Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Design: CSS, Themes, and Master Pages

484 Pages·2007·10.061 MB·English

by  Jacob J. Sanford

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Professional
ASP.NET 2.0 Design
CSS, Themes, and Master Pages
Jacob J. Sanford
WileyPublishing,Inc.
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Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Design: CSS, Themes, and
Master Pages
Publishedby
WileyPublishing,Inc.
10475CrosspointBoulevard
Indianapolis,IN46256
www.wiley.com
Copyright2007byWileyPublishing,Inc.,Indianapolis,Indiana
PublishedsimultaneouslyinCanada
ISBN:978-0-470-12448-2
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
10987654321
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Sanford,JacobJ.,1972-
ASP.net2.0design:CSS,themes,andmasterpages/JacobJ.Sanford.
p.cm.
Includesindex.
ISBN978-0-470-12448-2(paper/website)
1. Activeserverpages.2. Websites--Design. I.Title.
TK5105.8885.A26S252007
006.7’6--dc22
2007026260
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Sanford fauth.tex V5-08/01/2007 3:19pm Pageix
About the Author
JacobJ.SanfordiscurrentlyaProjectLeadwiththeRapidApplicationDevelopmentTeamattheFlorida
DepartmentofChildren&Families.Hebegandevelopingwebapplicationsmorethan10yearsagousing
primarilyclassicASPwithvariousrelationaldatabases.Overtheyearshehasdabbledinotherweb
applicationdevelopmentlanguagessuchasColdFusionandPHP.However,hehasbeenworkingalmost
exclusivelywiththe.NETFrameworksinceits1.0release.Heisaregularcontributorto2MinuteTips.com
andmakesfrequentpresentationsatlocalandregional.NETevents.Havingworkedinallaspectsofthe
SDLC,hehasbeenfocusinghisrecenteffortsprimarilyonaccessiblewebdesign(especiallyasitpertains
to.NETapplications).Healsospendsaninordinateamountoftime‘‘playing’’withthelatest(alphaand
beta)webtechnologies,especiallyMicrosoftSilverlight.Heismarriedandasofwritingthisbookhas
oneson,butbythetimeyoureadit,hewillhavetwo.(Welcometotheworld,Hayden.)
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Credits
SeniorAcquisitionsEditor VicePresidentandExecutiveGroupPublisher
JimMinatel RichardSwadley
DevelopmentEditor VicePresidentandExecutivePublisher
KellyTalbot JosephB.Wikert
TechnicalEditor Proofreader
AdamKahtava SossitySmith
ProductionEditor Indexer
DebraBanninger JackLewis
CopyEditor ProjectCoordinator,Cover
FoxxeEditorialServices LynseyOsborn
EditorialManager AnniversaryLogoDesign
MaryBethWakefield RichardPacifico
ProductionManager
TimTate
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Acknowledgments
Iwasliterallysittingatmycomputerstaringatthescreenthinking‘‘Ican’tbelieveIamfinallywritingmy
acknowledgments.’’Thisbookhasbeenoneofthemostrewardingexperiencesofmylife,eventhoughit
hadtoaccommodatebacksurgery,pregnancy(mywife’s—notmine),workcommitments,andavariety
ofotherobstacles.TherewasatleastatimeortwowhenIseriouslyquestionedwhetherornotIwould
finish.ButIdid.AnditwasdueinnosmallparttoalotofpeoplewhoInowgetthechancetothank.
First,IwanttoacknowledgetheamazingpeopleatWroxwhohelpedmegethere.Irecentlyreada
blogentrybyJimMinatel,thesenioracquisitionseditorwhowasmyfirstcontactatWrox.Heoutlined
allofthethingsthatagoodbooksubmissionshouldhaveinordertobeconsideredforabookdeal.
