general ASP.NET web programming question

[David]

I am running into situtations where confining all forms to just one window
(instance of broswer) is becoming overly restrictive. Does ASP.NET provide
ways to have multiple windows to interact with each other (For example, use
a "child" window to fill out an order item. Once the save button is
pressed, the "main" window reflects the newly added item (automatically
refreshes from the database)

I know that the popup calendar control can do something similar, but I need
something more elaborate than a simple pop up calendar control to fill out a
date fields.

Another general question: Java script or VB script? I can require everyone
in the user community to use Explorer only, so cross platform issues aren't
important for me. Can VB script interact with server controls some how? I
don't have any experience in VB script....

It seems like my web applications have outgrown ASP.NET server controls, and
most of my customers prefer web forms over windows, which means the
importance of rich web controls is increasing. Thanks in advance.

 

[Scott M.]

See responses inline:

I am running into situtations where confining all forms to just one window
(instance of broswer) is becoming overly restrictive. Does ASP.NET provide
ways to have multiple windows to interact with each other (For example, use
a "child" window to fill out an order item. Once the save button is
pressed, the "main" window reflects the newly added item (automatically
refreshes from the database)

An ASP.NET page posts its data back to itself. That is the architecture and
while it may be something to get used to, you really should try. It is very
simple to determine if the page is rendering for the first time or
responding to data being submitted (postback), so it is also very easy to
render the page in entirely different ways for each situation.

Having said that, there are certainly still times when it is necessary to
pass data from one page to another and you can do that using many of the
same techniques we've always had:

Server.Transfer()
QueryStrings
Cookies
Session Variables
DataBase Storage
Traditional Form (without runat=server)

I know that the popup calendar control can do something similar, but I need
something more elaborate than a simple pop up calendar control to fill out a
date fields.

The calendar control is not a "popup" control.

Another general question: Java script or VB script? I can require everyone
in the user community to use Explorer only, so cross platform issues aren't
important for me. Can VB script interact with server controls some how? I
don't have any experience in VB script....

Even though you can dictate the client, I'd still recommend using JavaScript
as it is the industry standard for client-side scripting. Even MS has
VS.NET default to JavaScript as its default client scripting language.

Regardless of the scripting language you choose, you can not have client
side code have any effect on server side controls. They each execute their
respective code at completely different times and by the time the client
gets a chance to do its thing, the server is finished with its processing.

It seems like my web applications have outgrown ASP.NET server controls, and
most of my customers prefer web forms over windows, which means the
importance of rich web controls is increasing. Thanks in advance.

I really don't understand what you mean by your applications outgrowing
ASP.NET server controls. Don't take this the wrong way, but hearing you say
that makes me think that you haven't really had much exposure to ASP.NET
and its server controls or much experience developing with them.

Can you give us a specific example of what it is you are trying to do?
Also, take a look at this page (which I think is in the ballpark of your
question): http://www.pack96.org/Calendar/PackCalendar.aspx.

The calendar is the ASP.NET Calendar server control. The page connects to
SQL Server to pull event data. The data is placed in the calendar's correct
day (during the calendar's DayRender event). The hyperlinks that cause the
popup windows are created as JavaScript on the server and is simply passed
down to the client (so they work just as normal client side JavaScript).

 

[Dilip Krishnan]

David,
May be this site may point you to the right direction.

http://www.metabuilders.com/Tools/DialogWindow.aspx

Ive used some of these concepts, I could share some examples you need

 

[Kevin Spencer]

I am running into situtations where confining all forms to just one window

(instance of broswer) is becoming overly restrictive. Does ASP.NET provide
ways to have multiple windows to interact with each other (For example, use
a "child" window to fill out an order item. Once the save button is
pressed, the "main" window reflects the newly added item (automatically
refreshes from the database)

When you use the JavaScript window.open() command, it returns a handle to
the child window created, so that JavaScript in the parent window can "see"
and work with the child window. The child window has an "opener" property,
which, if it is spawned in this way, will return a reference to the parent
window. In this way, multiple browser instances on the client can "talk to"
each other on the client machine.

 

[David]

Thank you. I appreciate the link. Have you been able to compile their
code? I couldn't

 

[David]

I was looking to see if ASP.NET has built in support that does what you are
talking about.

 

[David]

Scott, thanks for your reply. My only point is that web controls still lag
behind windows controls in richness, but while my customers see the benefits
of the web, they still want the richness of controls in par with windows.