Built-in Objects in ASP.

NET
ASP.NET provides some Classes which make web development easier. Some of the
classes used specifically for ASP.NET development are:
1. System.Web.HttpRequest
2. System.Web.HttpResponse
3. System.Web.SessionState.HttpSessionState
4. System.Web.ApplicationState

What is a web request?

In simple words, a web request a 'request sent from a client to the server, asking
for a specific web page'.
When you type a URL in a web browser or when you click on a hyper link in any
web page, your browser is actually making a 'Request' to the server for the
specific URL.

Who makes the Request?

If you are using a browser to view a web page, then your browser is making the
actual request to the server. You simply typed a URL in the browser, but the
browser does lot of work in the background. It composes a Request in the proper
format that the server can understand and sends the request to the server using
the HTTP protocol.

Composing the Request

Composing and sending the request involves lot of work, even though a user
need not worry about it. It is the responsibility of the browser to compose and
send the request in the proper format.

What is in a Request?

A request obviously includes the URL which is requested. In addition to that, a

Request also includes several other information, including:
1. Details about the browser who makes the request (like version number, browser
type etc)
2. Computer information like screen resolution, IP address of the user etc.
3. Cookies - the information stored in the client machine by the same web site.
4. Data inputted by the user (for example, when you register in a site, you are
entering your registration details in the input fields. These details are sent to the
server as part of the 'Request')

ASP.NET Request Object

The ASP.NET provides a class called HttpRequest which is defined in the

namespace System.Web.
This class provides various methods and properties which help you use various
information related to a web request.
An instance of this class is created by default in all the pages, so that you can
use this object without creating again each time in all the pages. The name of
this object is Request.
In old ASP days, the Request object was the only way to retrieve the input data
entered by the user in the input fields in the page. ASP.NET provides the event

handling mechanism and web controls so that you can access user inputs in a
more easy way.

Commonly used Methods and Properies of Request object

1. Request.FilePath This property returns the currently executed file path.
2. Request.QueryString() This method is used to retrieve short key value pairs
passed along with the URL.
3. Request.Cookies
Cookies are used to store small pieces of information in the client computer.
Many web sites store information like when did you visit their site last, your
user name etc.
When you login to a site and choose the option 'Remember my password', do
you know how they remember your password? Your user name is stored in a
cookie in your computer.
For example, when you login to this site, if you choose the option 'Remember my
password', we will save your user name into a cookie in your computer. If you come
back to our site again later, we will read the value from the Cookie as shown below:
Dim cookie As System.Web.HttpCookie = Request.Cookies("AspSpiderUserId")
if cookie is nothing then
Response.write ("Cookie 'AspSpiderUserId' not found.")
else
Response.write ("Value of Cookie 'AspSpiderUserId': " & cookie.Value)
end if
If the user name already exists in Cookie, we understand that you selected the
option 'Remember my password' last time. So, we will not ask for your password
again. We will automatically login you to the application.
Many sites use Cookies to store more information like when did you visit their site
last, what are the pages you visited etc. For example, if you go to an online
shopping site and add few items to the shopping cart, they will store this
information to the Cookies. When you come back to the same site again, those
items will be automatically there in your Shopping cart because they had saved it in
your computer cookie and put into your shopping cart when you came back to the
site.
4. Request.ServerVariables
This property can be used to extract specific information about the client who
is making the request.
Eg: if you want to find the server IP address of the computer who is visiting your
web page
dim ipAddress as string = Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_HOST'")
Response.Write ("Your IP Address is : " & ipAddress)
You can find which version of browser they are using to access your web site.
dim browser as string = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_USER_AGENT'")
Response.Write ("You are using this browser to access our web site: " & browser)
There are several server variables available to find more information from the
Request. Try the following server side code in your web page:
dim str as string
For Each str in Request.ServerVariables.AllKeys
Response.write ("Key : '" & str & "' - Value '" & Request.ServerVariables(str) & "'")

What is a Response?

In the web server world, a Response is exactly opposite to the Request. A

'Response' is the message sent from the web server to the client, when client
makes a 'Request'. For each request from a client, the server gives a response,
unless there is an error.
When you type a URL in a web browser or when you click on a hyper link in any
web page, your browser makes a 'Request' to the server for the specific URL.
Then server process the request and send a response back.

How does a browser process the Response?

The response includes several information about the page requested, including
the cookies to be saved on the client machine, the actual content to be
displayed to the user, etc.
The browser accepts the response and processes it. Browser does several things
including saving the cookies, checking the security etc and then displays the
page content to the user.

ASP.NET Response Object

The ASP.NET provides a class called HttpResponse which is defined in the

namespace System.Web.
This class provides various methods and properties which help you use various
information related to a web response.
An instance of this class is created by default in all the pages, so that you can
use this object without creating again each time in all the pages. The name of
this object is Response.
In old ASP days, the Response object was the only way to write data to the page.
ASP.NET provides the event handling mechanism and web controls so that you
can write content to the page in an easier way.

Frequently used Methods and Properies of Request object

1. Response.Write() This method is used to write dynamic text to the web
page. In old ASP days, this was the only way to generate dynamic text and
display to the user.
Response.Write(DateTime.Now.ToString())
The above code will generate the current time as text and display to the user.
ASP.NET provides several web controls including the Label control which allow you
to specify the exact location where you want the control to be displayed. Due to
this, the Response.Write() method is not widely used now.
2. Response.Cookies
Cookies are used to store small pieces of information in the client computer.
In ASP.NET, the Response object is used to send cookies to the client browser. If
you select the 'Remember Me' option at the time of login, we use the following
code to store your user id in a cookie in your computer.
When you come back to this site later, we retrieve the user id from the Request
and load your information automatically, without asking you to login again.

Response.Cookies("AspSpiderUserId").Value = "your user id"

Response.Cookies("AspSpiderUserId").Expires = DateTime.Now.AddDays(7)
We use the above code to store your user id in a cookie. The name of the cookie
used is "AspSpiderUserId". The cookie will expire after 7 days. This means, if you
come back to our site after 7 days, we will not remember you! So, come back often!
Dim cookie As System.Web.HttpCookie = Request.Cookies("AspSpiderUserId")
if cookie is nothing then
Response.write ("Cookie 'AspSpiderUserId' not found.")
else
Response.write ("Value of Cookie 'AspSpiderUserId': " & cookie.Value)
end if
Response.Redirect()
This may be the most frequently used method of the Response object.
Response.Redirect() is used to redirect user from one page to another page or
website.
Response.Redirect("Login.aspx")
When the above line of code is executed, the page will be redirected to the login
page. Let us see another example.
if (bStatus = True) then
Response.Redirect("Success.aspx")
else
Response.Redirect("Error.aspx")
end if
The above code redirects to error or success page according to the status of some
operation performed. For example, when user try to login to the website, if the user
name and password are correct, the page can be re directed to a welcome page.
Otherwise, an error page can be displayed.

Questions
1. Explain features added in ASP.NET. How can you
justify that ASP.NET provides more developer
productivity?
2. ADO.NET Xerox