B211 Lab Week 12

Laboratory Week 12 - Server-side Scripting with Apache ASP

Learning Objectives:

Have a introductory look at Apache's ASP (Active Server Pages)

Compare basic Apache ASP code to PHP and Perl/CGI from previous lab exercises.

The purpose of this lab is to expose you to yet another web server-side scripting technology, so you can see how the scripts can be used for the same purpose. We will not be too concerned with the details of ASP, or different versions of ASP.

Before doing the tutorial, please read:

Week 9 lecture 1 on Web Server-side Scripting.

Review what you learnt in previous labs regarding creating, modifying and uploading PHP scripts to phoenix.

Software required:

This lab requires a graphical web browser (like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer).

As mentioned in Week 9 lecture 1, ASP is mainly a Microsoft technology and the scripts are normally served through a Microsoft web server. Since we do not have an easily available Micorosft web server where all of you can be given accounts on, in this lab we will use the Apache port of ASP, available through the Apache web server on phoenix. Since Apache ASP uses PerlScript. PerlScript is a simplified version of Perl, so the syntax for PerlScript is very similar to Perl you saw in week 11's lab.

Instructions:

Look at the source code for following example ASP scripts:

boring.asp
form.html and processform.asp
lastaccess.asp

Copy these scripts to your own directory on phoenix, and access them just as you did with your PHP scripts. The examples are the same as the corresponding PHP applications in Week 5 lectures on PHP programming. Note again that you should use form.html to access form.asp, and your should refresh your browser a few time when accessing lastaccess.asp to see the behaviour of the cookie.

Note the basic similarities between the HTML structure of the ASP scripts, and their PHP equivalents. Talk to your tutor about what happens in the background when the ASP scripts are accessed by browsers. The process is the same as PHP and Perl/CGI - the only difference is the interpreter invoked.

Remember to read the week's development on the Internet by scanning through relevant articles in the IT section of Tuesday's the Australian newspaper - use the online version or the physical copy in the University library. Get into the habit of keeping up with current developments. Test your knowledge of major developments by going through the Good News Week self-tests.

H.L. Hiew
Unit Coordinator