Migrating from

ASP.NET 1.1 to
ASP.NET 2.0

David Webster
EMEA Technical Team Microsoft
Email: davidjw@microsoft.com
 Agenda

• Migrating from ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• Visual Studio 2003 to Visual Studio 2005
Conversion
Migrating from ASP.NET 1.X
to ASP.NET 2.0
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• Goal: Easy to upgrade from V1.1 to V2.0

– We have minimized breaking changes
– No OS upgrade required
• Runs on Windows 2000 & IIS 5.0
• Runs on Windows XP & IIS 5.1
• Runs on Windows Server 2003 & IIS 6.0

• Please Let us know if you find issues with

Beta2
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• ASP.NET 1.1 & 2.0 can be installed on same machine

– Application versions run side-by-side under IIS
– Version used identified by IIS vroot ISAPI script-mappings

• Installing v2.0 on v1.1 server preserves existing v1.1 application

mappings
– V1.1 applications do not automatically get updated to use V2.0
– Administrator must manually update application using IIS Admin Tool

• Existing ASP.NET v1.1 applications should run fine using ASP.NET

v2.0
– But always test application prior to deployment to verify
Issue Tracker – V1.1
Issue Tracker – V1.1 version running on top of
ASP.NET 2.0
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• It is possible to upgrade parts of a site to ASP.NET V2.0 while

leaving the rest of it to run under ASP.NET V1.1
– http://foo.mysite.com on V2.0 and http://www.mysite.com on V1.1
– http://www.mysite.com on V2.0 and http://www.mysite.com/foo on V1.1

• Forms Authentication can work across both ASP.NET versions

– To enable in ASP.NET 2.0 you must explicitly set decryption attribute in the
machineKey section to 3DES
• ASP.NET 2.0 encryption default of AES is not compatible with 1.1
• Tickets issued in 1.1 are then consumable by ASP.NET 2.0
• Tickets issued by ASP.NET 2.0 are then consumable by 1.1 app
Sharing forms authentication tickets
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• New ASP.NET reserved directory names (App_)

– New naming convention for protecting directories
– Avoid naming directories with this prefix

• ASP.NET Reserved directories

– /Bin – Reserved for assemblies. Same as 1.0 and 1.1
– /App_Code – Reserved for code
– /App_Data – Reserved for data storage (*.mdf, .xml, etc.)
– /App_Themes – Reserved for theme files (.skin)
– /App_WebServices – Reserved for .wsdl files
– /App_Resouces – Reserved for local page resource files
– /App_GlobalResources – Reserved for global resource files
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• XHTML compliance switch

– XHTML compliant markup is now emitted by default
– Good for standards compliance, but can break some UI

• <xhtml11Conformance
enableLegacyRendering=“true” />
– Web.config file setting to use older HTML markup rendering
– Set this to help with migration of existing sites
– Recommend updating pages to be XHTML compliant long-
term
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• Other XHTML issues:

– New pages created using VS2005 include a DOCTYPE
directive indicating XHTML 1.1 compliance

– IE will render page in browser differently if DOCTYPE present

• Remove the DOCTYPE to get older html rendering
behavior

– In future you should update your HTML to be XHTML

compliant
ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• Well known client-side script files are now

encapsulated as resources
– .js files are now referenced like: WebResource.axd?
a=s&amp;r=WebUIValidation.js
– Hand-editing WebUIValidation.js file will no longer
work
– Use the expanded client-side scripting support in
ASP.NET 2.0 for enabling common client-scripting
scenarios instead
 ASP.NET 1.X to ASP.NET 2.0

• Potential for naming collisions with existing source code

– 2,000+ new classes in V2.0
– Common name collisions: Membership, Roles, Profile, Theme

• Name collisions do not affect already compiled binaries

– CLR automatically picks the correct type to use in this case
– Name collisions will affect you if you re-compile your project source