Afterreadingit,Ithought‘‘HowdidImakeitthroughthatprocess?’’Jimsawsomethingandgaveme
achance,andIwillneverforgetthat.Hehasbeeninvolvedthroughouttheentireprocessandgivenme
alotofgreatadviceanddirectionalongtheway.Healsohookedmeupwithmydevelopmenteditor,
KellyTalbot.Kellywasverygraciousandhelpfultomethroughouttheentirebook.Hewasfunny,
encouraging,insightful,andkeptmemotivatedthroughoutthechaptersandallofthereviewprocesses
attheend.HekeptmeontrackandwasextremelyaccommodatingwhenIhadunexpecteddelays.Ialso
wanttopubliclythankmytechnicaleditor,AdamKahtava.Iwasexcited,albeitabitintimidated,whenI
foundouthewasgoingtobemytechnicaleditor.Ihadreadhisblogsbeforeeverstartingthisbookand
hadsomespecificentriesbookmarkedformyownreference.Heprovidedevenmoretechnicalexpertise
inhiseditingthanIhadexpected(andIexpectedalot).HecaughttheerrorsImissedandmadealot
ofreallygreatsuggestionsonhowtoexpandorclarifycertainpointsIwastryingtomake.Ifthisbook
becomesasuccess,itisbecauseofthesethreepeople.
Ialsowanttothankmyfamilyforalloftheirsupportandforgiveness.Tomywife,Shannan,yourock.
Youletmespendcountlesshoursonthecomputerwriting,reading,and‘‘playing.’’Youneverletme
questionhowmuchyoubelievedinme,andIknowthebookhappenedinlargepartbecauseofyour
loveandsupport.Tomyson,Matthew,youaremyconstantinspiration.Myofficeiscoveredwithyour
photosforareason.IloveyouandwanttobejustlikeyouwhenIgrowup.Tomyson,Hayden,Ican’t
waittomeetyou.Eventhoughyouaren’thereyet,youinspiredmeinwaysthatyouwillneverknow.
NowthatIamdonewiththebook,Icanfinallyworkonyourroom.Ialsowanttothankmymother,
Peggy,forbeingmyfirst,andstillfavorite,techsupportcustomer.Andtomybrother,Daniel,thankyou
forkeepingmelevel-headedand‘‘real.’’Myfamilyismoreimportanttomethananythingelse,andI
hopeyouallknowhowmuchIloveyou.
Iwouldliketoacknowledgesomeofthepeoplewhohelpedmegettothepoint,technically,whereIfelt
likeIcouldwriteaboutwebapplicationdevelopment.First,toDavidDrinkwine,whostartedmeonmy
firstclassicASPproject.ToTellyBucklesforgivingmemyfirstrealwebdesignerjobandstartingmeon
myPhotoshopjourney.ToMarshaRyanforlettingmesitinalockedofficeforaweektoteachmyself
.NET.AndtoKimBrockandMargieFrancewhohelpedmematureintotheprofessionalwebdeveloper
Ihavebecomeoverthelastyearortwo.
Sanford fack.tex V5-08/01/2007 3:20pm Pagexiii
Acknowledgments
ToalloftheGainesStreetSaints:Iloveyoulikefamily.
ToRogeratNoRegretsTattoo:Thanksforkeepingstraightlinesevenifyoucouldn’tkeepastraightface.
And,finally,toallofthepeoplewhoareusingthisbook.Ihopeyoufinditasfuntoreadasitwas
towrite.
