Do we know what's Server Side Scripting? This doesn't actually matter if we delve into such nitty-gritty, but let's sound a bit philosophically intellectual. Now, there are two sorts of scripting languages:

Server Side (the hosting server where all pages and programs reside)

Client Side (the web surfer using browser - actually browser is client)

No, we are not talking about some corporate politics with all this "siding" talk. Ok, before I begin with my bad sense of humor, "Client Side Scripting" is what we generally see when we code basic Java Scripts in our web pages to validate HTML forms or implementing those cool image rollover effects or opening custom popup windows etc. When you view source of an HTML page, and if Java Script has been written in page itself (they have external Java Scripts too, but then that's a different story), then you can see script with all it's gory details. A simple example of a Client Side Script written in Java Script is:

And then you can use it when page loads:

A Server Side Script, on other hand, does not manifest itself when you try to use "View Source" option of your browser. It is a server side matter so unless you have actual access to server, you cannot view portion containing server side coding. But yes, rest of HTML matter is visible.

I mostly communicate on a personal level, so it's better we acquaint ourselves in beginning. My name is Amrit Hallan and I'm a web developer. I work through my web site - http://www.bytesworth.com. I'm not a nerd (and don't want to be) and most of my knowledge has come to me piecemeal through lots of hard work and interaction with my other developer friends. I don' t think it'd be fair to say that I'm an authority on ASP but yes, I have a few satisfied clients in my portfolio and I know enough to get you started. By time you are through with these daily chapters, you'll have learnt enough to make a small shopping cart in ASP.

Most of chapters will be organized in a linear fashion, so that you always have to work according to your previously acquired knowledge. Sometimes I'll sound like writing entire chapter in a bulleted form, but that'll be just to keep unnecessary (I mean that is out of scope of this reference) stuff out.

I wish I could know your name too. But I don't know how many people are going to read this. If you want to let me know that YOU are one at moment reading this, you are welcome to send me a friendly message at mailto:amrit@bytesworth.com. I love to hear from people (ok, word "people" excludes Spammers - they are not people).

Enough of my warming up. Here we go with first chapter.

Installing Personal Web Server

==> Beginning of Chapter One <==

If you want to work with ASP (Active Server Pages) on your personal computer, you need to install Personal Web Server (PWS). As name indicates, it's a server. Unlike normal HTML pages, dynamic pages (either created with CGI, PHP, ASP or Cold Fusion) require some sort of a server to carry on their business. Without a server, you can create a dynamic page, but you cannot view it decently in run-time mode.

Since I mostly work with Active Server Pages using PWS, I'll tell you how to install PWS.

It ships free with Win98 CD, and should be in add-ons folder.

>From there, install PWS on your computer. The installation program creates a folder, inetpub in directly you specify during installation. This inetpub, further has a folder, wwwroot. So if you install your PWS on your C drive, wwwroot path should be

C:INETPUBWWWROOT