Master Pages. Three Sections.

This video shows the easiest way of completing the work on master pages for both G1 and G2. The difference is that G1 students should read the text on both topics: master pages and themes with good understanding. You will see how to change the picture in a theme and how you can create aspx and master pages just using a Notepad right from your mobile phone.

• Here is video lecture on Part 1
• In this section of the video presentation I am showing the way of changing the existing themes, including the banner pictures (will be good for your projects)
• Here you can find a very simple explanation of the master page mechanism and use. The simple pages can be created from your mobile devices without even the use of Visual Studio (if you remember some HTML).

Server Controls

While working on chapter 4, you will see the use of server controls that make the creation of complex web pages so easy. Although they look like controls in VB from forms designed for Windows, the big difference is in the complexity of the code provided for you for free that works behind the scene making all easy. ASP.NET creates Web pages working over the network and allowing for client-server, client-browser, and client-cloud communications. 

So for chapter4, those who read this post can already do the work in G2 simplification, which is easier than the one shown in the tasks. This work will include just following my Server Controls video and somehow modifying it. Following the textbook is not necessary, although reading it is recommended. The project part for G2 is the same as described in the tasks.

Below I am offering a video lecture that shows how to use several server controls on one page. G2 has to follow and modify it. It also helps to design the initial look of your project. Although later you will be able to change/modify it.

Here is video lecture 2 on server controls

Rapid Web Development

VS is an extremely powerful tool. Just the HTML editing can be extremely useful for any HTML work even outside of the VS.


After you've learnt the basic mechanics of web site design with various types of files, folders, and views in the rest of the first half of the semester you will see how easy it will be adding of some very good and powerful controls to the site with a couple of clicks and 5-second tweaking. They will make your  site look professional as well as allowing you to modify it quickly on user's whimsy. This is Rapid Application Development in the flesh. And the basis is in the use of a good integrated development environment (IDE) such as Visual Studio and a Framework (.NET) which gives you a lot of free code hidden behind each control and .NET elements that offer a very rich set of attributes, behaviors, and other code features. VS can support various types of web development. For example, MVC allows for some serious programming with good code separation, other supporting tools cater to various client and server methods of use and distribution. Our goal here is to see how frameworks (predesigned controls and other means) allow for rapid web development which sometimes can be used as is and sometimes will require the use of other .NET and VS tools and methods.


But you need to understand all words and sentences in the book since none of them is just for the good mood. Every skipped sentence is missing knowledge of something that will inevitably haunt you later. A good idea might be to re-read the chapter and experiment more on it. If you will not be comfortable with the material - you will be spending much more time/efforts in the coming weeks.

Postback

While working on chapter 4 you saw the use of server controls that make the creation of complex web pages so easy. Although they look like controls in VB from forms designed for Windows, the big difference is in the complexity of the code provided for you for free that works behind the scene making all easy. ASP.NET creates Web pages working over the network and allowing for client-server , client-browser, and client cloud communications.
To make further learning more differentiated, I am creating two groups: G1 and G2. G2 will be the group where students will take the easier path having somewhat different tasks and goals. G1 students are the students that would want deeper knowledge and are preparing for the situation when they can get a job in web development using ASP.NET. G1 has A as the highest grade while G2 has  A- as the possible highest grade. This will allow avoiding zero grades for harder tasks that now will be given to G1 but not G2. When submitting your tasks to the forums, you should have a prefix stating G1 or G2 attempt. The highest grade in G1 is possible ONLY when ALL the tasks will be done for G1. G2 students can periodically attempt to do G1 tasks but without all of them done will not get an A grade (while getting the better level of .NET handling).


Below I am offering a video lecture explaining a very important concept used in ASP.NET server controls -> postback. Good understanding of it will allow you better handling of ASP.NET in the future tasks.

 Here is video lecture 1 on postback

About This Blog

Since the course is hands-on, dynamic, and in online format - I will be running a blog that will substitute professor's commentary. It will allow making such comments more timely (whenever they have to be done and not only during class sessions) and more tailored to the current class performance and activities. Here you will find my current comments on the tasks, grades, additional help materials, etc.
The additional and help material will be published separately and linked to from this blog. Check this blog often since I assume that you've read it and consider it in my evaluation of your course work, task creation, and quiz questions. Additional advice, requirements, or modifications in the weekly tasks will also be posted here.