Web Databases and Programming

Learn2010

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Apr 12, 2013
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To All,

I need some direction at this point. I am new to C# and have just completed an online course that gave me a good foundation, for a beginner. I am interested in using C#.NET to set up web sites for my employer and some of my own products. I am also learning HTML. I have been using MS Access for twenty years, with macros and now primarily VBA.

To start with C#, I downloaded Visual Studio Express For Desktop. The program used an .sdf database. At this point is where I need help. I intend to pursue this but am somewhat confused. I know I will need to get other software when I am ready for the web. But, during my training to get to the big time, should I:


1) Continue to use the .sdf database?
2) Continue with the HTML training?
3) Expect what down the road?

Thank you for any help you might provide.
 
VS 2012 Express for Desktop is for building Windows applications using VB and C#. VS 2012 for Web is for building ASP.NET and other web applications using VB and C#. That's pretty much all the tools you need for development.

SDF is the data file format for SQL Server CE. That's OK for small-scale web applications but generally it's more suitable as a local data file for Windows and mobile apps. For larger web applications you'd probably want to look at SQL Server Express or some other server-based database.

It's definitely good to know as much HTML as possible but a lot of the the HTML code delivered to the browser will be generated from your ASP.NET code. Given the dynamic nature of web applications these days, I'd rate JavaScript knowledge as of more importance than HTML knowledge. You'll also want a decent working knowledge of CSS as well.
 
VS 2012 Express for Desktop is for building Windows applications using VB and C#. VS 2012 for Web is for building ASP.NET and other web applications using VB and C#. That's pretty much all the tools you need for development.

SDF is the data file format for SQL Server CE. That's OK for small-scale web applications but generally it's more suitable as a local data file for Windows and mobile apps. For larger web applications you'd probably want to look at SQL Server Express or some other server-based database.

It's definitely good to know as much HTML as possible but a lot of the the HTML code delivered to the browser will be generated from your ASP.NET code. Given the dynamic nature of web applications these days, I'd rate JavaScript knowledge as of more importance than HTML knowledge. You'll also want a decent working knowledge of CSS as well.

That is what I am looking for. In the training I linked to the sdf file with Command Builder and used datasets, datarows, fill, and etc. I assume the C# language would be the same except the connection string? Also, I just started the HTML. It sounds as though you are saying I would be better off to learn asp.net first. Is CSS covered in asp.net?

Thank you.
 
That is what I am looking for. In the training I linked to the sdf file with Command Builder and used datasets, datarows, fill, and etc. I assume the C# language would be the same except the connection string?
I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that. Was the online training course you did not in C#? If it was in VB then yes, the principles are all the same and only the syntax differs. Also, things like data access are done in exactly the same way for web apps and Windows apps. It's just the presentation of that data that differs.
Also, I just started the HTML. It sounds as though you are saying I would be better off to learn asp.net first. Is CSS covered in asp.net?
You'll need a decent working knowledge of HTML because ASP.NET syntax is based on HTML syntax. You don't necessarily need an intimate knowledge of HTML (although it wouldn't hurt) because much of the final HTML is generated by the server from the ASP.NET code. For instance, you might add a TextBox control to your page and the browser will receive an <input type='text'> HTML tag. CSS is not required for ASP.NET but you'll need to use it before long if you want to create anything of worth. You might start out using the 'style' attribute to specify inline styles for your elements but you'll want to start using the 'class' attribute before long and storing the styles in a CSS file.
 
I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that. Was the online training course you did not in C#? If it was in VB then yes, the principles are all the same and only the syntax differs. Also, things like data access are done in exactly the same way for web apps and Windows apps. It's just the presentation of that data that differs.You'll need a decent working knowledge of HTML because ASP.NET syntax is based on HTML syntax. You don't necessarily need an intimate knowledge of HTML (although it wouldn't hurt) because much of the final HTML is generated by the server from the ASP.NET code. For instance, you might add a TextBox control to your page and the browser will receive an <input type='text'> HTML tag. CSS is not required for ASP.NET but you'll need to use it before long if you want to create anything of worth. You might start out using the 'style' attribute to specify inline styles for your elements but you'll want to start using the 'class' attribute before long and storing the styles in a CSS file.

Good stuff. The course was C#. What you are telling me here seems to put it together for me. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks very much.
 
I understand the BE and the importance of using CSS. Next, here are a few more questions.

1) It sounds like I will probably be using asp.net, html, and javascript. Is there an order I should learn them in?

2) I would assume that VS 2012 for Web is probably the same as Desktop. Is that true?

Thanks for your help.
 
1) It sounds like I will probably be using asp.net, html, and javascript. Is there an order I should learn them in?
In that order, although you'll no doubt be interspersing ASP.NET and HTML early on and then interspersing JavaScript with both of them later on. If you want to build useful ASP.NET apps then you can't really learn ASP.NET without the other two.
2) I would assume that VS 2012 for Web is probably the same as Desktop. Is that true?
Express for Web is for building web applications, i.e. ASP.NET, Silverlight and WCF. Express for Desktop is for building Windows applications, i.e. Console, WinForms and WPF. The two share various features and functionality and do various things the same way because they are both Visual Studio, but they each specialise in apps for a particular platform.
 
You can also try Sql Server Express Edition as database option as it is inbuilt in VS Studio 2010.

MS Sql 2010 and MySql are also better options that you can try along with Asp.Net.
 
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