[...]... ASP.NET you’re familiar with ASP.NET server controls You may even have tried building user controls or your own custom controls and have seen what ASP.NET controls look like from the inside However, Web Parts are new with ASP.NET 2.0, and provide functionality that is very different from what you’ve seen with ASP.NET controls Web Parts enable you to give your users the ability to customize your application... of control, you can use both user controls and custom controls as Web parts (although they won’t have all the customization facilities of a full-fledged Web Part) Web Parts, custom controls, and user controls all allow you to create reusable components that can be used, in turn, to create Web pages in ASP.NET Web Parts, custom controls and user controls in ASP.NET 2.0 look very much alike when you... productive, and improve your user interfaces The Three Kinds of Controls Why three different kinds of controls? Part of the reason is historical: Custom controls and user controls were introduced in the first version of ASP.NET, while Web Parts are new to ASP.NET 2.0 and add functionality that wasn’t available in user controls and custom controls So, from one perspective, Web Parts are different from user controls. .. Jamie, and Jason Contents Acknowledgments Introduction xix xxi Part I: Introducing Controls 1 Chapter 1: Creating Your Own Controls 3 The Three Kinds of Controls User Controls Custom Controls Web Parts The Benefits of Reusable Controls Beyond Reusability with Web Parts Allowing Customization with Web Parts Implementing Reusability with Controls Controls in Action Exploring the Different Kinds of Controls. .. are building Web Parts, custom controls, or user controls, you can add your own properties, methods, and events to them User Controls While the focus of this book is on custom controls and Web Parts, user controls shouldn’t be ignored For developers, the major difference between user controls and custom controls is in ease of development — a powerful incentive to use user controls User controls provide... specific to P2P and Wrox books To read the FAQs, click the FAQ link on any P2P page xxv Part I Introducing Controls Chapter 1: Creating Your Own Controls Chapter 2: Creating Customizable Pages Creating Your Own Controls ASP.NET comes with its own set of server-side controls — so why create your own? And why would you need three different kinds of controls: custom controls, Web Parts, and user controls? By... them, and set their properties in the Property window The major difference is that you drag custom controls and Web Parts from the toolbox in Visual Studio NET but you drag user controls from Solution Explorer However, Chapter 1 because both user controls and custom controls can be used as Web Parts, you can drag customization components from both the Toolbox and Solution Explorer (full-fledged Web Parts. .. the role of user controls, custom controls, and Web Parts You also see what the differences are between the three types of controls and when to use each This chapter discusses how to know when you have a problem that can be solved with one of the three types of controls and how to pick the right kind Chapter 2, “Creating Customizable Pages”: New to ASP.NET 2.0 is the ability to create customizable pages,... Turning on Customization Customization Tool Controls Editing the Controls with an EditorZone Control Adding New Controls with a CatalogZone Control Configuring the Tool Zones Summary 36 39 40 44 49 51 Part II: Creating Controls 53 Chapter 3: Creating Custom Controls 55 Creating a Visual Studio Solution Starting a Custom Control Project Configuring the Solution Staying in Sync Organizing Your Custom Controls. .. separately from your Web application As a result, you can add that library to any project in order to use your custom control in that project Web Parts It’s not really correct to compare Web Parts with user controls and custom controls User controls and custom controls can be used as Web Parts, although they will lack all of the features of a full-fledged Web Part But, if you want to take full advantage . Web Parts and Custom Controls with ASP. NET 2. 0 01_57860x ffirs.qxd 10/ 4 /05 9 :29 PM Page i 01 _57860x ffirs.qxd 10/ 4 /05 9 :29 PM Page ii Professional Web Parts. Parts and Custom Controls with ASP. NET 2. 0 Peter Vogel 01 _57860x ffirs.qxd 10/ 4 /05 9 :29 PM Page iii Professional Web Parts and Custom Controls with ASP. NET