ASP.NET - Web Forms

[Derek Stone]

You know, ever since I started using ASP.NET in a production environment, I have stayed away from all the built-in server and HTML objects (Web Form controls), preferring to use raw HTML to display elements. In part I do this because I'm an avid XHTML promoter, which the framework doesn't abide by, but also due to the useless layers of Javascript and hidden form elements that are thrown on every page. I love the .NET backend, but the way pages are displayed just disgusts me. What I'm trying to get at, is this something a lot of us do, or am I in the minority here? Also, do you think it's a waste to be programming in ASP.NET when one chooses to ignore Web Forms?

[Bucky]

I personally enjoy using the server controls. Granted I still use

many HTML elements (regular tables versus asp:table), but I think

one of the best features of ASP.NET controls is their ability to

adapt the the client browser. If you look at the source of a page

in IE that has, for example, a DataGrid, the formatting for the

rows and headers will include CSS, which IE can support. If you

view it in Netscape 4.7 (God help you), the table's formatting will

consist of mostly HTML attributes with minimal CSS.

 

I'm wondering how you code the pages with regular HTML

controls. It sounds like you're going against the grain of ASP.NET.

 

It probably isn't all waste though, because there are still many

features of ASP.NET that you can take advantage of.

 

Maybe the current episode of VBTV will help you decide. :)

http://www.msdn.microsoft.com/vbtv/default.asp

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Derek Stone]

How do I code the pages with regular HTML? Very easily. The entire EliteVB site is done in CLASP.NET, short of one or two pages which are so self-contained that I figured I suck it up and use the Web Form elements. Keep in mind though, that both myself and Garrett still take advantage of Web Controls (our own custom made ones), Code Behinds, precompilation and of course the wonderful .NET languages, we just don't care for the visual side of ASP.NET. Comments?

[Robby]

I agree 100% Derek.

 

That contract I finished last month had me doing ASP.NET and the company did not want me to use any datagrid or any databinding, so I got used to doing the HTML thing.

 

This week I re-wrote my web site and I did exactly the same thing, I used only html tags. I put no code at all on the aspx form. I create a couple of Labels at runtime and stick all my html tags into them.

 

I've already mentioned this in another thread, I converted 20 asp and 11 html files into 1 aspx and one vb class.

 

Funny, I thought I was in the minority.

[divil]

I am a relative newbie to asp.net (I'm going to learn it over the Christmas break).

 

When you guys say you use html rather than the web controls, do you mean you stick a runat="server" attribute on them so you can access them from codebehind, rather than using say an <asp:textbox> tag?

[Derek Stone]

re: divil

 

Nope. I use Request.Form() to access form elements. For example:

 

<%
Dim strMessage As String
If Request.HttpMethod = "POST" Then
Dim s As String
s = Request.Form("foobarTextBox")
Else
'Page was not POSTed back
End If
%>

 

<!-- Various header and body tags -->

<form name="exampleForm" method="post" action="example.aspx">
<input name="foobarTextBox" type="text" maxlength="254" size="40" />
<input name="submitButton" type="submit" />
</form>

<!-- Various footer and body tags -->

 

In other words we don't touch the runat attribute for form elements (I do however use it for Web Controls).

[Garrett Sever]

Speaking of which.... I think I'll finally get around to some of those improvements I've been procrastinating on.... ;)

[Robby]

I also use Request.Form(), and I still use JavaScript to validate a

form on the client.

 

I use a placeholder, 2 panels and 3 labels, they are are created

at runtime and hold all the data I need, sort of like a template.

 

The CodeBehind has very little code as well, 2 functions that load

and format controls, and another that receives the QueryString,

then calls the approriate class. (a whole bunch of Select Cases there).

[Derek Stone]

See, that's where we differ. I can't stand JavaScript, period. I do all my validation server-side, where it's more secure and more options are available.

[Robby]

I still do the a lot of validation server-side, but for things like a blank text box, I prefer to alert the client right away.

[divil]

I agree. There's no excuse for not having everything validated server-side, but I use client-side validation too, it saves users having to wait for a postback.

[Derek Stone]

I guess I'm so use to waiting anyway (dial-up) server-side validation doesn't bother me much. I guess I can agree to a combination of both though, however redundant it may be.

[divil]

It may be the reason that I'm a dialup user that I'd rather everything were instant if possible :)