• Recommend you identify collision candidates today

– Use a fully qualified class name when referencing these types
• (e.g. MyProject.Membership instead of Membership)
– Alternatively use an alternative class name to avoid future issues
Visual Studio 2003 to
Visual Studio 2005
Conversion
 Visual Studio Conversion

• VS 2005 makes significant changes to web projects

– Provides much more flexibility for web scenarios

• Key Benefits:
– No more project file required
– Web projects no longer compiled into single DLL
– Web projects can now be written in multiple languages
– No need to re-compile project when making changes
– Ability to update pages/code while using the debugger
– Significantly cleaner and more robust code-behind model
 Visual Studio Conversion

• VS 2005 converts existing VS 2003 projects on open

– One way conversion (cannot open in VS 2003 afterwards)
– Always enable backup option as part of upgrade wizard
– ConversionReport.txt lists all changes as part of the upgrade

• Things to be aware of during conversion:

– New directories may be created (App_Code, App_WebReferences)
– Non-page related class files (.cs, .vb) will be moved to App_Code dir
– “Designer generated” sections are processed by the conversion tool
– Pages automatically updated to use new code-behind model

• Recommendations when running under source control:

– Move project to new location on disk (out of source control)
– Open project and run the conversion wizard
– Check back into source control
 Visual Studio Conversion
• New Code-Behind Model
– Removes need for VS to generate/modify code in your code-behind
– Control definition now handled using new partial class feature of V2
compilers
– Still enables definition of custom base pages + control classes

• Syntax differences:
– ASP.NET 1.1 page definition
• <%@ page codeBehind=“webform1.aspx.cs” inherits=“WebForm1” %>
– ASP.NET 1.1 code-behind class definition
• public class WebForm1 : System.Web.UI.Page
– ASP.NET 2.0 page definition
• <%@ page codeFile=“webform1.aspx.cs” inherits=“WebForm1” %>
– ASP.NET 2.0 code-behind class definition
• public partial class WebForm1 : System.Web.UI.Page
ASP.NET 2.0 Code-behind
File containing code Class that the page-gen
behind inherits from
class definition
Default.aspx

<%@ Page codefile=“default.aspx.cs” inherits=“Default”

Default.aspx.cs

public partial class Default : System.Web.UI.Page

Class is ‘partial’ and is combined Base class. Can be defined by user. The
to an auto-generated partial required ancestor base class is
class System.Web.UI.Page

Dynamic Compile

MyClass Default Default System.Web.UI.Page

Auto- Auto- Partial class
generated generated defined in
page class partial codefile
Issue Tracker – After running the conversion
wizard
 Visual Studio Conversion

• New dynamic compilation model implications:

– Monolithic code-behind assembly is no longer used
• Instead, pages are compiled on-demand into separate
assemblies

– Code-behind code that references classes defined

within other code-behind files will fail
• Move these classes out of code-behind files into standalone .cs
and .vb files (can use App_Code directory or separate
assembly)

– Best practice to prepare for this with ASP.NET 1.1:

• Move classes, enumerations and interfaces that are not related
to a page into standalone .vb or .cs files now
• In addition to making migration easier it is a better coding
practice
Cross file class references
 Visual Studio Conversion

• New dynamic compilation model implications:

– Type casting dynamically loaded user controls
requires an explicit reference to the .ascx files
• In 1.1, since all code lived in the same assembly, user
control type names were always available for type casting

– In 2.0, add <% @Reference VirtualPath=“ctl.ascx” %> page

directive
• MyControl ctl = (MyControl) Page.LoadControl(“ctl.ascx”);
• Note: This is not needed if you don’t explicitly cast control
 Visual Studio Conversion

• New dynamic compilation model implications:

– Code that calls Type.GetType(“SomeType”) will fail if
referencing classes in other code-behind files or in
files deployed in App_Code
– Instead, use:
System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.GetType
• The ASP.NET BuildManager has extra logic to “look” at all
ASP.NET related assemblies
• VS 2005 project migration wizard will update code that
does this
Type Resolution
 Visual Studio Conversion

