.NET books » Components

Server Controls are a core part of the ASP.NET architecture. They are components that produce a user interface element that can be reused with ease. The standard controls that come with ASP.NET include the textbox, the button, the data and list controls, and some rich controls (for example, the calendar control). This book is designed to show you how to create your own controls, either from scratch, or based on existing controls.

This book is designed to be a complete reference on how to create Custom Server Controls using C#. In essence, it's a definitive guide to what they're used for, how they are created, and the benefits that they can provide.

The first part of the book will be concentrating on the code itself, and is designed to be editor-neutral, concentrating on the raw code involved in creating controls and making use of these controls. The second part of the book will have more coverage of visual designers like Visual Studio .NET, talking about why using IDEs is so helpful, and examining the powerful features of Visual Studio .NET that are useful when creating custom controls.

This book is a comprehensive guide to all of the processes involved in creating fully-functional server controls, including handling events, managing state, templating, creating data binding controls, and distributing controls.

The book will finish with a case study that will bring together all of the concepts discussed in the earlier chapters.

ASP.NET offers developers an exciting architecture for building web sites from modular components. Using server controls, ASP.NET developers can easily incorporate pre-built chunks of functionality into their sites. They can also develop their own controls, and build in design-time support to make it easier for other developers to reuse their code.

The ASP.NET Solutions Toolkit is a collection of reusable ASP.NET components, all designed to serve two purposes. First, they can all be used, as they are or with minor modifications, to add exciting features to your own ASP.NET web sites. Second, each component's design and implementation is discussed, revealing tips and tricks you can apply when developing your own controls.