ASP Tutorial

ASP Content Rotator (ASP 3.0)

2008-09-22T04:19:00.002-07:00

Examples

The
Content Rotator Component

This component displays a different HTML content string each time a user visits
or refreshes the page.

ASP Content Rotator Component

The ASP Content Rotator component creates a ContentRotator
object that displays a different HTML content string each time a user enters or
refreshes a page. A text file, called the Content Schedule File, includes the
information about the content strings.

The content strings can contain HTML tags so you can display
any type of content that HTML can represent: text, images, colors, or
hyperlinks.

Syntax

<%

Set cr=Server.CreateObject( "MSWC.ContentRotator" )

%>

The following example displays a different content each time a
user views the Web page. Create a text file named "textads.txt" in
your default Web Site folder, in a subfolder called text.

"textads.txt":

%% #1

This is a great day!!

%% #2

<h1>Smile</h1>

%% #3

<img src="smiley.gif">

%% #4

Here's a <a
href="http://www.w3schools.com">link.</a>

Notice the #number at the beginning of each content string.
This number is an optional parameter that indicates the relative weight of the
HTML content string. In this example, the Content Rotator will display the first
content string one-tenth of the time, the second string two-tenths of the time,
the third string three-tenths of the time, and the fourth string four-tenths of
the time.

Then, create an ASP file, and insert the following code:

The ASP Content Rotator Component's methods are described
below:

Methods

Method	Description	Example
ChooseContent	Gets and displays a content string	<% dim cr Set cr=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.ContentRotator") response.write(cr.ChooseContent("text/textads.txt")) %> Output:
GetAllContent	Retrieves and displays all of the content strings in the text file	<% dim cr Set cr=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.ContentRotator") response.write(cr.GetAllContent("text/textads.txt")) %> Output: This is a great day!! Smile Here's a link.

Method

Description

Example

ChooseContent

Gets and displays a content string

<%

dim cr

Set cr=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.ContentRotator")

response.write(cr.ChooseContent("text/textads.txt"))

%>

Output:

GetAllContent

Retrieves and displays all of the content strings in
the text file

<%

dim cr

Set cr=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.ContentRotator")

response.write(cr.GetAllContent("text/textads.txt"))

%>

Output:

This is a great day!!

Smile

Here's a link.

ASP Content Linking Component

2008-09-22T04:19:00.001-07:00

Examples

The
Content Linking Component

This example builds a table of contents.

The
Content Linking Component 2

The example uses the Content Linking Component to navigate between the pages in
a text file.

ASP Content Linking Component

The ASP Content Linking component is used to create a quick
and easy navigation system!

The Content Linking component returns a Nextlink object that
is used to hold a list of Web pages to be navigated.

Syntax

<%

Set nl=Server.CreateObject( "MSWC.NextLink" )

%>

First we create a text file - "links.txt". This file
contains the pages to be navigated. The pages must be listed in the same order
you want them to be displayed, and it also must contain a description for each
file name (use the tab key to separate file name from description). Note:
If you want to add a page to the list or change the order of the pages in the
list; all you have to do is to modify the text file! The navigation will
automatically be correct!

"links.txt":

asp_intro.asp ASP Intro

asp_syntax.asp ASP Syntax

asp_variables.asp ASP Variables

asp_procedures.asp ASP Procedures

On each of the pages listed above, put one line of code:
. This line will include the
code below on every page listed in "links.txt" and the navigation will
work.

"nlcode.inc":

<%
'Use the Content Linking Component 
'to navigate between the pages listed
'in links.txt

dim nl
Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink")
if (nl.GetListIndex("links.txt")>1) then
  Response.Write("<a href='" & nl.GetPreviousURL("links.txt"))
  Response.Write("'>Previous Page</a>")
end if
Response.Write("<a href='" & nl.GetNextURL("links.txt"))
Response.Write("'>Next Page</a>")
%>

The ASP Content Linking Component's methods are described
below:

Methods

Method	Description	Example
GetListCount	Returns the number of items listed in the Content Linking List file	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetListCount("links.txt") Response.Write("There are ") Response.Write(c) Response.Write(" items in the list") %> Output: There are 4 items in the list
GetListIndex	Returns the index number of the current item in the Content Linking List file. The index number of the first item is 1. 0 is returned if the current page is not in the Content Linking List file	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetListIndex("links.txt") Response.Write("Item number ") Response.Write(c) %> Output: Item number 3
GetNextDescription	Returns the text description of the next item listed in the Content Linking List file. If the current page is not found in the list file it returns the text description of the last page on the list	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetNextDescription("links.txt") Response.Write("Next ") Response.Write("description is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Next description is: ASP Variables
GetNextURL	Returns the URL of the next item listed in the Content Linking List file. If the current page is not found in the list file it returns the URL of the last page on the list	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetNextURL("links.txt") Response.Write("Next ") Response.Write("URL is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Next URL is: asp_variables.asp
GetNthDescription	Returns the description of the Nth page listed in the Content Linking List file	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetNthDescription("links.txt",3) Response.Write("Third ") Response.Write("description is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Third description is: ASP Variables
GetNthURL	Returns the URL of the Nth page listed in the Content Linking List file	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetNthURL("links.txt",3) Response.Write("Third ") Response.Write("URL is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Third URL is: asp_variables.asp
GetPreviousDescription	Returns the text description of the previous item listed in the Content Linking List file. If the current page is not found in the list file it returns the text description of the first page on the list	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetPreviousDescription("links.txt") Response.Write("Previous ") Response.Write("description is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Previous description is: ASP Variables
GetPreviousURL	Returns the URL of the previous item listed in the Content Linking List file. If the current page is not found in the list file it returns the URL of the first page on the list	<% dim nl,c Set nl=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.NextLink") c=nl.GetPreviousURL("links.txt") Response.Write("Previous ") Response.Write("URL is: ") Response.Write(c) %> Previous URL is: asp_variables.asp

ASP Browser Capabilities Component

2008-09-22T04:18:00.000-07:00

Examples

The
Browser Capabilities Component

This example shows how to determine the type, capabilities and version number of
each browser visiting your site.

ASP Browser Capabilities Component

The ASP Browser Capabilities component creates a BrowserType
object that determines the type, capabilities and version number of each browser
that visits your site.

When a browser connects to a server, an HTTP User Agent Header
is also sent to the server. This header contains information about the browser
(like browser type and version number). The BrowserType object then compares the
information in the header with information in a file on the server called
"Browscap.ini".

If there is a match between the browser type and version
number sent in the header and the information in the "Browsercap.ini"
file, you can use the BrowserType object to list the properties of the matching
browser. If there is no match for the browser type and version number in the
Browscap.ini file, it will set every property to "UNKNOWN".

Syntax

<%

Set MyBrow=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.BrowserType")

%>

The example below creates a BrowserType object in an ASP file,
and displays a table showing some of the capabilities of the current browser:

<html>
<body>

<%
Set MyBrow=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.BrowserType")
%>

<table border="1" width="100%">
<tr>
<th>Client OS</th>
<th><%=MyBrow.platform%></th>
</tr><tr>
<td >Web Browser</td>
<td ><%=MyBrow.browser%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>Browser version</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.version%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>Frame support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.frames%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>Table support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.tables%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>Sound support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.backgroundsounds%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>Cookies support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.cookies%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>VBScript support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.vbscript%></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>JavaScript support?</td>
<td><%=MyBrow.javascript%></td>
</tr>
</table>

</body>
</html>

Output:

Client OS	WinNT
Web Browser	IE
Browser version	5.0
Frame support?	True
Table support?	True
Sound support?	True
Cookies support?	True
VBScript support?	True
JavaScript support?	True

The Browscap.ini File

The "Browsercap.ini" file is used to declare
properties and to set default values for browsers.

This section is not a tutorial on how to maintain
"Browsercap.ini" files, it only shows you the basics; so you get an
idea what a "Browsercap.ini" file is all about.

