: http://www.crcpress.com. This saves
the reader from typing the code and enables faster mastery of .NET Framework technology.
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Acknowledgments
It is always a pleasure to acknowledge efforts made by others on your behalf. I was
fortunate to be able to work with a wonderful CRC Press team. Their enthusiasm, dedi-
cation and tolerance have enabled me to do my best. Thanks!
Special thanks are due to my family for their support and encouragement.
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About the Author
Dudley W. Gill, Sc.D., has more than 40 years experience in application development.
Dr. Gill earned his B.S.E.E. from Howard University, his M.S.E.E. from the University of
Pennsylvania and his Sc.D. from George Washington University. He has developed appli-
cations for federal, state and city agencies; Fortune 500 companies; and educational insti-
tutions. He takes great pleasure in sharing his knowledge of computer science and
technology by teaching community college through graduate level courses.
He enjoys the West Florida and New Jersey coasts.
Dr. Gill can be reached at www.BuildingWebApplications.com.
* * *
Welcome to Application Development with C# and .NET Framework!