• Developers can pre-compile an ASP.NET site with:

– aspnet_compiler.exe command line tool
– “Publish Website” menu option within VS 2005

• Two choices when pre-compiling:

– All code compiled and .aspx markup removed
– All code compiled, but .aspx preserved for later html edits
(note: this is new in Beta2 and now the default)
Application Pre-compilation
 Session Summary

• ASP.NET V1.1 and V2.0 run side-by-side on same server

– No need to migrate all apps in order to start using V2.0

• Backwards compatibility a priority with new APIs and features

– Please tell us in Beta2 when you find things that break

• VS 2005 auto upgrades existing web projects to use new project model
– Provides significantly better flexibility for web projects
– Need to be aware of a few implications of dynamic compilation model

• Things to-do today to prepare for ASP.NET V2.0:

– Start making HTML markup XHTML compliant
– Separate non-codebehind classes/enums into separate class files
– Avoid class naming conflicts with new V2.0 features now where possible
APPENDIX
Issue Tracker – Converting pages to use as a
Demonstration Four
master page
 Designing for ASP.NET 2.0

• Rich data-binding to middle tier objects is now

possible
– Many Web applications require the use of clearly defined
middle tiers
– Traditionally has been awkward to use with data-binding
• ObjectDataSource supports two-way data binding to
objects
– Allows developers to write changes back to the database
– Two-way functionality only supported on new ASP.NET 2.0
data controls
 Designing for ASP.NET 2.0

• Middle tier object design guidelines

– Objects should be stateless
• Example: Need to be able to call select method one page
hit, but process an update on postback.
– Need a default parameter-less constructor
– Expose methods for select, insert, update and delete
functionality (static methods are preferred but not required)
– Methods should accept zero or more parameters to carry out
the appropriate operation
 Designing for ASP.NET 2.0

• Middle tier object design guidelines

– Objects that use the following pattern will not be able to
update/insert data via ObjectDataSource:
MyType myObject = new MyType();
myObject.PropertyA = “foo”;
myObject.PropertyB = “bar”;
myObject.Update();
– Instead use:
MyType myObject = new MyType();
myObject.PropertyA = “foo”;
myObject.PropertyB = “bar”;
MyType.Update(myObject);
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Designing for ASP.NET 2.0 should include designing for

runtime improvements
• Design with caching in mind
– New cache features covered in earlier presentations
– Design “Everett” applications to take advantage of ASP.NET
2.0 cache improvements
– User Control encapsulation will help!
– Web sites with clean middle tiers can easily use Sql cache
dependencies
– Datasource controls have built-in support for Sql cache
dependencies
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• OLEDB is now supported in partial trust

– 1.1 applications using Microsoft® Access always needed full
trust
– ADO.NET team enabled partially trusted callers in ASP.NET 2.0
– Hosters can now use <trust
level=“Medium” /> for customers using Access
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Forms authentication support on querystrings

– Forms auth ticket can be encrypted and automatically placed
on the querystring
– Enables forms auth for both desktop and mobile browsers
– With extra coding, also enables passing authentication
information across Web sites
• Enables a custom pseudo-”SSO”
• Remember that key material still needs to be synchronized
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Richer event model in Http pipeline

– Most events now have a “PostXYZ” event
• PostAuthenticateRequest
• PostAuthorizeRequest
• Etc.
– Allows more granular Http module authoring
– Eliminates request ordering issues where certain modules
must logically run before an event
• Example: PostAuthenticateRequest can be used for
authorization logic prior to AuthorizeRequest
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Richer event model in Http pipeline

– Do choose the appropriate event for the work your module
performs
– Don’t use Http modules as a “pseudo-handler”
• Use .ashx files or custom handlers
– If your module sends response headers
• Hook both EndRequest and PreSendRequestHeaders
• Send response headers in the first event that is called.
Ignore the second event firing.
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Synchronous page execution

