Microsoft Ajax Control Toolkit

• Ajax Update Panel
• Asp.net Ajax Control Toolkit Calendar Extender Example

Active6 years, 10 months ago

we are currently developing a couple of custom asp.net server controls. Now we'd like to add some Ajax support to some of them. Now basically there would be two options

• Microsoft Ajax & Microsoft Ajax Control Toolkit
• jQuery

I worked already with the Control Toolkit, writing a complete Extender and it was quite intuitive, once you understand the story behind. But I also like the simplicity of jQuery.

So I'd like to hear some of you what you would like to go for (advantages/disadvantages of each of them), considering also that we're mainly dealing with Microsoft technologies. Would you go more for the toolkit or jQuery,..or both?

Now we'd like to add some Ajax support to some of them. Now basically there would be two options. Microsoft Ajax & Microsoft Ajax Control Toolkit; jQuery; I worked already with the Control Toolkit, writing a complete Extender and it was quite intuitive, once you understand the story behind. But I also like the simplicity of jQuery. Version 1.0.20229 for ASP.NET AJAX version 1.0 and.NET Framework 2.0: Download the AjaxControlToolkit.zip or AjaxControlToolkit-NoSource.zip. Note: Toolkit version 3.5.20229 is only for users who are building on top of.NET Framework 3.5 using.

//Edit:
I just made some tests and I have to admit that at the moment I find the Toolkit better due to the integration. My purpose is mainly for using it on the server controls, so with the toolkit I have corresponding classes on the server-side where I can do something like

Font navigator download. This is really nice because in this way I don't have to deal with rendering predefined JavaScript which I construct somehow as string inside my custom server control. With jQuery I would have to do so (except for the toolkit Nicolas mentioned, but the support there is too weak for using it in a professional environment)

Thanks a lot.

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JuriJuri

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11 Answers

While these might not be major points, I'll try. jQuery does not have an UpdatePanel - This is a good thing. Your jQuery skills would easily transfer to another stack like ASP.NET MVC, Django, or Rails. It's been a while since I've seen MS's Ajax docs, but jQuery's documentation is a huge factor for me - it's excellent.

I've heard of some developers using both libraries, that might be something to look into as well.

Andy GaskellAndy Gaskell

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1. You have much more documentation for jQuery than for Microsoft ajax.
2. The jQuery user base is way bigger
3. You have plenty of plugins for jQuery
4. bonus: jQuery has a cool name :-)

The DisintegratorThe Disintegrator

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I occasionally use both. Sometimes the MS AJAX Toolkit is super handy for certain things and other times it's just a mess. jQuery is great for lots of things but can occasionally be limited.

I would, however, err on the side of jQuery since no matter what platform you go to, jQuery will always be applicable since it is completely client-based, whereas the MS AJAX Toolkit skills will not help you should you decide to try another server-side platform.

JasonJason

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For me, I would use AjaxControlToolkit only when the jQuery plug-in does not exist. Moreover, with the use of jQuery control Toolkit, you can use jQuery with server controls. Have a look at it on codeplex

Nicolas PeninNicolas Penin

Reasons for JQuery API over AjaxControlToolkit:

1. No issues with 'DLL Hell' when another developer picks up the project
2. Expandable to other server side technologies
3. Much better documentation (ACT vs JQuery)
4. Don't have to worry about which version of the .NET framework the server and developer are using to use a specific version
5. All source is maintained in a single .JS file so there is no question as to what needs to go where for deployment
6. Doesn't require JIT compilation of additional code libraries on the server
7. More Granular functionality so you can MAKE a larger variety of interfaces
   1. That is to say, while you can make an accordion control with either framework, you can much more easily extend the JQuery one to say, have 2 panes open at once, or have another action performed somewhere else on the page when one opens, or remove one of the sections based on client side action (that is, if you can't find a control where someone has already done it!)
   2. You also know exactly how the code behind your site works and there is no 'black box magic' involved in the behavior of your site
8. Doesn't require post backs to perform as many actions
9. Works well with either Forms or MVC
10. Custom Control Library is MUCH more extensive and supported then that of ACT

JrudJrud

The first and most important point in my opinion is the user base for these two.

I think jQuery has a wide user group compared to Microsoft Ajax. So support for jQuery will be much more.

rahulrahul

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If you are using WebForms (server controls), you should be using extenders to organize your script and provide a server-side presence for it. Given that a full toolkit already exists (Ajax Toolkit), that's the best bet, but if you really want to use JQuery, write your own extenders that call JQuery. However, if you are using MVC, then just use naked JQuery; it's included in those apps by default, and there are no server-side controls that would need server-side extenders to correspond with.

