When browsing more than once we have run into a page that has files with the extension “.asp” and we have asked what this type of files means.
Microsoft introduced this technology called Active Server Pages in December 1996, so it’s nothing new. It is part of Internet Information Server (IIS) since version 3.0 and is an active page technology that allows the use of
different scripts and components in conjunction with traditional HTML to display dynamically generated pages, translating Microsoft’s definition : ” Active Server Pages are an open and free application environment in which you can combine HTML code, scripts and server ActiveX components to create dynamic and powerful solutions for the web . “
The principle of ASP technology is VBScript , but there is another diversity of programming languages that can be used such as Perl,JScript, etc.
ASP is a dynamic technology running on the server side, which means that when the user requests an ASP document, the programming instructions within the script are executed to send the browser only
the resulting HTML code. The main advantage of the server- dependent technologies lies in the security that the programmer has over his code since it is only found in the files of the server that, when requested through the web, is executed, so that the user does not they have access more than the resulting page in their browser.
To insert ASP instructions within the HTML code is enclosed in “<%%>” . These commands are those processed by the server before sending the page to the browser.
Here is an example of the ASP code on the server and the HTML results that will be seen in the browser:
| ASP code | HTML code | Result in the Browser |
| <P>
<% For I = 1 To 5 Step 1%> <FONT SIZE = “<% = I%>”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> <% Next%> </ P> |
<P>
<FONT SIZE = “1”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> <FONT SIZE = “2”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> <FONT SIZE = “3”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> <FONT SIZE = “4”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> <FONT SIZE = “5”> Web Masters! </ FONT> <BR> </ P> |
Web Masters!
Web Masters! Web Masters! Web Masters! Web Masters! |
The previous example creates a cycle that repeats 5 times and increases the size of the font in an established phrase.
The development that has been given to what is ASP has been quite broad. Among its main functions are access
to database, sending email, dynamic creation of graphics and others. Basically, many things that we can do through CGI can be done with this technology. This is because the ASP is so efficient with writing code directly to the server’s application interface, with the advantage that it is more efficient than the CGI that depends on a compiler since the ASP runs as a service on the server, taking Advantage of the multitasking architecture .
To start with the development of the Active Server Pages, a server with Windows NT 4.x or higher and the Internet Information Server are required. The IIS is a free application that can be obtained in the NT Option Pack . It is also possible to use ASP in Windows 9x through the Personal Web Server next to the Option Pack
mentioned above.
In the case of the use of a Linux server, Chilisoft has developed the Chilisoft ASP that also allows the use of this technology. Another option is Instant Asp also to run ASP on servers other than the IIS.
Most Hosting providers paid with NT platforms have access to this technology on their servers. The code can be worked in any HTML or text editor. There are two tools in the market to workASP professionally in visual mode, such as the Drumbeat 2000 and the Microsoft Visual Interdev .