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Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

Last post 05-15-2008 5:24 AM by Robert Barnes. 4 replies.

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  • Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

    05-13-2008, 11:23 PM
    I have been building a web site, www.nzgdb.co.nz, using Visual Web Developer 2005 Express, and SQL Server 2000/2005 (2000 for the test database, 2005 in production).    It is now pretty functional, with over 4.8M records in the main database and 2000 registered users. 
     
    So far it's all been done with Visual Web Designer 2005 Express, but I have reached a point where I need to move from the Express products, so I've just ordered a copy of Visual Studio 2008 Standard Edition.   As well as offering a few goodies like LINQ and other productivity improvements, it will I think get over a few current barriers.
     
    With the move to VS 2008 I will be moving from ASP Net 2.0 to ASP Net 3.5.   I assume that I should approach this as a new project, sharing the previous database but with a completely separate code base, and therefore develop "Version2.nzgdb.co.nz" as a second web site, only renaming it to www.nzgdb.co.nz when all functions are working correctly.   If I attempted piecemeal development, dropping a new objects in amongst the present ASP 2.0 objects, I'd have compatibility problems and I'd lose the opportunity for a thorough clean up.  Is this the correct strategy?
     
    This is also a time when a little bit of advice on how to set up the solution and project structure would be very timely.   As a self-taught developer I'd be surprised if the present site isn't an unholy mess of objects in the wrong place doing things in the wrong way,  and while I have used master pages and CSS, I don't know anything about "themes" or "skins".   App_Code does have a business layer and a data layer, and I've made extensive use of data adapters and also T_SQL code, so hopefully it's not all bad, but as I develop "Version 2" it's an opportunity to bring everything up to best practice.  Are there any white papers I should read on how to set up the project (or is it the solution? - one of the things that I've missed out on is being taught the roles of each) so that it is properly organized.  The project (or solution?) will be primarily a web application, with some web reports (SSRS or Crystal?) and a few VB programs for background processing and some admin tasks.
     
    Thank you, Robert Barnes 
     

  • Re: Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

    05-14-2008, 2:57 AM
    Answer

    Robert Barnes:
    If I attempted piecemeal development, dropping a new objects in amongst the present ASP 2.0 objects, I'd have compatibility problems and I'd lose the opportunity for a thorough clean up

    There is no difference in that respect between 2.0 and 3.5.  All 3.5 does is add a couple of new objects and some other bits and pieces.  It still targets the same version of the Common Language Runtime as 2.0.  You could see it as extending 2.0, not replacing it.  When you get VS2008, just start it up and open your existing project within it.  You will be prompted to change it to target the 3.5 framework, and it will modify the web.config for you.  That's all.  Sure, you could use Linq to SQL designers and ListViews etc, but you will also see that all the controls you currently use are still there, such as the GridView, Repeater etc.

    Robert Barnes:
    Are there any white papers I should read on how to set up the project (or is it the solution? - one of the things that I've missed out on is being taught the roles of each) so that it is properly organized.
     

    There are almost as many ways to organise your code as there are coders. As far as a reasonable way to organise a TableAdapter-based site is concerned, the structure that Scott Mitchell employs in his tutorials is a good start.  Download some starter kits and see how the code in them is organised.

     

    Regards Mike
    [MVP - ASP/ASP.NET]

  • Re: Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

    05-15-2008, 5:04 AM

    Thanks Mike, my copy of VS2008 arrived today, I installed it and then just pointed it at the previous web site's folder, and it all worked perfectly.  I'm not used to things working first time so easily!  I took the option of going to 3.5 because I want to use some of the new features in later development, then clicked the debug button and the test server fired up and everything worked perfectly.

    So far this is just with the test server on my laptop.  Can I simply upload this to the production site (SBS 2003) and have VS 2008 check the prerequisites and upload asp.net 3.5, or should I do this explicitly myself?   Do I have to be careful about the versioning, or will it all be looked after for me?   I'm just a bit nervous that the first time I go to update the web site I'll cause all sorts of compatibility problems and my production web site will be out of action until I sort it out.

     
    Regards, Robert.
     

  • Re: Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

    05-15-2008, 5:20 AM

    Just download and install the 3.5 framework on the web server, and everything should continue to work fine.  As far as I remember, the 3.5 framework install doesn't even require a restart of the machine.

     

    Regards Mike
    [MVP - ASP/ASP.NET]

  • Re: Strategy to convert to VS 2008 from VWD 2005 Express.

    05-15-2008, 5:24 AM

    Thank you.  I'll cross my fingers and go for it.

    Cheers, Robert. 
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