Evolving Web App Standards and ASP.NET

[Guest]

Hello,

I am new to Web programming. I have close to 30 years programming in many other areas and that experience leads me to these questions.

1. Many articles I have read tout VS.NET 2003 as a real breakthrough in productivity. I now believe much of this derives from the ASP.NET Designer Page. Experienced Web programmers here are in the habit of writing HTML (and related) code that cannot be displayed in the Designer. This appears to be caused by Page.resolveURL in the HTML code to point to image files. This is an application that should be (HIPAA regs) relatively isolated. I understand why resolveURL would be used, but is it really necessary in a static directory structure?

2. Local evolving standards have come out strongly against Grid Layout Forms. I understand one should choose flow layout if multiple browsers are used by the user community, but in this case, only IE 6.0 and up will be used. It seems to me that Grid Layout makes development much faster. What are the good reasons for choosing either strategy here? Is this being driven by prejudices of experienced programmers against new tools and techniques (I remember the howls when Structured Programming came out) ?

I really want to learn where these lines are drawn.

Thanks,

mklapp

 

[Craig Deelsnyder]

Hello,

I am new to Web programming. I have close to 30 years programming in many other areas and that experience leads me to these questions.

1. Many articles I have read tout VS.NET 2003 as a real breakthrough in productivity. I now believe much of this derives from the ASP.NET Designer Page. Experienced Web programmers here are in the habit of writing HTML (and related) code that cannot be displayed in the Designer. This appears to be caused by Page.resolveURL in the HTML code to point to image files. This is an application that should be (HIPAA regs) relatively isolated. I understand why resolveURL would be used, but is it really necessary in a static directory structure?

2. Local evolving standards have come out strongly against Grid Layout Forms. I understand one should choose flow layout if multiple browsers are used by the user community, but in this case, only IE 6.0 and up will be used. It seems to me that Grid Layout makes development much faster. What are the good reasons for choosing either strategy here? Is this being driven by prejudices of experienced programmers against new tools and techniques (I remember the howls when Structured Programming came out) ?

I really want to learn where these lines are drawn.

Thanks,

mklapp

1. I always build my sites to be portable, so that relative references
work fine, hence I usually don't need ResolveUrl. However, there are
times when it is needed depending on how your app is designed (if a
piece of code is used from multiple URL endpoints, eg). But for the
most part, if you can use a relative reference, go ahead.

2. I never use Grid Layout unless I know for sure I'm using an uplevel
browser and the user's screen dimensions are known (or I design to 800 x
600, for example). Otherwise it could lead to scrolling problems, etc.
basically the site looks a little screwy compared to what I may have in
mind. I don't know how 'well' it works (support, etc.) especially if
you have a diverse user environment (IE6, Firefox, Opera, etc.). That
someone else would have to answer.

But I just like flow layout by experience. I have no need to enforce
absolute positioning most of the time...

Just my opinions...

 

[bruce barker]

1) pretty common to edit the html, the designer is pretty weak. actually i
do all my work in html mode, not designer.

2) grid mode does not work even with IE unless you control the screen
resolution and system font size used by all your users. just make a simple
page in grid mode, then in advanced setting for display monior pick large
fonts or change your screen resolution.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

Hello,

I am new to Web programming. I have close to 30 years programming in

many other areas and that experience leads me to these questions.

1. Many articles I have read tout VS.NET 2003 as a real breakthrough in

productivity. I now believe much of this derives from the ASP.NET Designer
Page. Experienced Web programmers here are in the habit of writing HTML
(and related) code that cannot be displayed in the Designer. This appears
to be caused by Page.resolveURL in the HTML code to point to image files.
This is an application that should be (HIPAA regs) relatively isolated. I
understand why resolveURL would be used, but is it really necessary in a
static directory structure?

2. Local evolving standards have come out strongly against Grid Layout

Forms. I understand one should choose flow layout if multiple browsers are
used by the user community, but in this case, only IE 6.0 and up will be
used. It seems to me that Grid Layout makes development much faster. What
are the good reasons for choosing either strategy here? Is this being
driven by prejudices of experienced programmers against new tools and
techniques (I remember the howls when Structured Programming came out) ?