The "Browsercap.ini" file can contain the following:

[;comments]
[HTTPUserAgentHeader] 
[parent=browserDefinition]
[property1=value1]
[propertyN=valueN] 
[Default Browser Capability Settings]
[defaultProperty1=defaultValue1]
[defaultPropertyN=defaultValueN]

Parameter	Description
comments	Optional. Any line that starts with a semicolon are ignored by the BrowserType object
HTTPUserAgentHeader	Optional. Specifies the HTTP User Agent header to associate with the browser-property value statements specified in propertyN. Wildcard characters are allowed
browserDefinition	Optional. Specifies the HTTP User Agent header-string of a browser to use as the parent browser. The current browser's definition will inherit all of the property values declared in the parent browser's definition
propertyN	Optional. Specifies the browser properties. The following table lists some possible properties: ActiveXControls - Support ActiveX® controls? Backgroundsounds - Support background sounds? Cdf - Support Channel Definition Format for Webcasting? Tables - Support tables? Cookies - Support cookies? Frames - Support frames? Javaapplets - Support Java applets? Javascript - Supports JScript? Vbscript - Supports VBScript? Browser - Specifies the name of the browser Beta - Is the browser beta software? Platform - Specifies the platform that the browser runs on Version - Specifies the version number of the browser
valueN	Optional. Specifies the value of propertyN. Can be a string, an integer (prefix with #), or a Boolean value
defaultPropertyN	Optional. Specifies the name of the browser property to which to assign a default value if none of the defined HTTPUserAgentHeader values match the HTTP User Agent header sent by the browser
defaultValueN	Optional. Specifies the value of defaultPropertyN. Can be a string, an integer (prefix with #), or a Boolean value

A "Browsercap.ini" file might look something like
this:

;IE 5.0
[IE 5.0]
browser=IE
Version=5.0
majorver=#5
minorver=#0
frames=TRUE
tables=TRUE
cookies=TRUE
backgroundsounds=TRUE
vbscript=TRUE
javascript=TRUE
javaapplets=TRUE
ActiveXControls=TRUE
beta=False

;DEFAULT BROWSER
[*]
browser=Default
frames=FALSE 
tables=TRUE 
cookies=FALSE 
backgroundsounds=FALSE 
vbscript=FALSE 
javascript=FALSE

ASP AdRotator Component

2008-09-22T04:17:00.002-07:00

Examples

Simple
AdRotator Example

This example shows how to use the AdRotator component to display a different
advertisement image, each time a user visits or refreshes the page.

AdRotator
- The Images are Hyperlinks

This example shows how to use the AdRotator component to display a different
advertisement image, each time a user visits or refreshes the page. In addition,
the images are hyperlinks.

ASP AdRotator Component

The ASP AdRotator component creates an AdRotator object that
displays a different image each time a user enters or refreshes a page. A text
file includes information about the images.

Syntax

<%

set adrotator=server.createobject("MSWC.AdRotator")

adrotator.GetAdvertisement("textfile.txt")

%>

Example

Assume we have a file called "banners.asp". It looks
like this:

The file "ads.txt" looks like this:

*

w3schools.gif

http://www.w3schools.com/

Visit W3Schools

80

microsoft.gif

http://www.microsoft.com/

Visit Microsoft

20

The lines below the asterisk in the file "ads.txt"
specifies the images to be displayed, the hyperlink addresses, the alternate
text (for the images), and the display rates in percent of the hits. We see that
the W3Schools image will be displayed for 80 % of the hits and the Microsoft
image will be displayed for 20 % of the hits in the text file above.

Note: To get the links to work when a user clicks on
them, we will have to modify the file "ads.txt" a bit:

REDIRECT banners.asp

*

w3schools.gif

http://www.w3schools.com/

Visit W3Schools

80

microsoft.gif

http://www.microsoft.com/

Visit Microsoft

20

The redirection page (banners.asp) will now receive a
querystring with a variable named URL containing the URL to redirect to.

Note: To specify the height, width, and border of the
image, you can insert the following lines under REDIRECT:

REDIRECT banners.asp

WIDTH 468

HEIGHT 60

BORDER 0

*

w3schools.gif

...

...

The last thing to do is to add some lines of code to the
"banners.asp" file:

<%

url=Request.QueryString("url")

If url<>"" then Response.Redirect(url)

%>

That's all!!

Properties

Property	Description	Example
Border	Specifies the size of the borders around the advertisement	<% set adrot=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.AdRotator") adrot.Border="2" Response.Write(adrot.GetAdvertisement("ads.txt")) %>
Clickable	Specifies whether the advertisement is a hyperlink	<% set adrot=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.AdRotator") adrot.Clickable=false Response.Write(adrot.GetAdvertisement("ads.txt")) %>
TargetFrame	Name of the frame to display the advertisement	<% set adrot=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.AdRotator") adrot.TargetFrame="target='_blank'" Response.Write(adrot.GetAdvertisement("ads.txt")) %>

Methods

Method	Description	Example
GetAdvertisement	Returns HTML that displays the advertisement in the page	<% set adrot=Server.CreateObject("MSWC.AdRotator") Response.Write(adrot.GetAdvertisement("ads.txt")) %>

Introduction to ADO

2008-09-22T04:17:00.001-07:00

ADO can be used to access databases from your
web pages.

Accessing a Database from an ASP Page

The common way to access a database from inside an ASP page is
to:

Create an ADO connection to a database
Open the database connection
Create an ADO recordset
Open the recordset
Extract the data you need from the recordset
Close the recordset
Close the connection

What is ADO?

ADO is a Microsoft technology
ADO stands for ActiveX Data Objects
ADO is a Microsoft Active-X component
ADO is automatically installed with Microsoft IIS
ADO is a programming interface to access data in a database

Where to go next?

If you want to study more ADO, read our ADO
tutorial.

ASP Dictionary Object

2008-09-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

The Dictionary object is used to store
information in name/value pairs (referred to as key and item)

Examples

Does
a specified key exist?

This example demonstrates how to first create a Dictionary object, and then use
the Exists method to check if a specified key exists.

Return
an array of all items

This example demonstrates how to use the Items method to return an array of all
the items.

Return
an array of all keys

This example demonstrates how to use the Keys method to return an array of all
the keys.

Return
the value of an item

This example demonstrates how to use the Item property to return the value of an
item.

Set
a key

This example demonstrates how to use the Key property to set a key in a
Dictionary object.

Return
the number of key/item pairs

This example demonstrates how to use the Count property to return the number of
key/item pairs.

The Dictionary Object

The Dictionary object is used to store information in
name/value pairs (referred to as key and item). The Dictionary object might seem
similar to Arrays, however, the Dictionary object is a more desirable solution
to manipulate related data.

Comparing Dictionaries and Arrays:

Keys are used to identify the items in a Dictionary object
You do not have to call ReDim to change the size of the
Dictionary object
When deleting an item from a Dictionary, the remaining
items will automatically shift up
Dictionaries cannot be multidimensional, Arrays can
Dictionaries have more built-in functions than Arrays
Dictionaries work better than arrays on accessing random
elements frequently
Dictionaries work better than arrays on locating items by
their content

The following example creates a Dictionary object, adds some
key/item pairs to it, and retrieves the item value for the key gr:

<%
Dim d
Set d=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
d.Add "re","Red"
d.Add "gr","Green"
d.Add "bl","Blue"
d.Add "pi","Pink"
Response.Write("The value of key gr is: " & d.Item("gr"))
%>

Output:

The value of key gr is: Green

The Dictionary object's properties and methods are described
below:

Properties

Property	Description
CompareMode	Sets or returns the comparison mode for comparing keys in a Dictionary object
Count	Returns the number of key/item pairs in a Dictionary object
Item	Sets or returns the value of an item in a Dictionary object
Key	Sets a new key value for an existing key value in a Dictionary object

Methods

Method	Description
Add	Adds a new key/item pair to a Dictionary object
Exists	Returns a Boolean value that indicates whether a specified key exists in the Dictionary object
Items	Returns an array of all the items in a Dictionary object
Keys	Returns an array of all the keys in a Dictionary object
Remove	Removes one specified key/item pair from the Dictionary object
RemoveAll	Removes all the key/item pairs in the Dictionary object

ASP Folder Object

2008-09-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

The Folder Object is used to return information about a specified
folder.

The Folder Object

The Folder object is used to return information about a specified folder.

To work with the properties and methods of the Folder object, you will have
to create an instance of the Folder object through the FileSystemObject object.
First; create a FileSystemObject object and then instantiate the Folder object
through the GetFolder method of the FileSystemObject object.

The following code uses the GetFolder method of the FileSystemObject object
to instantiate the Folder object and the DateCreated property to return the date
when the specified folder was created:

<%
Dim fs,fo
Set fs=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set fo=fs.GetFolder("c:\test")
Response.Write("Folder created: " & fo.DateCreated)
set fo=nothing
set fs=nothing
%>

Output:

Folder created: 10/22/2001 10:01:19 AM

The Folder object's collections, properties, and methods are described below:

Collections

Collection	Description
Files	Returns a collection of all the files in a specified folder
SubFolders	Returns a collection of all subfolders in a specified folder

Properties

Property	Description
Attributes	Sets or returns the attributes of a specified folder
DateCreated	Returns the date and time when a specified folder was created
href="prop_datelastaccessed_folder.asp">DateLastAccessed	Returns the date and time when a specified folder was last accessed
href="prop_datelastmodified_folder.asp">DateLastModified	Returns the date and time when a specified folder was last modified
Drive	Returns the drive letter of the drive where the specified folder resides
IsRootFolder	Returns true if a folder is the root folder and false if not
Name	Sets or returns the name of a specified folder
ParentFolder	Returns the parent folder of a specified folder
Path	Returns the path for a specified folder
ShortName	Returns the short name of a specified folder (the 8.3 naming convention)
ShortPath	Returns the short path of a specified folder (the 8.3 naming convention)
Size	Returns the size of a specified folder
Type	Returns the type of a specified folder

Methods

Method	Description
Copy	Copies a specified folder from one location to another
Delete	Deletes a specified folder
Move	Moves a specified folder from one location to another
CreateTextFile	Creates a new text file in the specified folder and returns a TextStream object to access the file

ASP File Object

2008-09-20T18:07:00.001-07:00

The File object is used to return information
about a specified file.

