Question

I am creating a web application for my company that needs to deal with form processing and database manipulation. The application is implemented using .NET Framework 3.5 using C# and Visual Studio 2008 as the IDE and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 as the database.

Here is my problem:

1. I have a lot of forms

2. But my boss only want me to create a single page for the database
   processing (easier to extend in the future)

I figured out the only way to solve this problem is by having only 1 .aspx file (that contains everything about the database) and having it invoked as a pop up window everytime a forms need to deal with the database.

Here is another problem of mine:

1. Due to stateless nature of HTTP, I am unable to process and pass
   variable between 2 different windows.

2. I managed to create certain Javascript functions and have the
   variable transferred on display, however it can only pass a variable
   that is the primary key in the table. To process other columns in
   the table is possible but as the consequence I have to write a very
   long inline script in my .aspx page and after it is compiled people
   can easily view how to access my company database easily. Hence, I
   don’t favor this (beside to deal with 1 form, I need to create a
   long code already, imagine if i have more than 1000 forms!)

So there are two ways you guys can help me:

1. Suggest another way other than popping up a new window for my
   problem, maybe even advise on how it’s implemented.

2. If you think popping up is the solution, you mind to share some
   snippets that can help me figure out the variable passing between
   two different windows. I can use some advise especially from some
   Javascript expert on this :).

Note: Solution must be workable in ASP.NET Framework 3.5 and tested using IE browser version: 8.

P.S: This is a short explanation about my application flow

1. Let’s say I entered data about a product (it has few properties id, name, price, etc) into the database

2. Later on somehow I want to edit one or few properties of that product, so I have to launch a form which called "editor.aspx"

3. Instead of entering the product id (which is the primary key) into the form (and edit the data based on the entered product id) and risking to miscalculately edit the correct data, I provide a small button in the form (let’s name it btSearch), that will launch a new popup window which contains the gridview of the database of all product (with selection enabled)

4. Now I just need to browse through the gridview, select a particular row, it will close the popup and I expect to see few data from that row appeared on my original page (in the textboxes/labels)

I hope my explanation above clears the air, thank you.

Answer 1

I recently wrote something like that: A database handler as aspx file. But i invoked it by using ajax / jquery.

When my aspx file is done, i write something to the response stream, some code, a json string, what ever.

Example:

$.post("yourdatabasehandler.aspx", { name: "John", lastname: "Smith" }, function(data) {
    alert("Response from page: " + data);
  });

In that example, name and lastname are values that are posted to your site. You can access them like that:

string name = Request.Params["name"]
// Do your database , validation and whatever logic here
Response.Write("Cool dude");

The above javascript will alert “Cool dude” after your databasehandler is done. Inside your javascript you can react to the response how ever you want – For example reload a page.

Hope that helps? Regards