This version of the tool kit provides ASP.NET 2.0 programmers an easy reusable set of Ajax techniques.  When properly installed the code is simply drag and dropped onto a new projects utilizing visual studio.  A demonstration web site of these techniques is provided by (clicking here).  Below is a short video of one of these techniques applied to a specific example of name completions.

I have captured this version (V1.0.20229) and converted examples to VB source.  This version does work on a ASP.NET 2.0, Windows 2000 server with Ajax extensions installed.  Newer versions of the Ajax Control Toolkit might be designed against newer ASP.NET 3.5 and 4.0 versions.  At the time of this writing Microsoft has decided that ASP.NET 3.5 and 4.0 will not be installable on a windows 2000 machine.  Thus this version (V1.0.20229) of the tool kit might be the only version that is easily installed on windows 2000 servers.

If you develop for ASP.NET 2.0 and Ajax you will need to install the ASP.NET 2.0 Ajax Extensions.

For a VB.NET programmers convenience I would install my VB converted samples website into there own personal web site or project.  By adding the “\Bin\AjaxControlToolkit.dll” found in the sample website to your Toolbox the ASP.NET programmer can enable the drag and drop functions to visual studio.  Start by creating a new tab in your Visual Studios Toolbox by right clicking in a blank area of the Toolbox then drag and drop the AjaxControlToolkit.DLL into your new tab area.  You will immediately see your new tab expand with controls such as the AutoCompleteExtender.

Step 1

1

 

Start by creating a new tab in your Toolbox in Visual Studio by right clicking a blank area and selecting “Add Tab”.

Enter a meaningful name for our new tab like “Ajax Control Toolkit V1.0.20229”

Optionally rather than drag and drop you can right click into a blank area of your new tab and select “Choose Items..” .   This drag and drop below is just a more visually appealing way to do the same thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2

Drag and Drop the AjaxControlToolkit DLL into the newly named tab.  you should see it expand with dozens of controls (see below).

2

Now that controls are added to your Visual Studios Toolbox you will now be able to drag and drop these controls onto any new Ajax-Enabled Web Applications.

3

One more client install that I highly recommend before starting any Ajax is a tool called Web Development Helper (download here) or the more well known fiddler.  These tools allow you to see the xmlHTTP requests and Json.

Web Development Helper, does the following:

  • Logging HTTP (and HTTPS) requests initiated by the browser or Ajax scripts
  • Viewing request and response details (Json).
  • 4  In IE the Web Dev Helper appears on the left while Fiddler appears on the right.

 

At this time readers should have everything they need to get started programming Ajax in ASP.NET 2.0.  I would now like to discuss the programming needed for a simple Ajax routine as well as programming in the Ajax Control Toolkit.  The importance here is that you understand the differences.  You can program Ajax routines without the Ajax Control Toolkit.  The Ajax Control Toolkit are a bunch of already created routines that are quickly available for reuse in any Ajax-Enabled Web Application with little or no programming.  This does not stop you from creating your own Ajax routines or mixing your own Ajax routines with the Control Toolkit ones.  let’s proceed to an example where I’ll add the Auto Complete and write my own additional Ajax name value pairs lookups.  In the following example you will begin to understand how extending your applications with Ajax and present new/additional web page information end users without heavy page transitions.

{More to come..}