Examples

When
was the file created?

This example demonstrates how to first create a FileSystemObject object, and
then use the DateCreated property of the File object to get the date and time a
specified file was created.

When
was the file last modified?

This example demonstrates how to use the DateLastModified property to get the
date and time a specified file was last modified.

When
was the file last accessed?

This example demonstrates how to use the DateLastAccessed property to get the
date and time a specified file was last accessed.

Return
the attributes of a specified file

This example demonstrates how to use the Attributes property to return the
attributes of a specified file.

The File Object

The File object is used to return information about a
specified file.

To work with the properties and methods of the File object,
you will have to create an instance of the File object through the
FileSystemObject object. First; create a FileSystemObject object and then
instantiate the File object through the GetFile method of the FileSystemObject
object or through the Files property of the Folder object.

The following code uses the GetFile method of the
FileSystemObject object to instantiate the File object and the DateCreated
property to return the date when the specified file was created:

<%
Dim fs,f
Set fs=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set f=fs.GetFile("c:\test.txt")
Response.Write("File created: " & f.DateCreated)
set f=nothing
set fs=nothing
%>

Output:

File created: 9/19/2001 10:01:19 AM

The File object's properties and methods are described below:

Properties

Property	Description
Attributes	Sets or returns the attributes of a specified file
DateCreated	Returns the date and time when a specified file was created
DateLastAccessed	Returns the date and time when a specified file was last accessed
DateLastModified	Returns the date and time when a specified file was last modified
Drive	Returns the drive letter of the drive where a specified file or folder resides
Name	Sets or returns the name of a specified file
ParentFolder	Returns the folder object for the parent of the specified file
Path	Returns the path for a specified file
ShortName	Returns the short name of a specified file (the 8.3 naming convention)
ShortPath	Returns the short path of a specified file (the 8.3 naming convention)
Size	Returns the size, in bytes, of a specified file
Type	Returns the type of a specified file

Methods

Method	Description
Copy	Copies a specified file from one location to another
Delete	Deletes a specified file
Move	Moves a specified file from one location to another
OpenAsTextStream	Opens a specified file and returns a TextStream object to access the file

ASP Drive Object

2008-09-20T18:05:00.001-07:00

The Drive object is used to return information
about a local disk drive or a network share.

Examples

Get
the available space of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to first create a FileSystemObject object, and
then use the AvailableSpace property to get the available space of a specified
drive.

Get
the free space of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the FreeSpace property to get the free
space of a specified drive.

Get
the total size of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the TotalSize property to get the total
size of a specified drive.

Get
the drive letter of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the DriveLetter property to get the drive
letter of a specified drive.

Get
the drive type of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the DriveType property to get the drive
type of a specified drive.

Get
the file system of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the FileSystem property to get the file
system of a specified drive.

Is
the drive ready?

This example demonstrates how to use the IsReady property to check whether a
specified drive is ready.

Get
the path of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the Path property to get the path of a
specified drive.

Get
the root folder of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the RootFolder property to get the root
folder of a specified drive.

Get
the serialnumber of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the Serialnumber property to get the
serialnumber of a specified drive.

The Drive Object

The Drive object is used to return information about a local
disk drive or a network share. The Drive object can return information about a
drive's type of file system, free space, serial number, volume name, and more.

Note: You cannot return information about a drive's
content with the Drive object. For this purpose you will have to use the Folder
object.

To work with the properties of the Drive object, you will have
to create an instance of the Drive object through the FileSystemObject object.
First; create a FileSystemObject object and then instantiate the Drive object
through the GetDrive method or the Drives property of the FileSystemObject
object.

The following example uses the GetDrive method of the
FileSystemObject object to instantiate the Drive object and the TotalSize
property to return the total size in bytes of the specified drive (c:):

<%
Dim fs,d
Set fs=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set d=fs.GetDrive("c:")
Response.Write("Drive " & d & ":")
Response.Write("Total size in bytes: " & d.TotalSize)
set d=nothing
set fs=nothing
%>

Output:

Drive c: Total size in bytes: 4293563392

The Drive object's properties are described below:

Properties

Property	Description
AvailableSpace	Returns the amount of available space to a user on a specified drive or network share
DriveLetter	Returns one uppercase letter that identifies the local drive or a network share
DriveType	Returns the type of a specified drive
FileSystem	Returns the file system in use for a specified drive
FreeSpace	Returns the amount of free space to a user on a specified drive or network share
IsReady	Returns true if the specified drive is ready and false if not
Path	Returns an uppercase letter followed by a colon that indicates the path name for a specified drive
RootFolder	Returns a Folder object that represents the root folder of a specified drive
SerialNumber	Returns the serial number of a specified drive
ShareName	Returns the network share name for a specified drive
TotalSize	Returns the total size of a specified drive or network share
VolumeName	Sets or returns the volume name of a specified drive

ASP TextStream Object

2008-09-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

The TextStream object is used to access the
contents of a text file.

Examples

Read
textfile

This example demonstrates how to use the OpenTextFile method of the
FileSystemObject to create a TextStream Object. The ReadAll method of the
TextStream Object reads from the opened text file.

Read
only a part of a textfile

This example demonstrates how to only read a part of a TextStream file.

Read
one line of a textfile

This example demonstrates how to read one line from a TextStream file.

Read
all lines from a textfile

This example demonstrates how to read all the lines from a TextStream file.

Skip
a part of a textfile

This example demonstrates how to skip a specified number of characters when
reading the TextStream file.

Skip
a line of a textfile

This example demonstrates how to skip a line when reading the TextStream file.

Return
line-number

This example demonstrates how to return the current line number in a TextStream
file.

Get
column number

This example demonstrates how to get the column number of the current character
in a file.

The TextStream Object

The TextStream object is used to access the contents of text
files.

The following code creates a text file (c:\test.txt) and then
writes some text to the file (the variable f is an instance of the TextStream
object):

<% 
dim fs, f 
set fs=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") 
set f=fs.CreateTextFile("c:\test.txt",true) 
f.WriteLine("Hello World!")
f.Close
set f=nothing
set fs=nothing
%>

To create an instance of the TextStream object you can use the
CreateTextFile or OpenTextFile methods of the FileSystemObject object, or you
can use the OpenAsTextStream method of the File object.

The TextStream object's properties and methods are described
below:

Properties

Property	Description
AtEndOfLine	Returns true if the file pointer is positioned immediately before the end-of-line marker in a TextStream file, and false if not
AtEndOfStream	Returns true if the file pointer is at the end of a TextStream file, and false if not
Column	Returns the column number of the current character position in an input stream
Line	Returns the current line number in a TextStream file

Methods

Method	Description
Close	Closes an open TextStream file
Read	Reads a specified number of characters from a TextStream file and returns the result
ReadAll	Reads an entire TextStream file and returns the result
ReadLine	Reads one line from a TextStream file and returns the result
Skip	Skips a specified number of characters when reading a TextStream file
SkipLine	Skips the next line when reading a TextStream file
Write	Writes a specified text to a TextStream file
WriteLine	Writes a specified text and a new-line character to a TextStream file
WriteBlankLines	Writes a specified number of new-line character to a TextStream file

ASP FileSystemObject Object

2008-09-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

The FileSystemObject object is used to access
the file system on the server.

Examples

Does
a specified file exist?

This example demonstrates how to first create a FileSystemObject Object, and
then use the FileExists method to check if the file exists.

Does
a specified folder exist?

This example demonstrates how to use the FolderExists method to check if a
folder exists.

Does
a specified drive exist?

This example demonstrates how to use the DriveExists method to check if a drive
exists.

Get
the name of a specified drive

This example demonstrates how to use the GetDriveName method to get the name of
a specified drive.

Get
the name of the parent folder of a specified path

This example demonstrates how to use the GetParentFolderName method to get the
name of the parent folder of a specified path.

Get
the file extension

This example demonstrates how to use the GetExtensionName method to get the file
extension of the last component in a specified path.

Get
file name

This example demonstrates how to use the GetFileName method to get the file name
of the last component in a specified path.

Get
the base name of a file or folder

This example demonstrates how to use the GetBaseName method to return the base
name of the file or folder, in a specified path.

The FileSystemObject Object

The FileSystemObject object is used to access the file system
on the server. This object can manipulate files, folders, and directory paths.
It is also possible to retrieve file system information with this object.