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Contents
Introduction xxi
Chapter 1: aesthNETics 1
WhatIsaesthNETics? 1
WhyIsaesthNETicsImportant? 3
EvolvingExpectationsofEmployers 5
CreatingaConsistentLookandFeelforYourWebsite:aesthNETicsEssentials 5
Prerequisites 7
Summary 8
Chapter 2: Web Design 101 11
DesignBasics 11
ScreenResolution 12
Browsers 14
ColorDepth 16
Images 19
Text 21
CSSvs.Tables 23
Accessibility 26
WhyAccessibilityMatters 26
TheCostofNoncompliance 27
EnsuringAccessibility 28
TestingforADACompliance 29
AJAX508Compliance 33
TheImportanceofAccessibility 33
Summary 34
Chapter 3: Photoshop: Cool Tips and Tricks for Developers 35
Prerequisites 36
ProjectGuidelines 37
Photoshop:AnOverview 38
YourFirstGraphics 43
ImageSizeandManipulation 44
TranslucentBoxes 46
Layers 48
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Contents
Text 52
SavingtheImage 54
PickingaColorScheme 55
ASecondGraphic 56
SelectingandExtractingImages 58
Background 60
Silhouettes 61
Text 63
OptionalModification 66
SavingtheImage 71
ColorScheme 73
AMobileBrowserGraphic 73
ExtendingYourPhotoshopSkills 78
Summary 79
Chapter 4: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) 81
Prerequisites 82
ThatLooksLikeTable-BasedDesign 82
CSSBasics 86
DOCTYPEs 91
CreatingaStylesheet 92
LayingOutYourPageforCSS 95
TheHolyGrailofCSS 102
FormattingtheFooter 120
WhichOneShouldYouUse? 122
BrowserCheck 123
YourFinalCSSFile 133
Summary 135
Chapter 5: ASP.NET 2.0 CSS Friendly Control Adapters 137
WhatIsaCSSFriendlyControlAdapter? 138
InstallingtheControlAdapters 148
IntegratingtheControlAdapters 149
ANewProject 149
AddingtheControlAdapterstoanExistingProject 152
UsingtheControlAdaptersinYourProject 158
IsItWorking? 161
Stylin’andProfilin’ 167
ForMoreInformation 176
Summary 176
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Contents
Chapter 6: Consistent Navigation 179
Overview:ASP.NETNavigationControls 179
GettingStarted 180
TheSiteMapDataSourceControl 185
Theweb.sitemapFile 186
SiteMapDataSource 188
ADifferentSitemapFile 190
LockDown! 191
Hello=Hola 196
UsingtheCSSFriendlyControlAdapters 201
AddingaNewweb.sitemapFile 202
SettingUptheweb.configFile 203
AddingtheMenuControlandtheSiteMapDataSource 204
TestingandTweaking 205
MakingItPretty 207
BrowserCheck 212
ButIsThisEnough? 213
ExtraCredit:Breadcrumbs 215
Summary 217
Chapter 7: Master Pages 219
HowDidWeGetHere? 219
WhatisaMasterPage? 222
EnoughTalk;TimetoCode 223
PartialClasses 233
PassingDatabetweenMasterandChild 237
FirstThingsFirst 237
Option1:JustBringitin 238
Option2:ChangingYourClassName 239
Option3:MasterType 241
SettingtheMasterPageGlobally 242
ProgrammaticallySettingMasterPages 246
Consideration#1:Design-TimeSupport 248
Consideration#2:The@MasterTypeDirective 252
NestedMasterPages 257
EnoughTheory,ontoCoding! 257
NoProblems,Right? 264
OneLastConcept 265
BringingItAllTogether:Updatingthesurfer5Project 265
Summary 271
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Contents
Chapter 8: Themes 273
WhatAreThemes? 273
YourFirstTheme! 276
Okay,TimefortheDetails... 277
CSSinThemes 278
Problem:TheWayThemesApplyIncludedStylesheets 278
AddingaCSSFiletoYourTheme 279
OneSolution 281
OtherPotentialSolutions 300
AFinalThoughtonCSSinThemes 301
Skins 303
AddingaSkinFile 304
SelectivelyApplyingSkinAttributes 306
FinalThoughtsonSkins 314
Images 315
ReferencingfromCSS 315
IntegrationwithinaSkinFile 316
Hard-CodingaPathtotheThemeImage 318
Updatingthesurfer5Project 319
AddingtheImagestoYourTheme 319
AddingtheCSStoYourTheme 320
UpdatingYourRootFiles 324
PullingItAllTogether 325
FinalSteps 325
Summary 327
Chapter 9: Applying Themes 329
BeforeYouBegin:SettingtheThemeintheMasterPage 329
TheDefaultApproach:ARefresher 330
PartialResolution#1:SettingThemesProgrammatically 331
Theme 331
StyleSheetTheme 335
TheDownsidetotheProgrammaticApproach 338
WhoWinstheRenderingWar? 338
PartialResolution#2:SettingItGlobally 339
web.config 339
machine.config 341
TheDownsidetotheGlobalApproach 344
PartialResolution#3:TheInheritedBaseClass 344
LessTalk,MoreCode 345
TheHierarchyoftheBaseClass 349
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