Need to learn how to write and debug .ASP files 1

[NRGeti]

What are the best or at least most useful tools for learning how to write and/or debug .ASP files?

I have several on my PC that are part of other tools but I want to modify them and use them elsewhere.

Is Visual Interdev the proper tool to use for .ASP files?

 

[sweevo]

ASP files can be written/edited in any standard text editor. It would be helpful to use one with colour coding for ASP/VBScript/JScript (you can try

http://www.download.com

for free ones, HTML Kit is a good one.) Visual Interdev is good and has some very useful features, it is specifically designed for coding for ASP.

As for debugging, you'll need PWS or IIS to run the ASPs live. IIS has a debugger (as might Interdev, but I'm not sure), but you could also do it by response.write-ing your outputs/variables at particular points in the code and use those and error messages to debug.

 

[onpnt]

I agree with sweevo on the Visual Interdev comment. I use it and find it is very easy and useful for coding with ASP.

As stated though everything can be used. half of my work is done in notepad. I may not get it the 1st or 2nd time,
but how sweet that 15th time can be.

 

[onpnt]

A star for the great info sweevo.
I may not get it the 1st or 2nd time,
but how sweet that 15th time can be.

 

[travmak]

I use frontpage 2000 myself. As long as you don't save in the "normal" view and only save in the "html" view it won't give you any problems. It color codes as well. I use it more for the creating the basic page/forms I need then slip in the ASP as needed.

 

[Einstein47]

I use a vi emulator that does color coding - old unix habits die hard.

Remember that learning ASP is both learning VBscript (variable declarations, control loops, conditional branching, etc) an the ASP components (ADO, working with COM objects, etc.) Both skills are needed to build successful ASP applications.

Einstein47
(Love is like PI - natural, irrational, endless, and very important.)

 

[Dynapen]

I can't stress enough how important the response.write/response.end combination can be to debug ASP pages. It's quick and easy, and will actually let you see the values that are being passed around on your page.

Visual Interdev is a great tool for a beginner, mainly becuase of the auto complete statements taht it has. Meaning if you type a Response. VI will normally bring up a box of the possible options you can put behind that. Greate way to learn all the options you have in ASP. I would stay away from Frontpage. it tends to re-write code (specifically it will close HTML tags that you may close in the ASP) that can sometimes have drastic effects on page a layout. Another one to think about is the Dreamweaver package. It's a little pricey, but it's integration with other things is great. I think you can get a free trial of it from Macromedia. The money's gone, the brain is shot.....but the liquor we still got.

 

[codestorm]

.. and who says learning ASP implies learning VBScript - what about Javascript

codestorm
Fire bad. Tree pretty. - Buffy
select * from population where talent > 'average'
<insert witticism here>