The following code creates a text file (c:\test.txt) and then
writes some text to the file:

<%

dim fs,fname

set fs=Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

set fname=fs.CreateTextFile("c:\test.txt",true)

fname.WriteLine("Hello World!")

fname.Close

set fname=nothing

set fs=nothing

%>

The FileSystemObject object's properties and methods are described below:

Properties

Property	Description
Drives	Returns a collection of all Drive objects on the computer

Methods

Method	Description
BuildPath	Appends a name to an existing path
CopyFile	Copies one or more files from one location to another
CopyFolder	Copies one or more folders from one location to another
CreateFolder	Creates a new folder
CreateTextFile	Creates a text file and returns a TextStream object that can be used to read from, or write to the file
DeleteFile	Deletes one or more specified files
DeleteFolder	Deletes one or more specified folders
DriveExists	Checks if a specified drive exists
FileExists	Checks if a specified file exists
FolderExists	Checks if a specified folder exists
GetAbsolutePathName	Returns the complete path from the root of the drive for the specified path
GetBaseName	Returns the base name of a specified file or folder
GetDrive	Returns a Drive object corresponding to the drive in a specified path
GetDriveName	Returns the drive name of a specified path
GetExtensionName	Returns the file extension name for the last component in a specified path
GetFile	Returns a File object for a specified path
GetFileName	Returns the file name or folder name for the last component in a specified path
GetFolder	Returns a Folder object for a specified path
GetParentFolderName	Returns the name of the parent folder of the last component in a specified path
GetSpecialFolder	Returns the path to some of Windows' special folders
GetTempName	Returns a randomly generated temporary file or folder
MoveFile	Moves one or more files from one location to another
MoveFolder	Moves one or more folders from one location to another
OpenTextFile	Opens a file and returns a TextStream object that can be used to access the file

ASP ASPError Object

2008-09-20T18:02:00.002-07:00

The ASPError object is used to display detailed
information of any error that occurs in scripts in an ASP page.

The ASPError Object

The ASPError object was implemented in ASP 3.0 and is
available in IIS5 and later.

The ASPError object is used to display detailed information of
any error that occurs in scripts in an ASP page. The ASPError object is created
when Server.GetLastError is called, so the error information can only be
accessed by using the Server.GetLastError method.

The ASPError object's properties are described below (all
properties are read-only):

Note: The properties below can only be accessed through
the Server.GetLastError() method.

Properties

Property	Description
ASPCode	Returns an error code generated by IIS
ASPDescription	Returns a detailed description of the error (if the error is ASP-related)
Category	Returns the source of the error (was the error generated by ASP? By a scripting language? By an object?)
Column	Returns the column position within the file that generated the error
Description	Returns a short description of the error
File	Returns the name of the ASP file that generated the error
Line	Returns the line number where the error was detected
Number	Returns the standard COM error code for the error
Source	Returns the actual source code of the line where the error occurred

ASP Server Object

2008-09-20T18:02:00.001-07:00

The ASP Server object is used to access
properties and methods on the server.

Examples

When
was a file last modified?

Checks when this file was last modified.

Open
a text file for reading

This example opens the file "Textfile.txt" for reading.

Homemade
hit counter

This example reads a number from a file, adds 1 to the number, and writes the
number back to the file.

Server Object

The ASP Server object is used to access properties and methods
on the server. Its properties and methods are described below:

Properties

Property	Description
ScriptTimeout	Sets or returns the maximum number of seconds a script can run before it is terminated

Methods

Method	Description
CreateObject	Creates an instance of an object
Execute	Executes an ASP file from inside another ASP file
GetLastError()	Returns an ASPError object that describes the error condition that occurred
HTMLEncode	Applies HTML encoding to a specified string
MapPath	Maps a specified path to a physical path
Transfer	Sends (transfers) all the information created in one ASP file to a second ASP file
URLEncode	Applies URL encoding rules to a specified string

ASP Session Object

2008-09-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

Examples

Set
and return the LCID

This example demonstrates the "LCID" property. This property sets or
returns an integer that specifies a location or region. Contents like date,
time, and currency will be displayed according to that location or region.

Return
the SessionID

This example demonstrates the "SessionID" property. This property
returns a unique id for each user. The id is generated by the server.

A
session's timeout

This example demonstrates the "Timeout" property. This example sets
and returns the timeout (in minutes) for the session.

Session Object

When you are working with an application, you open it, do some
changes and then you close it. This is much like a Session. The computer knows
who you are. It knows when you start the application and when you end. But on
the internet there is one problem: the web server does not know who you are and
what you do because the HTTP address doesn't maintain state.

ASP solves this problem by creating a unique cookie for each
user. The cookie is sent to the client and it contains information that
identifies the user. This interface is called the Session object.

The Session object is used to store information about, or
change settings for a user session. Variables stored in the Session object hold
information about one single user, and are available to all pages in one
application. Common information stored in session variables are name, id, and
preferences. The server creates a new Session object for each new user, and
destroys the Session object when the session expires.

The Session object's collections, properties, methods, and
events are described below:

Collections

Collection	Description
Contents	Contains all the items appended to the session through a script command
StaticObjects	Contains all the objects appended to the session with the HTML <object> tag

Properties

Property	Description
CodePage	Specifies the character set that will be used when displaying dynamic content
LCID	Sets or returns an integer that specifies a location or region. Contents like date, time, and currency will be displayed according to that location or region
SessionID	Returns a unique id for each user. The unique id is generated by the server
Timeout	Sets or returns the timeout period (in minutes) for the Session object in this application

Methods

Method	Description
Abandon	Destroys a user session
Contents.Remove	Deletes an item from the Contents collection
Contents.RemoveAll()	Deletes all items from the Contents collection

Events

Event	Description
Session_OnEnd	Occurs when a session ends
Session_OnStart	Occurs when a session starts

ASP Application Object

2008-09-18T02:47:00.014-07:00

A group of ASP files that work together to
perform some purpose is called an application. The Application object in ASP is
used to tie these files together.

Application Object

An application on the Web may be a group of ASP files. The ASP
files work together to perform some purpose. The Application object in ASP is
used to tie these files together.

The Application object is used to store and access variables
from any page, just like the Session object. The difference is that ALL users
share one Application object, while with Sessions there is one Session object
for EACH user.

The Application object should hold information that will be
used by many pages in the application (like database connection information).
This means that you can access the information from any page. It also means that
you can change the information in one place and the changes will automatically
be reflected on all pages.

The Application object's collections, methods, and events are
described below:

Collections

Collection	Description
Contents	Contains all the items appended to the application through a script command
StaticObjects	Contains all the objects appended to the application with the HTML <object> tag

Methods

Method	Description
Contents.Remove	Deletes an item from the Contents collection
Contents.RemoveAll()	Deletes all items from the Contents collection
Lock	Prevents other users from modifying the variables in the Application object
Unlock	Enables other users to modify the variables in the Application object (after it has been locked using the Lock method)

Events

Event	Description
Application_OnEnd	Occurs when all user sessions are over, and the application ends
Application_OnStart	Occurs before the first new session is created (when the Application object is first referenced)

ASP Request Object

2008-09-18T02:47:00.013-07:00

The ASP Request object is used to get
information from the user.

QueryString Collection Examples

Send
query information when a user clicks on a link

This example demonstrates how to send some extra query information to a page
within a link, and retrieve that information on the destination page (which is,
in this example, the same page).

A
QueryString collection in its simplest use

This example demonstrates how the QueryString collection retrieves the
values from a form. The form uses the GET method, which means that the
information sent is visible to everybody (in the address field). The GET method
also limits the amount of information that can be sent.

How
to use information from forms

This example demonstrates how to use the values retrieved from a form. We use
the QueryString collection. The form uses the get method.

More
information from a form

This example demonstrates what the QueryString contains if several input
fields have the same name. It shows how to separate input fields with equal
names from each other. It also shows how to use the Count keyword to
count the "name" property. The form uses the get method.

Form Collection Examples

A
form collection in its simplest use

This example demonstrates how the Form collection retrieves the values
from a form. The form uses the POST method, which means that the information
sent is invisible to others, and it has no limits (you can send a large amount
of information).

How
to use information from forms

This example demonstrates how to use the values retrieved from a form. We use
the Form collection. The form uses the post method.

More
information from a form

This example demonstrates what the Form collection contains if several
input fields have the same name. It shows how to separate input fields with
equal names from each other. It also shows how to use the Count keyword
to count the "name" property. The form uses the post method.

A
form with radio buttons

This example demonstrates how to interact with the user through radio buttons,
with the Form collection. The form uses the post method.

A
form with checkboxes

This example demonstrates how to interact with the user through checkboxes, with
the Form collection. The form uses the post method.

Other Examples

Get
the server variables

This example demonstrates how to find out the visitors (yours) browser type, IP
address, and more with the ServerVariables collection.

Create
a welcome cookie

This example demonstrates how to create a Welcome Cookie with the Cookies
Collection.

Find
the total number of bytes the user sent

This example demonstrates how to use the TotalBytes property to find out
the total number of bytes the user sent in the Request object.

Request Object

When a browser asks for a page from a server, it is called a
request. The ASP Request object is used to get information from the user. Its
collections, properties, and methods are described below:

Collections

Collection	Description
ClientCertificate	Contains all the field values stored in the client certificate
Cookies	Contains all the cookie values sent in a HTTP request
Form	Contains all the form (input) values from a form that uses the post method
QueryString	Contains all the variable values in a HTTP query string
ServerVariables	Contains all the server variable values

Properties

Property	Description
TotalBytes	Returns the total number of bytes the client sent in the body of the request

Methods

Method	Description
BinaryRead	Retrieves the data sent to the server from the client as part of a post request and stores it in a safe array

ASP Response Object

2008-09-18T02:47:00.012-07:00

The ASP Response object is used to send output
to the user from the server.

