How to create VDF Web Applications: Difference between revisions

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{{underconst}}
= Introduction =


This page describes the technologies available to create web applictions using Visual DataFlex.


= Introduction =
= Getting started =
== Getting started ==


To be able to develop ASP pages , then you need Internet Information Server. The most easy way to get that these days is to grab Microsofts Web Platform installer here :
To be able to develop ASP pages , then you need [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Information_Services Internet Information Server]. The most easy way to get that these days is to grab Microsofts Web Platform installer here :


http://www.microsoft.com/web/channel/products/WebPlatformInstaller.aspx (note that it is in beta right now)
http://www.microsoft.com/web/channel/products/WebPlatformInstaller.aspx  


This tool will provide you with a full stack for developing asp related things. It will also keep track of certain things you need to enable on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
This tool will provide you with a full stack for developing asp related things. It will also keep track of certain things you need to enable on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.


You will also need to install [[Webapp server]] from the [[Portal:Visual DataFlex]] installer. Note that you will need version 14.1 to support the windows 2008 server.


You will also need to install Webapp server from the [[Visual DataFlex]] installer. Follow the onscreen instructions if you are on windows vista or windows server 2008.
== Putting on your [http://www.professorsolomon.com/thinkingcap.html Thinking cap]==


= The overall idea  =
Grab your [[DataDictionary|Data Dictionaries]] from your old application and expose these using Web Objects .
When you develop ASP pages using vdf then you develop COM compents that run on the serverside and are 'glued' together using a scripting language like


*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VBScript vbscript]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JScript jscript] (jscript is microsofts version of [[Javascript]] )
This means that '''asp itself should not be used as a programming language''' - it is a fast way of writing the html to go together with serverside components you develop in Visual DataFlex (VDF). The trick is that you can write lots of HTML in asp - outside your code. If you have problems you need to solve as a programmer, then the best idea is to try solve them in Visual DataFlex first , then expose the developed functionality as a web object embedded in your asp page.
== VDF on the serverside ==
*WBO
*WBO
*Global.asa (this is where your code is stackup up. check the list of WBP's there)
*Global.asa (this is where your code is stackup up. check the list of WBP's there)




= In the trenches =


== Javascript and HTML on the clientside ==
*[[EnablingJSONIN]]


Now - after having being told that you really shouldn't be doing any clientside code when you are a vdf programmer, then here are some instructions for doing exactly that! (Note that you can accomplish a lot just by using the wizards in the AJAX library )
=== Toolset for checking your clientside stuff ===


== Validation ==
Here are some good links for validating :
*[[HTML]] ( validate here: [http://validator.w3.org/]  )
*[[CSS|Cascading Style Sheets]] ( validate here: http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ )
*[[Javascript]] ( validate here: http://www.jslint.com/ )


You should always make sure that any html/javascript/css you do validates to the current standards. It will save you time in the long run.
== Styling using css ==


Using css for styling can help you if you don't like doing design yourself!  If you style using css then somebody else can do the design for you.


'''
*start your adventure here: [http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/ css]
*[[HTML]] ( validate here: [http://validator.w3.org/] )
*go here when something goes wrong: [http://www.quirksmode.org/css/contents.html quirksmode css]
*[[CSS|Cascading Style Sheets]] ( validate here: http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/ )
*[[Javascript]] ( validate here: http://www.jslint.com/ )


'''Advanced techniques'''
== Javascript on the client ==
*[http://www.quirksmode.org/js/contents.html quirksmode javacript ]
[[Javascript]] can be good for validating what the user enters on the screen. It can also be good for fancy [[AJAX]] techniques.  
*[http://www.quirksmode.org/css/contents.html quirksmode css]






[[category: Web Programming]] [[Category:Stub]] [[Category:Cookbook]]
[[category: Web Applications]] [[Category:Stub]] [[Category:Cookbook]]

Latest revision as of 14:08, 8 April 2020

Introduction

This page describes the technologies available to create web applictions using Visual DataFlex.

Getting started

To be able to develop ASP pages , then you need Internet Information Server. The most easy way to get that these days is to grab Microsofts Web Platform installer here :

http://www.microsoft.com/web/channel/products/WebPlatformInstaller.aspx

This tool will provide you with a full stack for developing asp related things. It will also keep track of certain things you need to enable on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

You will also need to install Webapp server from the Portal:Visual DataFlex installer. Note that you will need version 14.1 to support the windows 2008 server.

Putting on your Thinking cap

Grab your Data Dictionaries from your old application and expose these using Web Objects .

  • WBO
  • Global.asa (this is where your code is stackup up. check the list of WBP's there)


In the trenches


Validation

Here are some good links for validating :

Styling using css

Using css for styling can help you if you don't like doing design yourself! If you style using css then somebody else can do the design for you.

Javascript on the client

Javascript can be good for validating what the user enters on the screen. It can also be good for fancy AJAX techniques.