Web site development models

Hi all,

Can someone point me at a good writeup that explains the various ways that I can
set up web applications in VB.Net 2005. I am migrating an existing webservice
application from VS 2003, and I want to get rid of the IIS virtual directory
stuff (which gives my source control system fits). I also want to simplify (or
at least get to the point that I understand) the build and deploy steps.

I've read articles that talk about subtle (and not so subtle) differences
between various development models that get invoked depending on whether I
create my project using "Add -> New Website -> ASP.Net Web Service" vs. "Add ->
New Project -> Web -> ASP.Net Web Service Application". As a test, I created a
solution and added one of each type of project, and, sure enough, they look
quite a bit different. But I'm having a tough time digging out of the
documentation what the differences are and what they mean to me and my
development cycle.

TIA - Bob

jialge
Thu Mar 13 23:26:14 CDT 2008

Hello Bob,

The Web Site projects (Add -> New Website -> ASP.Net Web Service) differs
from the WAP, namely, web application projects (Add->New
Project->Web->ASP.NET Web Service Application) in that the former generates
one executable file for each Web page that has associated code. Additional
executable files are generated from the source code files in the /App_Code
folder; while the latter (WAP) creates Web applications by generating a
SINGLE executable file from all pages with associated code.

I think this short article "FAQ and Known Issue of Web Application
Projects" deserves reading:
http://forums.asp.net/p/988775/1279716.aspx#1279716

It answers why the Web Application Project model for Visual Studio 2005 is
ideal for converting a Visual Studio .NET 2003 web project to Visual Studio
2005. And gives valuable suggestions when we need to decide what web
project model to use, and more.

So for your question "what they mean to me and my development cycle?" :
If we choose to use WAP model, it will be easier for us to migrate from VS
2003 web projects to VS2005. The new model also has different semantics for
Web subprojects where the subproject is not an ASP.NET or IIS application,
but instead feeds its generated assembly to a parent application's Bin
folder. In addition, WAP has a project file.

The new Web application project type does not replace the Web site project
type introduced in Visual Studio 2005, which provides many new features and
additional flexibility in how you manage Web applications. Instead, it is
an alternative project type that you might choose depending on your
requirements and your preferred development workflow. Some developers will
find the default Visual Studio 2005 Web site project model natural and easy
to use. Other developers will prefer a model in which project resources are
defined explicitly (rather than implicitly by simply being in a folder) and
in which they have tighter control over their project, and will therefore
choose the new Web application project model. Rather than forcing
developers to use just one project model, we will support both project
models and allow developers to choose whichever Web project model works
best for them.

Here are more information about WAP:
Introduction to Web Application Projects
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa730880(VS.80).aspx#wapp_topic2

Difference between Web Application Projects and Web Site Support:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb166519(VS.80).aspx

If you have any other concerns or questions, please feel free to let me
know.

Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online.microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support

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Cor
Thu Mar 13 23:36:18 CDT 2008

Bob,

The result will be the same, the ASP developent team has played in a kind of
horor way with creating all kind of versions from projects. WebSites,
projects, mixed ones, extra additions for it, it is terrible. Don't mix this
up with IIS.

As far as I can see are we in the 2008 version again back as it was in
Visual Studio Net Beta 1. Although now is, like as in Visual Studio 2005,
the AFAIK what in past was named the Cassini webserver included (Another
name for again AFAIK the involved, personal webserver included in windows
'98). It is only for development because you can only have one connection
to it.

For ASP.Net the results has to run on an server/workstation that has IIS.

Cor

Bob
Fri Mar 14 09:14:55 CDT 2008

Thanks Jialiang Ge, that was just what I was looking for!

Bob