Examples

Write
text with ASP

This example demonstrates how to write text with ASP.

Format
text with HTML tags in ASP

This example demonstrates how to combine text and HTML tags with ASP.

Redirect
the user to a different URL

This example demonstrates how to redirect the user to a different URL.

Show
a random link

This example demonstrates a link, each time you load the page, it will display
one of two links: W3Schools.com! OR Refsnesdata.no! There is a 50% chance for
each of them.

Controlling
the buffer

This example demonstrates how you can control the buffer.

Clear
the buffer

This example demonstrates how you can clear the buffer.

End
a script in the middle of processing and return the result

This example demonstrates how to end a script in the middle of processing.

Set
how many minutes a page will be cached in a browser before it expires

This example demonstrates how to specify how many minutes a page will be cached
in a browser before it expires.

Set
a date/time when a page cached in a browser will expire

This example demonstrates how to specify a date/time a page cached in a browser
will expire.

Check
if the user is still connected to the server

This example demonstrates how to check if a user is disconnected from the
server.

Set
the type of content

This example demonstrates how to specify the type of content.

Set
the name of the character set

This example demonstrates how to specify the name of the character set.

Response Object

The ASP Response object is used to send output to the user
from the server. Its collections, properties, and methods are described below:

Collections

Collection	Description
Cookies	Sets a cookie value. If the cookie does not exist, it will be created, and take the value that is specified

Properties

Property	Description
Buffer	Specifies whether to buffer the page output or not
CacheControl	Sets whether a proxy server can cache the output generated by ASP or not
Charset	Appends the name of a character-set to the content-type header in the Response object
ContentType	Sets the HTTP content type for the Response object
Expires	Sets how long (in minutes) a page will be cached on a browser before it expires
ExpiresAbsolute	Sets a date and time when a page cached on a browser will expire
IsClientConnected	Indicates if the client has disconnected from the server
Pics	Appends a value to the PICS label response header
Status	Specifies the value of the status line returned by the server

Methods

Method	Description
AddHeader	Adds a new HTTP header and a value to the HTTP response
AppendToLog	Adds a string to the end of the server log entry
BinaryWrite	Writes data directly to the output without any character conversion
Clear	Clears any buffered HTML output
End	Stops processing a script, and returns the current result
Flush	Sends buffered HTML output immediately
Redirect	Redirects the user to a different URL
Write	Writes a specified string to the output

ASP Sending e-mail with CDOSYS

2008-09-18T02:47:00.011-07:00

CDOSYS is a built-in component in ASP. This
component is used to send e-mails with ASP.

Sending e-mail with CDOSYS

CDO (Collaboration Data Objects) is a Microsoft technology
that is designed to simplify the creation of messaging applications.

CDOSYS is a built-in component in ASP. We will show you how to
use this component to send e-mail with ASP.

How about CDONTs?

Microsoft has discontinued the use of CDONTs on Windows 2000,
Windows XP and Windows 2003. If you have used CDONTs in your ASP applications,
you should update the code and use the new CDO technology.

Examples using CDOSYS

Sending a text e-mail:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.TextBody="This is a message."
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending a text e-mail with Bcc and CC fields:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.Bcc="someoneelse@somedomain.com"
myMail.Cc="someoneelse2@somedomain.com"
myMail.TextBody="This is a message."
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending an HTML e-mail:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.HTMLBody = "<h1>This is a message.</h1>" 
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending an HTML e-mail that sends a webpage from a website:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.CreateMHTMLBody "http://www.w3schools.com/asp/" 
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending an HTML e-mail that sends a webpage from a file on
your computer:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.CreateMHTMLBody "file://c:/mydocuments/test.htm" 
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending a text e-mail with an Attachment:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.TextBody="This is a message."
myMail.AddAttachment "c:\mydocuments\test.txt"
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

Sending a text e-mail using a remote server:

<%
Set myMail=CreateObject("CDO.Message")
myMail.Subject="Sending email with CDO"
myMail.From="mymail@mydomain.com"
myMail.To="someone@somedomain.com"
myMail.TextBody="This is a message."
myMail.Configuration.Fields.Item _
("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing")=2
'Name or IP of remote SMTP server
myMail.Configuration.Fields.Item _
("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver") _
="smtp.server.com"
'Server port
myMail.Configuration.Fields.Item _
("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport") _
=25 
myMail.Configuration.Fields.Update
myMail.Send
set myMail=nothing
%>

ASP The Global.asa file

2008-09-18T02:47:00.010-07:00

The Global.asa file is an optional file that can
contain declarations of objects, variables, and methods that can be accessed by
every page in an ASP application.

The Global.asa file

The Global.asa file is an optional file that can contain
declarations of objects, variables, and methods that can be accessed by every
page in an ASP application. All valid browser scripts (JavaScript, VBScript,
JScript, PerlScript, etc.) can be used within Global.asa.

The Global.asa file can contain only the following:

Application events
Session events
<object> declarations
TypeLibrary declarations
the #include directive

Note: The Global.asa file must be stored in the root
directory of the ASP application, and each application can only have one
Global.asa file.

Events in Global.asa

In Global.asa you can tell the application and session objects
what to do when the application/session starts and what to do when the
application/session ends. The code for this is placed in event handlers. The
Global.asa file can contain four types of events:

Application_OnStart - This event occurs when the FIRST
user calls the first page from an ASP application. This event occurs after the
Web server is restarted or after the Global.asa file is edited. The
"Session_OnStart" event occurs immediately after this event.

Session_OnStart - This event occurs EVERY time a NEW
user requests his or her first page in the ASP application.

Session_OnEnd - This event occurs EVERY time a user
ends a session. A user ends a session after a page has not been requested by the
user for a specified time (by default this is 20 minutes).

Application_OnEnd - This event occurs after the LAST
user has ended the session. Typically, this event occurs when a Web server
stops. This procedure is used to clean up settings after the Application stops,
like delete records or write information to text files.

A Global.asa file could look something like this:

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">

sub Application_OnStart
  'some code
end sub

sub Application_OnEnd
  'some code
end sub

sub Session_OnStart
  'some code
end sub

sub Session_OnEnd
  'some code
end sub

</script>

Note: Because we cannot use the ASP script delimiters
(<% and %>) to insert scripts in the Global.asa file, we put subroutines
inside an HTML <script> element.

<object> Declarations

It is possible to create objects with session or application
scope in Global.asa by using the <object> tag.

Note: The <object> tag should be outside the
<script> tag!

Syntax

<object runat="server" scope="scope" id="id"
{progid="progID"|classid="classID"}>
....
</object>

Parameter	Description
scope	Sets the scope of the object (either Session or Application)
id	Specifies a unique id for the object
ProgID	An id associated with a class id. The format for ProgID is [Vendor.]Component[.Version] Either ProgID or ClassID must be specified.
ClassID	Specifies a unique id for a COM class object. Either ProgID or ClassID must be specified.

Examples

The first example creates an object of session scope named
"MyAd" by using the ProgID parameter:

<object runat="server" scope="session" id="MyAd"
progid="MSWC.AdRotator">
</object>

The second example creates an object of application scope
named "MyConnection" by using the ClassID parameter:

<object runat="server" scope="application" id="MyConnection"
classid="Clsid:8AD3067A-B3FC-11CF-A560-00A0C9081C21">
</object>

The objects declared in the Global.asa file can be used by any
script in the application:

GLOBAL.ASA:

<object runat="server" scope="session" id="MyAd"
progid="MSWC.AdRotator">
</object>

You could reference the object "MyAd" from
any page in the ASP application:

SOME .ASP FILE:

<%=MyAd.GetAdvertisement("/banners/adrot.txt")%>

TypeLibrary Declarations

A TypeLibrary is a container for the contents of a DLL file
corresponding to a COM object. By including a call to the TypeLibrary in the
Global.asa file, the constants of the COM object can be accessed, and errors can
be better reported by the ASP code. If your Web application relies on COM
objects that have declared data types in type libraries, you can declare the
type libraries in Global.asa.

Syntax

<!--METADATA TYPE="TypeLib"
file="filename"
uuid="typelibraryuuid"
version="versionnumber"
lcid="localeid"
-->

Parameter	Description
file	Specifies an absolute path to a type library. Either the file parameter or the uuid parameter is required
uuid	Specifies a unique identifier for the type library. Either the file parameter or the uuid parameter is required
version	Optional. Used for selecting version. If the requested version is not found, then the most recent version is used
lcid	Optional. The locale identifier to be used for the type library

Error Values

The server can return one of the following error messages:

Error Code	Description
ASP 0222	Invalid type library specification
ASP 0223	Type library not found
ASP 0224	Type library cannot be loaded
ASP 0225	Type library cannot be wrapped

Note: METADATA tags can appear anywhere in the
Global.asa file (both inside and outside <script> tags). However, it is
recommended that METADATA tags appear near the top of the Global.asa file.