– Traditionally - work performed on pages runs synchronously
– Ties up an ASP.NET worker thread for the duration of the
request
– 1.1 pages are synchronous –performing async calls in page
code did not help
– Somewhat convoluted design pattern was necessary to truly
handle async work in “Everett” pages
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• ASP.NET 2.0 Asynchronous Pages

– New page directive “Async”
– Two event delegates need to be implemented in page code
– Async processing occurs just before PreRender event
• Design Guideline
– Isolate long-running tasks in their own object
– Design pages to defer long-running tasks to the async event
delegates
Issue Tracker – Converting project list to an async
Demonstration Five
page
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Request prioritization
– New “requestPriority” attribute on <httpRuntime>
– Can set per vdir using <location> tags
– Can group sets of pages into directories according to desired
priority
• “Critical” pages will always be queued for execution
– “High” priority pages execute before “Normal” priority pages
– “Normal” is the default priority
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Buffered Uploads
– Handles large file uploads
– Large SOAP headers when calling .asmx pages
– Large Http requests
• New attribute “requestLengthDiskThreshold” on
<httpRuntime>
– If request length exceeds limit (256Kb default), content is
spooled to disk
– Minimizes memory overhead for concurrent large requests
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Protected Configuration
– Allows any configuration section in ASP.NET 2.0 to be
encrypted
– Built-in support for RSA and DPAPI
• Extensible support allows custom encryption with
custom providers
– A custom protected configuration provider does not
necessarily need to “encrypt” anything
• Could instead load configuration information from an off-
the-box location
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• IIS6: requests can run through ASP.NET and “fall back

out” to IIS
– Enables ASP.NET authN/authZ for non-ASP.NET file extensions
– Instead of the page handler running, the request is passed to
DefaultHttpHandler
• Request is handed off to the ISAPI extension associated
with the file type
• IIS5: ASP.NET has an optimized StaticFileHandler
(.jpg, .htm, etc.)
– Dynamic content (i.e. .asp) not supported though
 ASP.NET 2.0 Runtime

• Health Monitoring
– Built-in support for logging various event information and
errors to providers
– Can store event information in different data stores with
custom providers
– ASP.NET 2.0 automatically logs errors to the event log
• Comprehensive information for tracking down problems on
production servers where debug access is usually not
available
• Look at Health Monitoring before writing a custom
event infrastructure
 Demonstration Six
Health Monitoring – Event Log Entries
 Providers

• Uses new Provider Design pattern

– Pluggable Data Access Layer (DAL)
– Pluggable Business Logic Layer (BLL)
• We are shipping Providers for various data stores:
– SQL Server
– AD/ADAM
• Provider model is extensible
– Create and integrate new providers
ASP.NET 2.0 Developer Stack
ew ASP.NET ASP.NET 2.0 “Building Block” APIs
Profile and
Membership Role Manager
Personalization

Database
Site Management
Caching
Navigation

Provider Model Design Pattern

Providers

Windows SQL Server AD/ADAM

ASP.NET 2.0 Developer Stack
ew ASP.NET ASP.NET 2.0 “Building Block” APIs
Profile and
Membership Role Manager
Personalization

Database
Site Management
Caching
Navigation

Provider Model Design Pattern

Providers

Windows SQL Server AD/ADAM Custom

public class OracleMembershipProvider : MembershipProvider

{}
 Providers

• Can design for these APIs today

– Follow method and property conventions depending on which
feature you plan to use
– Add your own custom behaviors
• Browse the provider specification on MSDN® as well as
ASP.NET 2.0 help files
– Plan to implement classes as a provider
– Easier to move a provider to ASP.NET 2.0
– Carry forward today’s investment
Issue Tracker – Custom Membership provider for
Demonstration Seven
handling login