Learning WebMatrixPart 3 of 3

Akber Alwanihttp://twitter.com/epdotnet

Part 1What is WebMatrix?Razor SyntaxDatabase AccessWebGrid

Part 2LayoutsHelpers

Themes, Package Manager, Facebook and more

MembershipRouting

Part 3Building HelpersWebMatrix and OSS Web AppsPublishing your website or web appHow to “grow up” to Visual Studio 2010 and ASP.NET MVC

Agenda

1. Helpers make you more productive

Create Helpers for code that is repetitiveCreate Helpers for code that is complex

2. Helpers make it easier for other developers to use your widgets or services

Useful if you are trying to create a developer ecosystem of your own

Why Build Helpers?

Build a Helper: The 3 Approaches

• @helper syntax using CSHTML • For simple helpers

Use Inline Code

• Static class with Static methods• For helpers that use .NET Framework

Use a Class (Intermediate)

• Requires Visual Studio 2010 for development• For complex helpers that require testing

Use an assembly (DLL) (Advanced)

Use CSHTMLSave in App_Code folderThe name of the file is important – it’s used as the class name:

Building Helpers – inline syntax

@FacebookSocialPlugins.ShowLoginButton(...);

@helperEasy to create HTML shortcutsWrap commonly used HTMLTakes parametersReal example: Facebook Social Plugins

Building Helpers – inline syntax

@helper HelloWorld(string name = "") { <div>Hello @name</div> }

@helper ShowLoginButton(string buttonText = "") { <fb:login-button>@buttonText</fb:login-button> }

@functionReturn values from your helpersGood for wrapping complex APIs See the Twitter Helper for examples

Building Helpers – inline syntax

@functions {public static string SayHello(string name) {

return “Hello ” + name;}

}

BUILDING HELPERSDemonstration

Free & PopularLarge developer ecosystems with lots of widgets, plugins, templates and themesGood community support through blogs and forums

Gets you closer to a solutionCMS, eCommerce, Forum etc.

Easy to configure

Why use Open Source Apps?

WebMatrix builds on the success of the Web Platform Installer

2.5 Million Apps downloaded so far

WebMatrix and OSS Apps

Web Platform Installer

WebMatrix

Download

Install (inc. dependencies)

Customize

SEO Analysis

Publish

INSTALL A WEB APPDemonstration

It’s easy to find a host that fits your needs and budgetPublishing your website is easy and pain freeFaster and more secureIf you make changes, you only upload the changes – not the entire website

Publishing your website

Find the right host for youQuickly compare the best dealswww.microsoft.com/web/hosting

Windows Web Hosting Gallery

Easy to configure, preview and publish your website and database in one click

Publishing in WebMatrix

PUBLISHING YOUR WEBSITE

Demonstration

With a little luck, your web application will be successful and attract lots of users!

1. Congratulations 2. You need to ask yourself some questions:

1. Do I need more developers?2. Is my code base still manageable?3. Do I need to scale my web & database

servers?

With a successful application the answer will normally be “YES” to those questions

Growing Your App

Visual Studio 2010 provides the best solution to your “growing” needs:

Powerful editing capabilitiesTesting FrameworksSource/Version Control

Moving to Visual Studio 2010 is easyThe Razor Syntax is common across WebMatrix and ASP.NET MVC 3You can use Helpers in ASP.NET MVC 3Migration of database to IIS Express is easy to do

Growing Your App

GROWING YOUR APPDemonstration

Part 1What is WebMatrix?Razor SyntaxDatabase AccessWebGrid

Part 2LayoutsHelpers

Themes, Package Manager, Facebook and more

MembershipRouting

Part 3Building HelpersWebMatrix and OSS Web AppsPublishing your website or web appHow to “grow up” to Visual Studio 2010 and ASP.NET MVCRoadmap

Recap

www.webcamps.mswww.asp.net/webmatrixwww.microsoft.com/web/webmatrix

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