Newbie: Calling a VB doc from ASP.NET

kwilliams · August 29th, 2005, 09:24 AM

My setup: XML > XSLT > CSS > ASP.NET/VB.NET (using transformNode) method
My entire site will be dynamic from one ASP.NET doc and several XML, XSLT, and CSS source docs using the QueryString, like this:
http://SERVER/DIRECTORY/index.aspx?p...ir1=&subdir2=&...

My question: How do you link a an external VB doc server-side within an ASP.NET page, and then call a function from that VB doc?

My problem: I've successfully been able to create this setup for my site which allows for me to load an external VB script that contains a function, and call that function from within the ASP.NET doc:

Code:

<%@ Page Language="VB" ContentType="text/html" ResponseEncoding="iso-8859-1" Debug="true" %>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<script language="vb" runat="server" src="/newsite/bgscripts/vb/modules.vb" />
<%
...
Response.Write("<div id='screenright'>")
Response.Write(modules)
Response.Write("</div>")
...
%>

The doc "modules.vb" contains a function for a set of modules to be displayed:

Code:

Function modules

    If Not Page.IsPostBack Then

        Response.Write("Hello World!")

    End If

End Function

...and the result of the function is: Hello World!

I want to use this setup, only with a dynamic filename. This is what I thought might work:

Code:

<%
'Dynamic module(s)
Response.Write("<script language='vb' runat='server' src='/bgscripts/vb/modules_")
Response.Write(page_path + ".vb' />")
'Results in: <script language='vb' runat='server' src='/bgscripts/vb/modules_home.vb' />
%>
<%
Response.Write("<div id='screenright'>")
Response.Write(modules_home)
Response.Write("</div>")
%>

But this setup isn't working like the first. The error message says that "modules_home is not declared". I realize that it's likely a server-side vs. client-side issue, but I'm just not sure how to set this up for a dynamic site. So I hope that someone could help me to see the light. Thanks for any & all help.

KWilliams

planoie · August 30th, 2005, 07:24 PM

The problem you are experiencing is definately a server-side/client-side issue. You can't "response.write" something that needs to be processed by the server.

This seems like an overly complicated way of doing this. Why not build a compiled application that includes all of your files of functions so you can call them wherever you need them?

-Peter

kwilliams · August 31st, 2005, 09:10 AM

I actually thought of another way to accomplish this task. I've included all of the "modules_" functions within one VB doc, since there aren't going to be too many of them, and then call the function dynamically from within the index.aspx page. This is what I have:

QUERYSTRING:
http://SERVER/DIRECTORY/index/aspx?p...&modules=true&...

VB.NET DOC:

Code:

'***HOME PAGE MODULES***
Function modules_home

    If Not Page.IsPostBack Then
        Response.Write("Home Page")
    End If

End Function

Function modules_formsdocs

    If Not Page.IsPostBack Then
        Response.Write("Forms #38; Documents")
    End If

End Function

ASP.NET DOC:

Code:

<%@ Page Language="VB" ContentType="text/html" ResponseEncoding="iso-8859-1" Debug="true" %>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<script language="vb" runat="server" src="/bgscripts/vb/modules.vb" />
<%
'Declare qs value
Dim modules As String = Request.QueryString("modules")

'Customized modules for specified pages
Response.Write("<div>")

If modules = "true" Then

If page_path = "home" Then
Response.Write(modules_home)

Else If page_path = "formsdocs" Then
Response.Write(modules_formsdocs)
End If

End If

Response.Write("</div>")

%>

OUTPUT:
Home
or...
Forms & Documents

...and it works great. If the querystring value "modules" is empty or false, it doesn't pull any of the functions. If it's set to true, then the specified function is called from the source vb doc, and those results are displayed.

I guess the only question I have relates to calling a VB.NET doc from within an ASP.NET page, and hopefully you can help me out with this question:

When a document is included in an ASP.NET doc like this:
<script language="vb" runat="server" src="/bgscripts/vb/modules.vb" />
1) Is the entire document then loaded to the page, or is only the called function from within the body of the doc called? Thanks for your reply.

KWilliams