The document discusses ASP.NET application folders and provides an overview of their advantages and types. It describes common folders like App_Code, Bin, App_Data, and App_GlobalResource. App_Code stores classes, datasets, and compiles files automatically. Bin stores assemblies that can be referenced from the web application. App_GlobalResource contains global resources that can be accessed from any page. The document aims to explain how application folders are used in ASP.NET to organize resources and develop websites easily.
1. GTU LIVE PROJECT TRAINING
GUIDELINES.
By TOPS Technologies
http://www.tops-int.com
http://www.tops-int.com/asp-net-training-course.html
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2. INTRODUCTION
First of all I would like to thank TOPS Technologies for This
article, which gives me a great opportunity to write an article for
beginners on ASP.NET web development here at Tops
technologies. After creating PPT on caching and view state for
beginners, I have decided to Create an PPT for beginners on the
ASP.NET Application Folders. However, I will be back with
another PPT on rest of state management. Like my other PPT, I
believe this will also give you very good idea on the Application
Folders. Please give your valuable suggestions and ideas for
improvement that I can incorporate into this article, as well as my
future PPT.
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3. OVERVIEW - ASP.NET APPLICATION
FOLDERS
• ASP.NET 2.0 uses a file-based approach. That means, all
class files, resource files, data files and folders are maintained
in a hierarchical structure. If we are working with ASP.NET
2.0, we can add files and folders using the Add Itemsoption.
If we look at a sample application hierarchy, it will look like the
following figure.
• We can add as many as files and folders as we like
(according to our requirements) within our solutions,and it
won't be necessary to recompile them each and every time
they are added. It is ASP.NET'stask to dynamically compile
them when required. So, what ASP.NET 2.0 does is, it uses a
predefined folder structure containing the files (classes,
images, resources, etc.), to compile them dynamically and we
can access those files throughout the application. ASP.NET
also provides special folders to maintain files and resources.
Let's see the advantages of using these folders.
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4. ADVANTAGES OF ASP.NET
APPLICATION FOLDERS
• Following are the main advantages of use of
ASP.NET's Application Folders
• We can maintain resources (classes, images, code,
databases, themes) in an organized manner, which
allows us to develop and maintain sites easily
• All files and folders are accessible through the
application
• We can add as many files as required
• Files are compiled dynamically when required
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5. DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPLICATION
FOLDER
• ASP.NET treats the following folders in a special
manner. They are:
• App_Code
• Bin
• App_Data
• App_Theme
• App_Browser
• App_WebReference
• App_LocalResource
• App_GlobalResource
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6. DETAILS OF THE APPLICATION
FOLDERS
• Now, to look at the use of these folders, I am going to start
from App_Code.
• App_Code Folder
• As its name suggests, the App_Code Folder stores classes,
typed data sets, etc. All the items that are stored
inApp_Code are automatically accessible throughout the
application. If we store any class files (like .cs or .vb) it
compiles them automatically. It automatically creates type
data sets from .xsd (XML schema) files, and creates XML web
service proxy classes from WSDL.Let's have a look at how we
can use the App_Code folder.
• We can add an App_Code folder, by Solution File → right
click → Add ASP.NET Folder → App_Code.
The App_Codefolder is now added to your application.
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7. TOPSTechnologiesAsp.netcourse
Note: Try to add one more App_Code folder by using the same steps.
Oops... the App_Code folder is no longer available there. So,
ASP.NET allows you to add an App_Code folder only once.
8. Now we can add new items like classes, text and
xml files into the App_Code folder and we can also
add existing files there.
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9. • Let's have a look at one example that shows how it works.
Into the App_Code folder, I have added a
classMyCSharpClass.cs.
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10. In that class I have written a small spice of code for
adding two numbers.
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11. • Now, Try to access this class, from any where in your
application. You will see that MyCSharpClass is
accessiblethroughout the application.
• If we want to store different classes like .cs or .vb, then what
will happen? If we kept both .cs and .vb classes in the same
folder, it will give following compilation error:
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12. We have a solution to overcome this problem. We
have to create separate folders for C# and for VB or
other classes.
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13. Store class files separately in those folders and an
configure the folder hierarchy in the web.config file.
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14. BIN FOLDER
• The Bin folder is used for keeping assemblies
inside it. We can access those as a reference from
anywhere of our web application. Use of Bin folder
comes into the picture if we use any class library
within our web application. Suppose we are
creating a class library called TestLib. After building
the library, we will get TestLib.dll. Now, right click on
solution file → Add References → Project, select
the TestLib Project, click on OK. Check
the Bin folder, it will
containTestLib.dll and TestLib.pdb files.
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15. APP_LOCALRESOURCE FOLDER
• Local resources are specific to a single web page, and should be
used for providing multilingual functionalityon a web page.
• Local resources must be stored in the App_LocalResource subfolder
of the folder containing the web page. Because you might have local
resources for every page in your web application, you might
have App_LocalResource subfolders in every folder.
• Resource file names should be like <pageName>[.langauge].resx.
Some examples of local resource files
are,Mypage.aspx.ex.resx and Mypage.aspx.de.resx. Default.aspx.res
x is the base resource file to use if no other resource file matches
with the user's current culture.
• If you want to create local resources for a page, open the design view
of the page and then from Tool Menu selectGenerate Local
Resource. You will then see that a resource file is automatically
created in the correspondingApp_LocalResource folder.
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