ASP / VBScript

1. What is ASP?
ASP is an acronym for Active Server Pages. Basically it is VBScript (a scripting language) although any language can be used. Scripts are written to perform functions on data such calculations and manipulation. No special development tools are needed to write or view the code. Unlike JAVAScript and HTML ASP is processed and executed on the server. So any execution of the code must take place remotely or on a locally installed Personal Web Server (PWS).

2. How Files Are Interpreted
Normally, HTML files are "interpreted" on the client side (in a user's web browser). With Microsoft's Active Platform, the server can also interpret files. Interpreting to a server means that before displaying a file in a user's browser, the server will complete some initial steps:

It will look at the file's extension. If the file has a standard extension, such as .html or .htm, the server will pass the file to the browser. If the file has an extension of .asp (or .asa), the server will open the file and look for tags that mark ASP code. ASP code is contained inside special tags: <% before the code begins and %> after it ends.

The server evaluates the code contained inside these tags and replaces it with HTML code. This HTML code is generated based on information about the user's setup or other conditions on the client side.

The resulting page, which contains some of the file's original markup and some markup that has been generated with ASP, is sent to the browser that requested it.
Let's take the example of a shopping cart. Imagine a customer has selected five items from the store's catalog. These selections are listed together on one "shopping cart" page, which contains a table with rows and columns. At the top of each column is a heading, such as quantity, description, stock number, or price. How will you construct this page, considering that parts of it are dependent on what the customer has chosen? Back to top

The column headings can be included in the original HTML layout, since they won't change. The table's position probably won't change either, so it can also be incorporated into the original HTML file. These elements of the page will remain the same, regardless of how many times you come back and view the page.

The information inside the table (the list of what has been selected for purchase) will change, however. Each person viewing the site may select a different set of items. To display this information, ASP pulls the item information from a database and adds that item information to the HTML layout before it is sent back to the user's browser. Programmers use the term "on the fly" for this type of page, because it doesn't exist on its own. Instead, it is created on demand ("on the fly") when needed. The ASP script creates the entire page, by combining the static page elements with selected information from the database.

3. Use, Installation and Management of PWS
Click here for detailed installation instructions and screen shots!

If you are running Windows 95/98 then you will probably need PWS to run Asp pages. PWS stands for Personal Web Server. If you have the Windows CD then you can install PWS from there. Or if you want then you can download the latest version of Personal Web Server from www.microsoft.com. Installation is all very easy. Just run the setup file and PWS will install just as any other application is installed on your system. Accept the defaults when it comes to giving the location as to where the 'inetpub' and 'wwwroot' directories should be installed. Back to top

4. VBScript Date.

5. VBScript Month.

6. VBScript time.

7. Date and time used together.

8. Are you old enough?

9. Password check.

10. Create a VBScript Content Rotator
A content rotator consists of 2 different components:
The content schedule file and the CONTENTROTATOR OBJECT.

Sample content schedule file (Save as scheduler.txt):
%% // Picture 1
<img src="image1.jpg>
<H2> Image Number 1</H2>
<HR>

%% // Picture 2
<img src="image2.jpg>
<H2> Image Number 2</H2>
<HR>
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Copy and paste the text to add more images to the rotation. This is created as a separate file and saved with the file extension of .TXT. You can use a weight number to specify how often you want the content to be displayed compared to the other sections. For instance a weight of 10 will display twice as often as a weight of 5. The code looks like this:

%% #5 // Picture 1
<img src="image1.jpg>
<H2> Image Number 1</H2>
<HR>

%% #10 // Picture 2
<img src="image2.jpg>
<H2> Image Number 2</H2>
<HR>

ContentRotator Object
The VBScript to add to your web page to display the images follows. Place the code in the body of the document where you want the images to appear.

<%
Set rotating=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.ContentRotator")
Response.Write(rotating.ChooseContent("scheduler.txt"))
%>
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11. Creating an Ad Rotator
An ad rotator consists of 3 different components just unlike the content rotator:
The ad schedule file, redirection file and the ADROTATOR OBJECT.

Sample ad schedule file (Save as rotator.txt) :
REDIRECT redirection.asp
Width 468
Height 60

*
banner1.gif
http//www.msn.com
Visit MSN Online!
3
banner2.gif
http://www.yahoo.com
Visit Yahoo online!
2
banner3.gif
http://www.junglia.com
Visit Junglia online!
1

The ad schedule file is created as a separate file and saved with the file extension of .TXT.
You can use a weight number to specify how often you want the ad to be displayed compared to the other ads. Back to top

Sample Ad Redirection File (save as redirection.asp)
<% Response.Redirect(Request.QueryString("URL")) %>

Sample AdRotator Object (Place in the area you want the ad to appear)
<%
Set advertisement=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.AdRotator")
Response.Write(advertisement.GetAdvertisement
("rotator.txt"))
%>

12. Create a MadLib
Use the QueryString below to transfer the text field entry:
<%
Response.Write(Request.QueryString("xxxxxx"))
%>

13. Passing QueryStrings Part 2
<%
Response.Write(Request.QueryString("xxxxx"))
%>
<input type="hidden" name="xxxxx" value="<%
Response.Write(Request.QueryString("xxxxx"))
%>">

14. Turning the QueryString into a link
<form name="form2" method="get" action="xxxxxx.asp">
<td class="content"> <a href="#" onclick="document.form2.submit();return false">
<%
Response.Write(Request.QueryString("xxxxx"))
%>
</a>
</td>
</form>

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