Beginning Components for ASP

by Richard Anderson, Simon Robinson

Perfect Paperback: 831 pages
Publisher: Wrox Press Inc
ISBN: 1861002882; 1st edition (September 1999)

Beginning Components for ASP is an intermediate title in the Wrox line of Active Server Pages guides. This volume is intended for developers comfortable with ASP who are interested in leveraging the power of component-based applications. The two key development languages for components--Visual Basic and C++--are addressed in this work.

Visual Basic component development is handled first with an excellent introduction to components and class development in VB. The authors then explain the interconnection of ADO, UDA, and COM in a chapter that lays the foundation for a solid understanding of how components work. From there the authors discuss big picture application design issues such as n-tier architecture. The text utilizes concise code examples and frequent headings that make the book very useful for quick reference as you hone your component skills.

Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) and resource management are addressed, and the authors show what you must do to make your components work with MTS. The first of two sophisticated case studies in the book--a document management system--illustrates how to work with XML with components. This example is lengthy but very informative since the authors take the time to explain each section. A second similar case study presents a fictitious movie theater application. These real-world examples, coupled with the structured tutorial content, make this guide a perfect way to get on the component bandwagon.

Topics covered: Components and hosting environments, VB and C++ component development, UDA, ADO, COM, MTS, scalability, resource management, directory access with ADSI, C++ components with the Active Template Library, threading, and OLE DB access with ATL.

Book Description: ASP components are the next stage for the maturing ASP programmer. They reflect a need for bespoke and fine control over site activity. For example, when a basic ASP site wishes to have some sort of transactional ability, where a database will ultimately be referred to or some business rule checked against, then a custom component will do the job. This component could be written in VB,VC or Java and is hermetic and maintainable.

This book is about the broad flavors of common components, how they should fit an architecture and how to write them correctly.

Book Info: Presents instruction on how to create components for use with Active Server Pages (ASP). Components allow you to do things that are not possible with script, and bring benefits such as code reuse, easier maintenance, and safer, simpler distribution.

From the Publisher: This book has been selected by the editors of Wrox Press to be part of the Wroxbase website. This book is an example oriented practical guide teaching you the correct way to write components alongside design issues, architecture and data access. By teaching you how to write a component in VB, the book teaches you COM along the way.

About the Author: Richard Anderson is a professional software developer who has over 10 years experience of Microsoft Technologies. He is a recognized authority in many areas, and has written material for several books as well as technically reviewing many others. Richard spends his daytime as senior systems architect for a medium sized electronic commerce company, and spends his spare time living the COM lifestyle, keeping his wife Sam happy, and eating curries.

Alex Homer lives and works in the idyllic rural surroundings of Derbyshire, UK. His software company, specializes in office integration and Internet-related development, and produces a range of vertical application software. He has worked with Wrox Press on several projects.

Dr. Simon Robinson Former academic who specialized in post-doctorate computational physics & mathematical modeling, mostly in quantum physics and superconductors. He subsequently worked as 50% programmer and 50% evaluation / researcher for Lucent Technologies, until June 1999, and now works freelance. He has 11 years continuous programming experience. A recognized expert in COM/DCOM/ATL, ADSI, Active Directory, MFC, LDAP, C++, VB and MMC.

Customer Reviews
This is the defacto book on ASP components is redefined!, October 7, 1999
Reviewer: Jonathan Wilkins
I'm really pleased to have found a book that gives so many practical examples of creating ASP components in VB. This books covers all the the technologies like XML and MTS that ASP developers should know about, and it does it well.

I've read other ASP component books from other publishers (such as Developing ASP component by Shelley Powers) but none have given so many examples, or been as technically deep and clear. With this book I've got a good handle on how to write my ASP components, which I just haven't got from other books. Great book, thanks guys.

Reall Cool Book for me, April 10, 2001
Reviewer: bernardsia
It is really a Beginning Book although it doesn't really fit the title. Alot of folks will probably be scared away by the treatment that they put on ATL and OLEDB providers but i love it! Why? Becoz i've read Grime's Beginning ATL 3 COM and it was really painful reading but these guys made the concept seemed EASY!

I like their walktruhs on RDS, ADSI and MSMQ, really neat. Something for me to get started on concepts which I am new to. Their treatment on MTS seemed like they pilfered the chapter from another wrox book - Professional VB MTS which covers the topic slightly in detail.

Otherwise, this is truely a Beginning Book, but a caveat to VB and ASP only programmers as they will find this book too hard. Wish that Wrox come up with another book called Beginning COM ASP with ATL. Which will be really be great with the way they handled the topic.

Superb OLE DB using ATL coverage., September 28, 2001
Reviewer: A reader from Manchester United Kingdom
This book has by far the only decent coverage of OLE DB using ATL in a book that is currently on sale and it is good on covering C++ ASP related code.

The Best for ASP, July 3, 2001
Reviewer: Larry Musa from Las Vegas, NV
I read this book and then the amazon reviews...I have no idea where the negative reviews are coming from. I had no problem getting the code to work. If you are an ASP developer looking to write components, this book has what you need. You will learn how to write your own VB and C++ components and have them connect to the backend with (or without) MTS as desired. You need to know C++ (of course) and some COM to get the most out of the C++ components section...which has a nice coverage of the various threading models. While not as theoretical as some COM books, it gives you enough COM to get your components up and running...If you are developing ASP components, this is the book.

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