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Essential ASP.NET 2.0
Essential ASP.NET 2.0 discusses Web development using the .NET Framework 2.0 platform. This book covers topics such as the architecture of ASP.NET, state, data binding, and security. There are small samples of code sprinkled throughout the book in C# to drive home the author s point.
The book assumes you have a basic understanding of ASP.NET programming. If you are starting out with ASP.NET 2.0, this is not the book for you. If you are a developer migrating or considering migrating from ASP.NET 1.0 or 1.1, this is a good book for you.
The first part of the book goes into detail about the architectural differences between ASP.NET 1.x and 2.0. This is a good section to read if you are creating a migration plan for your existing sites. There is quite a bit of detail on the code-behind model used in 2.0. The book discusses the use of partial classes, as well as how code is compiled differently. I like the chart discussing how the events are fired and in what order.
There is a great section on master pages and themes. I consider master pages a great improvement to ASP.NET. It s nice to create a site that has a consistent look and feel without a great deal of coding. Essential ASP.NET 2.0 shows you how to programmatically control your master pages, as well as how themes can be used on your site. The book makes it easy to pick up on these topics. If you have concerns about specific browsers and how your site is displayed, there is a section on control adapters. There s also a section in the book for Web Parts, which is discussed toward the end of the book. Web Parts allow users to customize how the site looks and feels to them, without requiring coding changes.
The majority of Web sites are database driven; that topic is covered in Chapter 3. It s one of the biggest changes in ASP.NET. Microsoft has made it very easy for you to incorporate databases into your site. The author also does a good job of trying to help make sure you don t create security risk with your SQL or connection strings. This section is consistent with the rest of the book, explaining the differences from 1.x to 2.0. It truly makes you appreciate how much easier database interfacing is with 2.0.
The state management section covers such topics as profiles, cross-page posting, and wizard controls. The profiles section discusses how you can save state information. It makes a good comparison of the session variable to profile variables. The wizard control section is easy to follow and intuitive. Something classic ASP programmers will take notice of is the use of cross-page posting to pass information back and forth.
The security section discusses the new features of ASP.NET 2.0, such as the log-in controls, the use of a SQL database to store user information, and how to control what users can see using the web.config file. The book points out how easy it can be for a developer to have a site with users and log-in authentication in no time at all. The book will make you appreciate how much is automatically done for you. The book also points out what can be customized, so you don t have to worry about flexibility. The last few chapters discuss debugging and performance-related issues. Everything is a trade-off when it comes to programming; Essential ASP.NET 2.0 will let you weigh your options before making decisions.
I found Essential ASP.NET 2.0 very useful; it helped point out what I faced when moving my site from ASP.NET 1.1 to 2.0. Beginners could benefit some from the book, but not nearly as much as someone who has experience with 1.1. There are a few places I felt some keywords should have been highlighted to draw the reader s attention, but that slight shortcoming aside, it s a good book if you have plans to migrate you ll know what s in front of you.
David Mack
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Title: Essential ASP.NET 2.0
Author: Fritz Onion, with Keith Brown
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0-321-23770-6
Web Site: http://www.awprofessional.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=0321237706&rl=1
Price: US$44.99
Page Count: 384
