Build your ASP.NET 4.5.1 skills with real-world
instruction

In this comprehensive guide to getting started with ASP.NET 4.5.1,
best-selling author Imar Spaanjaars provides a firm foundation for
coders new to ASP.NET and key insights for those not yet familiar
with the important updates in the 4.5.1 release. Readers learn how
to build full-featured ASP.NET websites using Visual Studio Express
2013 for Web, Microsoft's free development tool for ASP.NET
web applications. Beginning ASP.NET 4.5.1 guides you through
the process of creating a fully functional, database-driven
website, from creation of the most basic site structure all the way
down to the successful deployment of the website to a production
environment.

Beginning ASP.NET 4.5.1: in C# and VB:

* Explains how to get started with ASP.NET 4.5.1, including an
introduction to Microsoft's Visual Studio Express 2013 for
Web

* Features helpful examples for designing websites with CSS and
HTML and how to overcome common formatting problems

* Shares techniques for managing server controls in ASP.NET,
including standard controls, HTML controls, and data controls

* Provides real-world tips for creating consistent page layouts
throughout your websites

* Covers practical functionality issues like validating user
input, sending e-mail from your website, and processing data at the
server

* Details what the ASP.NET state engine is and why it is
important

* Shows how to access and modify data in a SQL Server
database

* Includes coverage of jQuery, LINQ, and the Entity
Framework

* Explores measures to take for optimal security

Imar Spaanjaars, a Microsoft ASP.NET MVP and an
ASPInsider, is the CTO of Dynamicweb North America. He is a
bestselling author for Wrox and one of the top contributors to the
Wrox Community Forum at p2p.wrox.com, with more than 15,000 answers
to programmer questions.

Build your ASP.NET 4.5.1 skills with real-world instruction

In this comprehensive guide to getting started with ASP.NET 4.5.1, best-selling author Imar Spaanjaars provides a firm foundation for coders new to ASP.NET and key insights for those not yet familiar with the important updates in the 4.5.1 release. Readers learn how to build full-featured ASP.NET websites using Visual Studio Express 2013 for Web, Microsoft's free development tool for ASP.NET web applications. Beginning ASP.NET 4.5.1 guides you through the process of creating a fully functional, database-driven website, from creation of the most basic site structure all the way down to the successful deployment of the website to a production environment.

Beginning ASP.NET 4.5.1: in C# and VB:

• Explains how to get started with ASP.NET 4.5.1, including an introduction to Microsoft's Visual Studio Express 2013 for Web
• Features helpful examples for designing websites with CSS and HTML and how to overcome common formatting problems
• Shares techniques for managing server controls in ASP.NET, including standard controls, HTML controls, and data controls
• Provides real-world tips for creating consistent page layouts throughout your websites
• Covers practical functionality issues like validating user input, sending e-mail from your website, and processing data at the server
• Details what the ASP.NET state engine is and why it is important
• Shows how to access and modify data in a SQL Server database
• Includes coverage of jQuery, LINQ, and the Entity Framework
• Explores measures to take for optimal security

Foreword xxv

Introduction xxvii

Chapter 1: Getting Started with ASP .NET 4.5.1 1

Microsoft Visual Studio Express for Web 2

Getting Visual Studio 3

Installing Visual Studio Express for Web (VSEW) 3

Creating Your First ASP.NET 4.5.1 Website 5

An Introduction to ASP.NET 4.5.1 9

Understanding HTML 10

A First Look at ASP.NET Markup 15

A Tour of the IDE 16

The Main Development Area 16

Informational Windows 22

Customizing the IDE 23

Rearranging Windows 23

Modifying the Toolbox 24

Customizing the Document Window 26

Customizing Toolbars 27

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts 28

Resetting Your Changes 28

The Sample Application 29

Practical Tips on Visual Studio 30

Summary 31

Chapter 2: Building an ASP .NET Website 33

Creating Websites with Visual Studio 2013 34

Different Project Types 34

Choosing the Right Website Template 35

Creating and Opening a New Website 37

Working with Files in Your Website 41

The Many File Types of an ASP.NET Website 41

Adding Existing Files 44

Organizing Your Site 45

Special File Types 46

Working with Web Forms 47

The Different Views on Web Forms 47

Choosing between Code Behind and Pages with Inline Code 49

Adding Markup to Your Page 54

Connecting Pages 59

Practical Tips on Working with Web Forms 61

Summary 61

Chapter 3: Designing Your Web Pages 63

Why Do You Need CSS? 64

Problems with Using HTML Formatting 64

How CSS Fixes Formatting Problems 65

An Introduction to CSS 65

CSS The Language 69

The Style Sheet 70

Adding CSS to Your Pages 82

Working with CSS in Visual Studio 84

Using the CSS Editor 85

Creating Embedded and Inline Style Sheets 89

Applying Styles 93

Managing Styles 94

Practical Tips on Working with CSS 97

Summary 97

Chapter 4: Working with ASP .NET Server Controls 101

Introduction to Server Controls 102

A Closer Look at ASP.NET Server Controls 106

Defining Controls in Your Pages 106

Common Properties for All Controls 106

Types of Controls 109

Standard Controls 109

HTML Controls 122

Data Controls 123

Validation Controls 123

Navigation Controls 123

Login Controls 123

Ajax Extensions 124

WebParts 124

Dynamic Data 124

The ASP.NET State Engine 124

What Is State and Why Is It Important? 124

How the State Engine Works 125

Not All Controls Rely on View State 129

A Note about View State and Performance 130

Practical Tips on Working with Controls 131

Summary 132

Chapter 5: Programming Your ASP .NET Web Pages 135

Introduction to Programming 136

Data Types and Variables 137

Converting and Casting Data Types 140

Using Arrays and Collections 142

Statements 147

Operators 147

Making Decisions 155

Loops 162

Organizing Code 167

Methods: Functions and Subroutines 167

The App_Code Folder 169

Organizing Code with Namespaces 173

Writing Comments 176

Object Orientation Basics 178

Important OO Terminology 178

Events 190

Practical Tips on Programming 191

Summary 192

Chapter 6: Creating Consistent Looking Websites 195

Consistent Page Layout with Master Pages 196

Creating Master Pages 198

Creating Content...