Restrictions

Restrictions on what you can include in the Global.asa file:

You can not display text that is written in the Global.asa
file. This file can't display information
You can only use Server and Application objects in the
Application_OnStart and Application_OnEnd subroutines. In the Session_OnEnd
subroutine, you can use Server, Application, and Session objects. In the
Session_OnStart subroutine you can use any built-in object

How to use the Subroutines

Global.asa is often used to initialize variables.

The example below shows how to detect the exact time a visitor
first arrives on a Web site. The time is stored in a Session variable named
"started", and the value of the "started" variable can be
accessed from any ASP page in the application:

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">
sub Session_OnStart
Session("started")=now()
end sub
</script>

Global.asa can also be used to control page access.

The example below shows how to redirect every new visitor to
another page, in this case to a page called "newpage.asp":

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">
sub Session_OnStart
Response.Redirect("newpage.asp")
end sub
</script>

And you can include functions in the Global.asa file.

In the example below the Application_OnStart subroutine occurs
when the Web server starts. Then the Application_OnStart subroutine calls
another subroutine named "getcustomers". The "getcustomers"
subroutine opens a database and retrieves a record set from the
"customers" table. The record set is assigned to an array, where it
can be accessed from any ASP page without querying the database:

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">

sub Application_OnStart
getcustomers
end sub

sub getcustomers 
set conn=Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
conn.Provider="Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
conn.Open "c:/webdata/northwind.mdb"
set rs=conn.execute("select name from customers")
Application("customers")=rs.GetRows
rs.Close
conn.Close
end sub

</script>

Global.asa Example

In this example we will create a Global.asa file that counts
the number of current visitors.

The Application_OnStart sets the Application variable
"visitors" to 0 when the server starts
The Session_OnStart subroutine adds one to the variable
"visitors" every time a new visitor arrives
The Session_OnEnd subroutine subtracts one from
"visitors" each time this subroutine is triggered

The Global.asa file:

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">

Sub Application_OnStart
Application("visitors")=0
End Sub

Sub Session_OnStart
Application.Lock
Application("visitors")=Application("visitors")+1
Application.UnLock
End Sub

Sub Session_OnEnd
Application.Lock
Application("visitors")=Application("visitors")-1
Application.UnLock
End Sub

</script>

To display the number of current visitors in an ASP file:

<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>
There are <%response.write(Application("visitors"))%>
online now!
</p>
</body>
</html>

ASP Including Files

2008-09-18T02:47:00.009-07:00

The #include directive is used to create
functions, headers, footers, or elements that will be reused on multiple pages.

The #include Directive

You can insert the content of one ASP file into another ASP
file before the server executes it, with the #include directive. The #include
directive is used to create functions, headers, footers, or elements that will
be reused on multiple pages.

How to Use the #include Directive

Here is a file called "mypage.asp":

<html> 
<body> 
<h3>Words of Wisdom:</h3>
<p><!--#include file="wisdom.inc"--></p> 
<h3>The time is:</h3>
<p><!--#include file="time.inc"--></p>
</body> 
</html>

Here is the "wisdom.inc" file:

"One should never increase, beyond what is necessary,
the number of entities required to explain anything."

Here is the "time.inc" file:

<%
Response.Write(Time)
%>

If you look at the source code in a browser, it will look
something like this:

<html>
<body>
<h3>Words of Wisdom:</h3>
<p>"One should never increase, beyond what is necessary,
the number of entities required to explain anything."</p>
<h3>The time is:</h3>
<p>11:33:42 AM</p>
</body>
</html>

Syntax for Including Files

To include a file in an ASP page, place the #include directive
inside comment tags:

<!--#include virtual="somefilename"-->

or

<!--#include file ="somefilename"-->

The Virtual Keyword

Use the virtual keyword to indicate a path beginning with a
virtual directory.

If a file named "header.inc" resides in a virtual
directory named /html, the following line would insert the contents of
"header.inc":

<!-- #include virtual ="/html/header.inc" -->

The File Keyword

Use the file keyword to indicate a relative path. A relative
path begins with the directory that contains the including file.

If you have a file in the html directory, and the file
"header.inc" resides in html\headers, the following line would insert
"header.inc" in your file:

<!-- #include file ="headers\header.inc" -->

Note that the path to the included file (headers\header.inc)
is relative to the including file. If the file containing this #include
statement is not in the html directory, the statement will not work.

Tips and Notes

In the sections above we have used the file extension
".inc" for included files. Notice that if a user tries to browse an
INC file directly, its content will be displayed. If your included file contains
confidential information or information you do not want any users to see, it is
better to use an ASP extension. The source code in an ASP file will not be
visible after the interpretation. An included file can also include other files,
and one ASP file can include the same file more than once.

Important: Included files are processed and inserted
before the scripts are executed.

The following script will not work because ASP executes the
#include directive before it assigns a value to the variable:

<%
fname="header.inc"
%>
<!--#include file="<%=fname%>"-->

You cannot open or close a script delimiter in an INC file.
This script will not work:

<%
For i = 1 To n
  <!--#include file="count.inc"-->
Next
%>

But this script will work:

<% For i = 1 to n %>
<!--#include file="count.inc" -->
<% Next %>

ASP Application Object

2008-09-18T02:47:00.008-07:00

A group of ASP files that work together to
perform some purpose is called an application. The Application object in ASP is
used to tie these files together.

Application Object

An application on the Web may be a group of ASP files. The ASP
files work together to perform some purpose. The Application object in ASP is
used to tie these files together.

Store and Retrieve Application Variables

Application variables can be accessed and changed by any page
in the application.

You can create Application variables in "Global.asa"
like this:

<script language="vbscript" runat="server">

Sub Application_OnStart
application("vartime")=""
application("users")=1
End Sub

</script>

In the example above we have created two Application
variables: "vartime" and "users".

You can access the value of an Application variable like this:

There are 
<%
Response.Write(Application("users"))
%> 
active connections.

Loop Through the Contents Collection

The Contents collection contains all application variables.
You can loop through the Contents collection, to see what's stored in it:

<%
dim i
For Each i in Application.Contents
  Response.Write(i & "<br />")
Next
%>

If you do not know the number of items in the Contents
collection, you can use the Count property:

<%
dim i
dim j
j=Application.Contents.Count
For i=1 to j
  Response.Write(Application.Contents(i) & "<br />")
Next
%>

Loop Through the StaticObjects Collection

You can loop through the StaticObjects collection, to see the
values of all objects stored in the Application object:

<%
dim i
For Each i in Application.StaticObjects
  Response.Write(i & "<br />")
Next
%>

Lock and Unlock

You can lock an application with the "Lock" method.
When an application is locked, the users cannot change the Application variables
(other than the one currently accessing it). You can unlock an application with
the "Unlock" method. This method removes the lock from the Application
variable:

<%
Application.Lock
  'do some application object operations
Application.Unlock
%>

ASP Session Object

2008-09-18T02:47:00.007-07:00

The Session object

ASP solves this problem by creating a unique cookie for each
user. The cookie is sent to the client and it contains information that
identifies the user. This interface is called the Session object.

When does a Session Start?

A session starts when:

A new user requests an ASP file, and the Global.asa file
includes a Session_OnStart procedure
A value is stored in a Session variable
A user requests an ASP file, and the Global.asa file uses
the <object> tag to instantiate an object with session scope

When does a Session End?

A session ends if a user has not requested or refreshed a page
in the application for a specified period. By default, this is 20 minutes.

If you want to set a timeout interval that is shorter or
longer than the default, you can set the Timeout property.

The example below sets a timeout interval of 5 minutes:

<%
Session.Timeout=5
%>

To end a session immediately, you may use the Abandon
method:

<%
Session.Abandon
%>

Note: The main problem with sessions is WHEN they
should end. We do not know if the user's last request was the final one or not.
So we do not know how long we should keep the session "alive". Waiting
too long for an idle session uses up resources on the server, but if the session
is deleted too soon the user has to start all over again because the server has
deleted all the information. Finding the right timeout interval can be
difficult!

Tip: If you are using session variables, store SMALL
amounts of data in them.

Store and Retrieve Session Variables

The most important thing about the Session object is that you
can store variables in it.

The example below will set the Session variable username
to "Donald Duck" and the Session variable age to
"50":

<%
Session("username")="Donald Duck"
Session("age")=50
%>

When the value is stored in a session variable it can be
reached from ANY page in the ASP application:

Welcome <%Response.Write(Session("username"))%>

The line above returns: "Welcome Donald Duck".

You can also store user preferences in the Session object, and
then access that preference to choose what page to return to the user.

The example below specifies a text-only version of the page if
the user has a low screen resolution:

<%If Session("screenres")="low" Then%> 
  This is the text version of the page
<%Else%> 
  This is the multimedia version of the page
<%End If%>

Remove Session Variables

The Contents collection contains all session variables.

It is possible to remove a session variable with the Remove
method.