KeithKeith

I was never thrilled with the ajax toolkit. It seemed clunky and bloated.

When I stumbled upon jQuery I never looked back..

steveareenosteveareeno

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JQuery lets your application to be free of ASP.NET releases. We used MS AJAX toolkit and we had to worry about its versions and see if it is compatible with ASP.NET 2.0 etc.We started using JQuery controls and found our application to be much faster and our controls could evolve independently from .NET versions. We could even throw out .NET in favour of PHP as most of our stuff is WebService based. So for presentation you could have plain HTML pages with JQuery and most other stuff can be implemented as WebServices.

Azhar KhanAzhar Khan

If you mainly code in MS Shops with Visual Studio, then the toolkit is the way to go, you will still need to know some javascript to do some things, but in this situation the toolkit allow really fast dev and some code behind support for certain controls. That said it never hurts to learn both, the toolkit is really strait forward so the learning curve is small and to some degree which mainly depends on your knowledge of javascript, so is jquery. Most apps I am seeing now a days uses both and it works quite well and once you learn enough of each you will be able to decide what to use where.. basically both builds a bigger toolbox and big toolbox is always a great thing to have.

TomTom

Aren't web controls supposed to abstract client implementation to a certain degree? And if so, isn't it feasible the MS will implement the Ajax toolkit using jquery someday?

Pacardy card game rules. Jquery is slick and I like playing around with it, but there's also something very durable about web controls in that their implementation can get updated automatically alongside client technologies.

BlackjacketMackBlackjacketMack

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by Microsoft

Learn all you need to know to get started using the AJAX Control Toolkit.

The AJAX Control Toolkit contains more than 30 free controls that you can use in your ASP.NET applications. In this tutorial, you learn how to download the AJAX Control Toolkit and add the toolkit controls to your Visual Studio/Visual Web Developer Express toolbox.

Downloading the AJAX Control Toolkit

The AJAX Control Toolkit is an open source project developed by the members of the ASP.NET community and the ASP.NET team. Online marathi serials free.

Ajax Update Panel

Hp printers 64 bit drivers. Figure 01: Downloading the AJAX Control Toolkit(Click to view full-size image)

After you download the file, you need to unblock the file. Right-click the file, select Properties, and click the Unblock button (see Figure 2).

Figure 02: Unblocking the AJAX Control Toolkit ZIP file(Click to view full-size image)

After you unblock the file, you can unzip the file: Right-click the file and select the Extract All menu option. Now, we are ready to add the toolkit to the Visual Studio/Visual Web Developer toolbox.

Adding the AJAX Control Toolkit to the Toolbox

Asp.net Ajax Control Toolkit Calendar Extender Example

The easiest way to use the AJAX Control Toolkit is to add the toolkit to your Visual Studio/Visual Web Developer toolbox (see Figure 3). That way, you can simply drag a toolkit control onto a page when you want to use it.

Figure 03: AJAX Control Toolkit appears in toolbox(Click to view full-size image)

First, you need to add an AJAX Control Toolkit tab to the toolbox. Follow these steps.

1. Create a new ASP.NET Website by selecting the menu option File, New Website. Double-click the Default.aspx in the Solution Explorer window to open the file in the editor.
2. Right-click the Toolbox beneath the General Tab and select the menu option Add Tab (see Figure 4).
3. Enter a new tab named AJAX Control Toolkit.

Figure 04: Adding a new tab(Click to view full-size image)

Next, you need to add the AJAX Control Toolkit controls to the new tab. Follow these steps:

• Right-click beneath the AJAX Control Toolkit tab and select the menu option Choose Items (see Figure 5).
• Browse to the location where you unzipped the AJAX Control Toolkit and select the AjaxControlToolkit.dll assembly.

Figure 05: Choose items to add to the toolbox(Click to view full-size image)

After you complete these steps, all of the toolkit controls will appear in your toolbox.

Upgrading to a New Version of the Toolkit

If you were using an older release of the Toolkit and now need to move to a later version here are the recommended steps:

• Binaries - Delete the old version of the AjaxControlToolkit.dll assembly from your website Bin folder.
• Toolbox Items - Delete the AJAX Control Toolkit tab and follow the steps above to re-create the tab with the new version of the AjaxControlToolkit.dll assembly.