Overview of Internet Programming | Forms and HTML |
This chapter outlines the development process for creating Internet applications, and explains how NetExpress tools aid rapid Internet application development.
NetExpress enables you to create Internet applications straight out of the box. It contains tools to help you with the following tasks:
NetExpress offers you three approaches to developing an Internet application:
This section introduces you briefly to the two NetExpress tools which help you create Internet applications.
Form Designer enables you to create the user-interface for an Internet application. Form Designer is a WYSIWYG HTML editor and form painter. You can use standard HTML form controls, ActiveX controls or Java applets.
Form Designer enables you to specify COBOL data types for each of the HTML form controls on a page; when you generate a server program for the application a data item is declared for each control on the page. To get acquainted with Form Designer basics, see the Sample Session in your Getting Started book.
You create an Internet application with Form Designer as follows:
See the chapter Creating New Applications for a more detailed explanation of how you use Form Designer.
The Internet Application Wizard creates COBOL server-side programs for your Internet applications. It provides three different ways to do this:
To get acquainted with Internet Application Wizard basics, see the Sample Session in your Getting Started.
The Solo Web server enables you to debug your Internet applications on the same machine you use to develop them. Solo has been designed to work specifically with NetExpress, and configures itself to use the same folders as the project you are currently working on. You don't need to know anything about setting up or running a Web server to use Solo.
To get acquainted with Solo basics, see the Sample Session in your Getting Started. Solo is documented in the on-line help for NetExpress: click Help Topics on the Help menu, then select Programming, Internet Application Programming, Debugging Internet Applications from the Help contents.
Solo is not intended for use as a production Web server. When you are ready to deploy your application for real use, you should use commercial Web server software. You should also unit test your application on the Web server software you are going to use.
The chapter Deploying Your Application shows you how to port your application over to a Web server.
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Overview of Internet Programming | Forms and HTML |