The example below removes the session variable
"sale" if the value of the session variable "age" is lower
than 18:

<%
If Session.Contents("age")<18 then 
  Session.Contents.Remove("sale")
End If 
%>

To remove all variables in a session, use the RemoveAll
method:

<%
Session.Contents.RemoveAll()
%>

Loop Through the Contents Collection

The Contents collection contains all session variables. You
can loop through the Contents collection, to see what's stored in it:

<%
Session("username")="Donald Duck"
Session("age")=50

dim i
For Each i in Session.Contents
  Response.Write(i & "<br />")
Next
%>

Result:

username
age

If you do not know the number of items in the Contents
collection, you can use the Count property:

<%
dim i
dim j
j=Session.Contents.Count
Response.Write("Session variables: " & j)
For i=1 to j
  Response.Write(Session.Contents(i) & "<br />")
Next
%>

Result:

Session variables: 2
Donald Duck
50

Loop Through the StaticObjects Collection

You can loop through the StaticObjects collection, to see the
values of all objects stored in the Session object:

<%
dim i
For Each i in Session.StaticObjects
  Response.Write(i & "<br />")
Next
%>

ASP Cookies

2008-09-18T02:47:00.006-07:00

A cookie is often used to identify a user.

Examples

Welcome
cookie

How to create a Welcome cookie.

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is often used to identify a user. A cookie is a small
file that the server embeds on the user's computer. Each time the same computer
requests a page with a browser, it will send the cookie too. With ASP, you can
both create and retrieve cookie values.

How to Create a Cookie?

The "Response.Cookies" command is used to create
cookies.

Note: The Response.Cookies command must appear BEFORE
the <html> tag.

In the example below, we will create a cookie named
"firstname" and assign the value "Alex" to it:

<%
Response.Cookies("firstname")="Alex"
%>

It is also possible to assign properties to a cookie, like
setting a date when the cookie should expire:

<%
Response.Cookies("firstname")="Alex" 
Response.Cookies("firstname").Expires=#May 10,2002#
%>

How to Retrieve a Cookie Value?

The "Request.Cookies" command is used to retrieve a
cookie value.

In the example below, we retrieve the value of the cookie
named "firstname" and display it on a page:

<%
fname=Request.Cookies("firstname")
response.write("Firstname=" & fname)
%>

Output:

Firstname=Alex

A Cookie with Keys

If a cookie contains a collection of multiple values, we
say that the cookie has Keys.

In the example below, we will create a cookie collection named
"user". The "user" cookie has Keys that contains information
about a user:

<%
Response.Cookies("user")("firstname")="John"
Response.Cookies("user")("lastname")="Smith"
Response.Cookies("user")("country")="Norway"
Response.Cookies("user")("age")="25"
%>

Read all Cookies

Look at the following code:

<%
Response.Cookies("firstname")="Alex"
Response.Cookies("user")("firstname")="John"
Response.Cookies("user")("lastname")="Smith"
Response.Cookies("user")("country")="Norway"
Response.Cookies("user")("age")="25"
%>

Assume that your server has sent all the cookies above to a
user.

Now we want to read all the cookies sent to a user. The
example below shows how to do it (note that the code below checks if a cookie
has Keys with the HasKeys property):

<html>
<body>

<%
dim x,y

for each x in Request.Cookies
  response.write("<p>")
  if Request.Cookies(x).HasKeys then
    for each y in Request.Cookies(x)
      response.write(x & ":" & y & "=" & Request.Cookies(x)(y))
      response.write("<br />")
    next
  else
    Response.Write(x & "=" & Request.Cookies(x) & "<br />")
  end if
  response.write "</p>"
next
%>

</body>
</html>

Output:

firstname=Alex

user:firstname=John

user:lastname=Smith

user:country=Norway

user:age=25

What if a Browser Does NOT Support Cookies?

If your application deals with browsers that do not support
cookies, you will have to use other methods to pass information from one page to
another in your application. There are two ways of doing this:

1. Add parameters to a URL

You can add parameters to a URL:

<a href="welcome.asp?fname=John&lname=Smith">
Go to Welcome Page</a>

And retrieve the values in the "welcome.asp" file
like this:

<%
fname=Request.querystring("fname")
lname=Request.querystring("lname")
response.write("<p>Hello " & fname & " " & lname & "!</p>")
response.write("<p>Welcome to my Web site!</p>")
%>

2. Use a form

You can use a form. The form passes the user input to
"welcome.asp" when the user clicks on the Submit button:

<form method="post" action="welcome.asp">
First Name:  <input type="text" name="fname" value="">
Last Name: <input type="text" name="lname" value="">
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

Retrieve the values in the "welcome.asp" file like
this:

<%
fname=Request.form("fname")
lname=Request.form("lname")
response.write("<p>Hello " & fname & " " & lname & "!</p>")
response.write("<p>Welcome to my Web site!</p>")
%>

ASP Forms and User Input

2008-09-18T02:47:00.005-07:00

The Request.QueryString and Request.Form
commands may be used to retrieve information from forms, like user input.

Examples

A
form with method="get"

How to interact with the user, with the Request.QueryString command.

A
form with method="post"

How to interact with the user, with the Request.Form command.

A
form with radio buttons

How to interact with the user, through radio buttons, with the Request.Form
command.

User Input

The Request object may be used to retrieve user information
from forms.

Form example:

<form method="get" action="simpleform.asp">
First Name: <input type="text" name="fname" />
<br />
Last Name: <input type="text" name="lname" />
<br /><br />
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

User input can be retrieved in two ways: With
Request.QueryString or Request.Form.

Request.QueryString

The Request.QueryString command is used to collect values in a
form with method="get". Information sent from a form with the GET
method is visible to everyone (it will be displayed in the browser's address
bar) and has limits on the amount of information to send.

If a user typed "Bill" and "Gates" in the
form example above, the URL sent to the server would look like this:

http://www.w3schools.com/simpleform.asp?fname=Bill&lname=Gates

Assume that the ASP file "simpleform.asp" contains
the following script:

<body>
Welcome 
<%
response.write(request.querystring("fname"))
response.write(" " & request.querystring("lname"))
%>
</body>

The browser will display the following in the body of the
document:

Welcome Bill Gates

Request.Form

The Request.Form command is used to collect values in a form
with method="post". Information sent from a form with the POST method
is invisible to others and has no limits on the amount of information to send.

If a user typed "Bill" and "Gates" in the
form example above, the URL sent to the server would look like this:

http://www.w3schools.com/simpleform.asp

Assume that the ASP file "simpleform.asp" contains
the following script:

<body>
Welcome 
<%
response.write(request.form("fname"))
response.write(" " & request.form("lname"))
%>
</body>

The browser will display the following in the body of the
document:

Welcome Bill Gates

Form Validation

User input should be validated on the browser whenever
possible (by client scripts). Browser validation is faster and you reduce the
server load.

You should consider using server validation if the user input
will be inserted into a database. A good way to validate a form on the server is
to post the form to itself, instead of jumping to a different page. The user
will then get the error messages on the same page as the form. This makes it
easier to discover the error.

ASP Procedures

2008-09-18T02:47:00.004-07:00

In ASP you can call a JavaScript procedure from
a VBScript and vice versa.

Examples

Call
a procedure using VBScript

How to call a VBScript procedure from ASP.

Call
a procedure using JavaScript

How to call a JavaScript procedure from ASP.

Call
procedures using VBScript

How to call both a JavaScript procedure and a VBScript procedure in an ASP file.

Procedures

The ASP source code can contain procedures and functions:

<html>
<head>
<%
sub vbproc(num1,num2)
response.write(num1*num2)
end sub
%>
</head>

<body>
<p>Result: <%call vbproc(3,4)%></p>
</body>

</html>

Insert the <%@ language="language" %>
line above the <html> tag to write procedures or functions in another
scripting language than default:

<%@ language="javascript" %>
<html>
<head>
<%
function jsproc(num1,num2)
{
Response.Write(num1*num2)
}
%>
</head>

<body>
<p>Result: <%jsproc(3,4)%></p>
</body>

</html>

Differences Between VBScript and JavaScript

When calling a VBScript or a JavaScript procedure from an ASP
file written in VBScript, you can use the "call" keyword followed by
the procedure name. If a procedure requires parameters, the parameter list must
be enclosed in parentheses when using the "call" keyword. If you omit
the "call" keyword, the parameter list must not be enclosed in
parentheses. If the procedure has no parameters, the parentheses are optional.

When calling a JavaScript or a VBScript procedure from an ASP
file written in JavaScript, always use parentheses after the procedure name.

ASP Variables

2008-09-18T02:47:00.003-07:00

A variable is used to store information.

If the variable is declared outside a procedure
it can be changed by any script in the ASP file. If the variable is declared
inside a procedure, it is created and destroyed every time the procedure is
executed.

Examples

Declare
a variable

Variables are used to store information. This example demonstrates how to
declare a variable, assign a value to it, and use the value in a text.

Declare
an array

Arrays are used to store a series of related data items. This example
demonstrates how to declare an array that stores names.

