First let’s start by adding a “Script Manager” to the page, now we only have to add this once so it’s best placed in your Master page. The Script Manager needs to be placed between the form tags on your page like so:

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<form id="form1" runat="server">
    <asp:ScriptManager ID="ScriptManager1" runat="server">
    </asp:ScriptManager>
</form>

After that, we can now add Ajax to an item. Below I have added an “Update Panel” to a list view. Now every action that list view makes will be way of HTTP Requests “Ajax”!

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<asp:UpdatePanel ID="UpdatePanel1" runat="server">
    <ContentTemplate>
        <asp:ListView ID="ListView1" runat="server" DataKeyNames="PostID" 
                DataSourceID="ObjectDataSource1">
            ' Your code here...
        </asp:ListView>
    </ContentTemplate>
</asp:UpdatePanel>

What will you need to host the new guestbook? For starters you will need .NET 3.5, then you may load the database file in Access or SQL 2005 or newer. Watch the project tab for more info.

Let’s say we have a site where I needed a “Quick Search” on every other page, but each page had a different look and feel or a different CSS document. All I would need to do is create a web user control “.ascx” file and lay down the basics of my quick search. Assign the div’s ID’s or classes, then include your control in each page that needs it. To style, just use your style sheet assigned to that page an add your styles.

Web controls make life a little easier when developing in .NET, so be sure to take advantage of this great tool and stop duplicating your work!

Below i have created a simple function inside if a class:


Public Class Core
Public Function HelloWorld(AVar)
Return "Hello " & AVar
End Function
End Class


Remember, in VB that if you have a function it will need to return a value but a Sub cant return one.


// for a constant
<%=MyProject.core.MyConst %>
// for a function
<%=MyProject.core.MyFunction() %>


There is no need to “include” the vb file, .NET will know what you need and get it.

I dont plan on writing a porting script that would transition all your posts from the old ASP Classic version to the new .NET version, this will need to be done by hand.

Visit the Project page here.