Programming ASP.NET 3.5, 4th Edition

Projects and Solutions

A typical .NET web application consists of many items: content files (e.g., .aspx files), source files (e.g., .cs files), assemblies (e.g., .exe and .dll files) and assembly information files, data sources (e.g., .mdb files), references, icons, and miscellaneous other files and folders. VS2008 organizes these items into a folder that represents the website. All the files that make up the website are contained in a solution. When you create a new website, VS2008 automatically creates the solution and displays it in the Solution Explorer, shown in Figure 2-9. You can also add projects (described shortly) to the website.

Figure 2-9. The Hello Visual Studio 2008 solution and its files

In addition to websites, VS2008 can create projects. You can add these projects to the solution or place them in their own solution. You can build many types of projects in VS2008, among which are the following:

• Windows Forms Application, Service or Control Library

• WPF Application, Custom or User Control

• ASP.NET Web Application, AJAX Server Control, or Web Service

• Class Library

• Visual Studio or Office Add-ins

• Silverlight Project or Class Library

• SQL Server Project

• Setup, Merge Module or CAB File

• Empty Project

Tip

You’ll be able to create only Web Site Projects in Visual Web Developer 2008. If you install Service Pack 1, you’ll also be able to create Web Application Projects.

Solutions

Solutions typically ...