Loop
through the HTML headers

How to loop through the six headers in HTML.

Time-based
greeting using VBScript

This example will display a different message to the user depending on the time
on the server.

Time-based
greeting using JavaScript

This example is the same as the one above, but the syntax is different.

Lifetime of Variables

A variable declared outside a procedure can be accessed and
changed by any script in the ASP file.

A variable declared inside a procedure is created and
destroyed every time the procedure is executed. No scripts outside the procedure
can access or change the variable.

To declare variables accessible to more than one ASP file,
declare them as session variables or application variables.

Session Variables

Session variables are used to store information about ONE
single user, and are available to all pages in one application. Typically
information stored in session variables are name, id, and preferences.

Application Variables

Application variables are also available to all pages in one
application. Application variables are used to store information about ALL users
in a specific application.

ASP Syntax

2008-09-18T02:47:00.002-07:00

You cannot view the ASP source code by selecting
"View source" in a browser, you will only see the output from the ASP
file, which is plain HTML. This is because the scripts are executed on the
server before the result is sent back to the browser.

In our ASP tutorial, every example displays the
hidden ASP source code. This will make it easier for you to understand how it
works.

Examples

Write
text with ASP

How to write some text with ASP.

Add
some HTML to the text

How to format the text with HTML tags.

The Basic Syntax Rule

An ASP file normally contains HTML tags, just like an HTML
file. However, an ASP file can also contain server scripts, surrounded by
the delimiters <% and %>. Server scripts are executed on
the server, and can contain any expressions, statements, procedures, or
operators valid for the scripting language you prefer to use.

Write Output to a Browser

The response.write command is used to write output to a
browser. The following example sends the text "Hello World" to the
browser:

<html>
<body>
<%
response.write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>

There is also a shorthand method for the response.write
command. The following example also sends the text "Hello World" to
the browser:

<html>
<body>
<%="Hello World!"%>
</body>
</html>

VBScript

You can use several scripting languages in ASP. However, the
default scripting language is VBScript:

<html>
<body>
<%
response.write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>

The example above writes "Hello World!" into the
body of the document.

JavaScript

To set JavaScript as the default scripting language for a
particular page you must insert a language specification at the top of the page:

<%@ language="javascript"%>
<html>
<body>
<%
Response.Write("Hello World!")
%>
</body>
</html>

Note: Unlike VBScript - JavaScript is case sensitive.
You will have to write your ASP code with uppercase letters and lowercase
letters when the language requires it.

Other Scripting Languages

ASP is shipped with VBScript and JScript (Microsoft's
implementation of JavaScript). If you want to script in another language, like
PERL, REXX, or Python, you will have to install script engines for them.

Important: Because the scripts are executed on the
server, the browser that displays the ASP file does not need to support
scripting at all!

Run ASP on Your PC

2008-09-18T02:47:00.001-07:00

You can run ASP on your own PC without an
external server. To do that, you must install Microsoft's Personal Web
Server (PWS) or Internet Information Services (IIS) on your PC.

How to Run ASP on your own PC

You can run ASP on your own PC without an external server. To
do that, you must install Microsoft's Personal Web Server (PWS) or Internet
Information Services (IIS) on your PC.

If you are serious about using ASP, you should have at
least Windows 98, Second Edition.

If you are really serious about using ASP, you should go
for Windows 2000.

How to install PWS and run ASP on Windows 95

Personal Web Server (PWS) is not shipped with Windows 95 !!

To run ASP on Windows 95, you will have to download
"Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack" from Microsoft.

Download
the "Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack"

How to install PWS and run ASP on Windows NT

Personal Web Server (PWS) is not shipped with Windows NT !!

To run ASP on Windows NT, you will have to download
"Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack" from Microsoft.

Download
the "Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack"

How to install PWS and run ASP on Windows 98

Open the Add-ons folder on your Windows98 CD, find
the PWS folder and run the setup.exe file.
An Inetpub folder will be created on your harddrive.
Open it and find the wwwroot folder.
Create a new folder, like "MyWeb", under
wwwroot.
Use a text editor to write some ASP code, save the
file as "test1.asp" in the "MyWeb" folder.
Make sure your Web server is running - The installation
program has added a new icon on your task bar (this is the PWS symbol).
Click on the icon and press the Start button in the window that appears.
Open your browser and type in
"http://localhost/MyWeb/test1.asp", to view your first ASP page.

How to install PWS and run ASP on Windows ME

Personal Web Server (PWS) is not included with Windows Me !!

Read
article from Microsoft

A
workaround!

How to install IIS and run ASP on Windows 2000

From your Start Button, go to Settings, and Control
Panel
In the Control Panel window select Add/Remove Programs
In the Add/Remove window select Add/Remove Windows
Components
In the Wizard window check Internet Information Services,
click OK
An Inetpub folder will be created on your harddrive
Open the Inetpub folder, and find a folder named wwwroot
Create a new folder, like "MyWeb", under
wwwroot.
Use a text editor to write some ASP code, save the
file as "test1.asp" in the "MyWeb" folder
Make sure your Web server is running - The installation
program has added a new icon on your task bar (this is the IIS symbol).
Click on the icon and press the Start button in the window that appears.
Open your browser and type in
"http://localhost/MyWeb/test1.asp", to view your first ASP page

How to install IIS and run ASP on Windows XP Professional

Note: You cannot run ASP on Windows XP Home Edition.

Insert the Windows XP Professional CD-Rom into your CD-Rom
Drive
From your Start Button, go to Settings, and Control
Panel
In the Control Panel window select Add/Remove Programs
In the Add/Remove window select Add/Remove Windows
Components
In the Wizard window check Internet Information Services,
click OK
An Inetpub folder will be created on your harddrive
Open the Inetpub folder, and find a folder named wwwroot
Create a new folder, like "MyWeb", under
wwwroot.
Use a text editor to write some ASP code, save the
file as "test1.asp" in the "MyWeb" folder
Make sure your Web server is running - its status can be
checked by going into the Control Panel, then Administrative Tools,
and double-click the "IIS Manager" icon
Open your browser and type in
"http://localhost/MyWeb/test1.asp", to view your first ASP page

How to install IIS and run ASP on Windows Server 2003
(Windows .NET Server)

When you start the Windows Server 2003, you should see the Manage
Your Server wizard
If the wizard is not displayed, go to Administrative
Tools, and select Manage Your Server
In the wizard, click Add or Remove a Role, click
Next
Select Custom Configuration, click Next
Select Application Server role, click Next
Select Enable ASP.NET, click Next
Now, the wizard may ask for the Server 2003 CD.
Insert the CD and let it run until it is finished, then click the Finish
button
The wizard should now show the Application Server role
installed
Click on Manage This Application Server to bring up
the Application Server Management Console (MMC)
Expand the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager,
then expand your server, and then the Web Sites folder
You should see the Default Web Site, and it should not say
(Stopped)
IIS is running!
In the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager click
on the Web Service Extensions folder
Here you will see that Active Server Pages are
Prohibited (this is the default configuration of IIS 6)
Highlight Active Server Pages and click the Allow
button
ASP is now active!

Introduction to ASP

2008-09-18T02:47:00.000-07:00

An ASP file can contain text, HTML tags and
scripts. Scripts in an ASP file are executed on the server

What you should already know

Before you continue you should have some basic understanding
of the following:

HTML / XHTML
A scripting language like JavaScript or VBScript

If you want to study these subjects first, find the tutorials
on our Home page.

What is ASP?

ASP stands for Active Server Pages
ASP is a program that runs inside IIS
IIS stands for Internet Information Services
IIS comes as a free component with Windows 2000
IIS is also a part of the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack
The Option Pack can be downloaded from Microsoft
PWS is a smaller - but fully functional - version of
IIS
PWS can be found on your Windows 95/98 CD

ASP Compatibility

ASP is a Microsoft Technology
To run IIS you must have Windows NT 4.0 or later
To run PWS you must have Windows 95 or later
ChiliASP is a technology that runs ASP without Windows OS
InstantASP is another technology that runs ASP without
Windows

What is an ASP File?

An ASP file is just the same as an HTML file
An ASP file can contain text, HTML, XML, and scripts
Scripts in an ASP file are executed on the server
An ASP file has the file extension ".asp"

How Does ASP Differ from HTML?

When a browser requests an HTML file, the server returns
the file
When a browser requests an ASP file, IIS passes the request
to the ASP engine. The ASP engine reads the ASP file, line by line, and
executes the scripts in the file. Finally, the ASP file is returned to the
browser as plain HTML

What can ASP do for you?

Dynamically edit, change or add any content of a Web page
Respond to user queries or data submitted from HTML forms
Access any data or databases and return the results to a
browser
Customize a Web page to make it more useful for individual
users
The advantages of using ASP instead of CGI and Perl, are
those of simplicity and speed
Provide security since your ASP code can not be viewed from
the browser
Clever ASP programming can minimize the network traffic

Important: Because the scripts are executed on the server, the
browser that displays the ASP file does not need to support scripting at all!