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Programming Data-Driven WebSites (ASPX, Active Server Pages) Chris North CS 4604: DB WinApp vs WebApp • Standard client application (WinApp) • • • • • • E.g. C#, Java Single user, location Portability is less critical Power, dynamics Targeted audience Distributed executable • Server-side application (WebApp) • • • • • • Broad user class Lightweight, Supports lo-fi clients One-time users, quick, no installation/updates Distributed simultaneous users Simpler functionality, information access Centralized executable, data Data-Driven WebSites Client (Browser) URL request html page Server (Web server) Database html Table • Page = Server-side script • Dynamically generates page at client request • Pulls data from DB to create page contents • E.g. E-Bay, Amazon, … Sequence 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. User clicks http://server.com/script.aspx link Client requests script.aspx from server.com Server.com executes script.aspx Script.aspx generates html page (using DB data) Server.com sends html page to client Client displays page Example Amazon.com server Books.asp Cart.asp Purchase.asp •Shows books list •Add to cart •Displays cart contents •Delete items •Charges credit card •Displays ‘thankyou’ •View cart button •Purchase button •Link back to books ASPX • Microsoft Active Server Pages, .Net • IIS server • Old ASP: If install IIS after install VStudio .Net, must run: C:/windows/MS.net/framework/Vx.x/aspnet_regiis.exe -i • Html with embedded server scripts • Session support • Visual Basic script • ASPX .Net: • • • • Separation of html and code Additional state-preservation capability C# (or any other lang) Visual Studio .net, C# Web Application ASP = html + script • New server-script tags: <% code %> <%= expression %> • Tag contents are executed and replaced with script’s output • Myscript.asp: <%@ Page language="c#” %> <html><body> The time is <%= System.Date.Now.ToString() %> <% if(System.Date.Now < “12:00pm”){ %> <p>Good morning <% }else{ %> <p>Good afternoon <% } %> </body></html> At page request, Server executes script • Client receives: <html><body> The time is 2:03pm <p>Good afternoon </body></html> <%= expr %> Replaced with value of expr <% code %> Executes code ASPX: Separate code • • • • .aspx = html with asp tags .aspx.cs = associated Csharp code Also supports ASP-style embedded code Env. similar to WinApp, execution different • Execution order: 1. 2. 3. 4. Constructor, OnInit (auto-generated code) Page load Any events from form submit request Embedded code in .aspx Processing Form Input • POST (aspx default) • <form action=“myscript.exe” method=post> • Myscript.aspx.cs reads input from Control properties » E.g: ListBox1.SelectedValue • GET querystring • <form action=“myscript.exe” method=get> • http://myserver.com/myscript.aspx?var1=value&… • Myscript.aspx.cs reads input from Request.QueryString » E.g: this.Request.QueryString[“var1”] Problems • Many simultaneous users • Who’s who? • Request-Response HTTP model (page requests are independent) • How to maintain contiguous program state? • UI (browser) disconnect from back-end (server) • How to keep UI in sync with back-end? (e.g. ‘Back’ button) … Books.asp Cart.asp Purchase.asp Different than GUI programming! • Standard WinApp GUI: • One user (per executable) • ‘Global’ state data • Client = server – UI and back-end are same executable Shopping.exe Books window Cart window Purchase window Solutions in ASPX • Provides user ‘session’ awareness • (a) Recognizes users by cookies • (b) Maintains contiguous state info for each user in global storage. » E.g: this.session[“var1”] • (c) Keeps page state info in a hidden form item. » Maintains properties of all UI controls • Automatic •Who is the user? •What is his data? •Where is he in the ‘application’? Form Input & Session State Enter your name: • Process form input, store state info: Button1_Click() this.Session(“myname”) = TextBox1.Text; chris Send • HTML output based on session state: Label1.Text = “Welcome “ + this.Session(“myname”); Or: <html><body> Welcome, <%= this.Session(“myname”) %> </body></html> Welcome, chris Useful ASPX Objects • this. properties: • • • • • • .Session: specific to each user .Application: global, all users .Request: .querystring, .form, … .Response: .redirect, .write, … .Server: utilities .IsPostBack • Global.asax events: • Session_Start, Session_End • Application_Start, Application_End Database Access • The usual connect & query code: OleDbConnection con = new OleDbConnection( "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=c:/census4604.mdb"); // Jet=Access OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand( "SELECT * FROM States4604", con); // SQL query OleDbDataAdapter adpt = new OleDbDataAdapter(cmd); DataSet data = new DataSet( ); adpt.Fill(data); // execute the query and put result in ‘data’ Database Display • Binding data to UI controls: ListBox1.DataSource = data.Tables[0]; ListBox1.DataTextField = "Name"; ListBox1.DataValueField = “ID"; ListBox1.DataBind(); // always do this to make it finalized DataGrid1.DataSource = data.Tables[0]; DataGrid1.DataBind(); // always do this to make it finalized • Limited customization capability • Can get events • Simple coding, similar to WinApp Database Display • Inline scripting: <table> <% foreach(DataRow r in data.Tables[0].Rows){ %> <tr> <% foreach(Object v in r.ItemArray){ %> <td> <%= v.ToString( ) %> </td> <% } %> </tr> <% } %> </table> • Complete customization, html-level control, more complex code Database Display • Repeater control (combines binding & inline) In file.aspx.cs: Repeater1.DataSource = data.Tables[0]; Repeater1.DataBind(); In file.aspx: <asp:repeater id="Repeater1" runat="server"> <HeaderTemplate> <ul> </HeaderTemplate> <ItemTemplate> <li> <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container, "DataItem.Name") %> </li> </ItemTemplate> <FooterTemplate> </ul> </FooterTemplate> </asp:repeater> • Compromise: some customization, some automation InfoVis tricks on web pages • Simple graphics: Item1 Item2 Item3 Item4 Item5 … • Image trick: red.gif = 1x1 red pixel gif • Control the location (dhtml,xhtml): <img href=“red.gif” STYLE="position:absolute; left:100px; top:49px; z-index:-1" > » places the gif at (100,49) on the page » Z-index -1 means put it behind the page text • Control the size (html): <img href=“red.gif” width=75 height=10> » Stretches it into a 75x100 red rectangle Open Problems: Client-Server Out of Sync • ‘Re-post’ problem: • E.g: Submit, Back, Submit; purchased twice! • Solution: give each form unique ID, counter • ‘Jump in too deep’ problem • E.g: nav by bookmark deep into app, without logging in. • On deep page, check for username, redirect to login page • Test page state against session state. • Browser cache problem • E.g: browser shows old page instead of getting new content • Defeat cache using expiration tags Defeating Browser Cache • Expiration tags: <% Response.Expires = -1 Response.Expiresabsolute = Now() - 2 Response.AddHeader "pragma","no-cache" Response.AddHeader "cache-control","private" Response.CacheControl = "no-cache" %> • Random queryString: <a href=“myscript.asp?Nocache=<%=rnd()%>” > <a href=“myscript.asp?Nocache=4857493>” Consistent look-and-feel • Banner, Navigation bar, … • Server-side ‘include’ files: • Put banner, nav bar in separate ‘include’ file: • Can be used in .html files too <!-- #include file = "myfile.asp" --> Document Object Model • (more useful in old ASP) <form name=“myform”> <input type=“button” name=“mybutton” value=“OK” onclick=“document.myform.mybutton.color=red”> </form> document myform mybutton … …