The book is organised in three parts: an introduction to ASP, a language reference, and appendices. This second edition has been updated for IIS 5.0 and ASP 3.0--the latest flavours of Microsoft's flagship Web server and scripting engines. The ASP introduction is very brief but adequately explains the basic concepts behind ASP and server-side scripting.

The heart of the title is the language reference that covers the intrinsic ASP objects plus ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.6, Collaboration Data Objects, file access, and more. Each section is tagged with staggered page markers that usually make it unnecessary to resort to the book's index to find a topic.

While there are no full-blown code examples, the small code fragments that are included for most objects are valuable in illustrating usage. The information is accurate and to the point throughout, and that's exactly what busy programmers really need in a desktop reference. --Stephen W. Plain, Amazon.com

Topics covered:

• ASP overview
• Application of ASP objects
• ASPError
• ObjectContext
• Request
• Response
• Server
• Session
• Global.ASA
• Installable components (ActiveX Data Objects 2.6)
• Ad Rotator
• Browser Capabilities
• CDO for NT
• Content Linking
• Content Rotator
• Counters
• File Access
• Logging Utility
• MyInfo
• Page Counter
• Permission Checker
• Tools
• Converting CGI/WinCGI applications
• ASP on other platforms
• Configuring IIS

Not intended as a catch-all guide, the book is nonetheless an invaluable work, taking time to spell out in succinct terms the various commands together with their associated switches and parameters.

Divided into five sections, covering subjects including a full breakdown of the object model and a list of all of the installable components (the ad rotator, content linker and more), there's something here for programmers of all abilities, including invaluable guidance on use of the global.asa, preprocessing directives and server-side includes. Topped off with a useful set of appendices which give help and advice on topics including how to CGI applications to ASP and where to get hold of cross-platform ASP-based tools this is a must have for anyone who's serious about getting the most from ASP and NT server.

Yes, it's all there. Yes, it's good stuff - accurate as far as I can tell,and a lot of info in a small(ish,at 400pp plus) space. But could I find anything fast? Bluntly, No. Could I makes sense of the sequence of operations needed? Not a hope.

Example: you need to connect to a database (absolutely basic stuff for .asp). Use the Server object's method to create a Connection object, give the Connection object a connection string via its Open method, and form a recordset using a SQL query using the execute method for the Connection object.
Now this is far from intuitive stuff, thanks to Yet Another MS Object Model. The thing you most need here is clear, sequential guidance on what to do, and not only the existence, but the form and exact content of the various strings (especially the all-important 'connection string').
ASP in a nutshell failed me utterly here. Every object is wonderfully described in terms of the methods and properties supported. But a) each object is in its own chapter with (as far as I could see) separate lists of methods and properties, so I ended up dodging all over the book and had to resport to the (mercifully adequate) index to find the three or four separate things I needed, and b) it's all in general terms; like a Microsoft manual. Yes, there are examples of using the Open method - but they seemed to me to be isolated and out of context. And surely they could have included something about specific connection strings; I would have paid double the price if it just included the dozen most commmon connection strings you might want on an MS box. And finally, .asp is critically dependent on VBscript or jscript; I didn't find so much as a list of VB functions.

Compare this with O'reilly's 'Web design in a nutshell', which manages to give clear descriptions of HOW to use the technologies as well as giving a definitive topic-by-topic reference section in clear alphabetical sequence, and there really is a wide gap; the ASP book is a maze by comparison.

As a reference for things you already know by name and can look it up in the Index, this is an OK book - maybe even a very good book - and it is pretty good value at the price. But if you want to get started with .asp and be up and running fast, forget it. Find another book.


Get Results with O'Reilly   October 31, 2003
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

A Fantastic reference and syntax lookup reference.
A Must have for any ASP developer.


this is a GREAT book   August 22, 2003
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have been programming in VB for the last 4 years and thought I would try ASP, cos after all it is VB script. when i got this book i just could not put it down. I still use it constantly when writing ASP code.
the book explains all the major commands that you may come across in any ASP page and also includes an example. what more do you need in a quick reference. It is split into logical sections making it easy to find the command you are looking for and is easy to follow.
I reconmend this to any one that is writing ASP pages. Also i would reconmend the "VBSCRIPT Pocket Reference" by O'Reilly as well, to accompany the "ASP in a nutshell"


A very good reference book   November 21, 2001
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

A very good reference manual for ASP with all the objects and methods. Simple examples for each object. Don't have VBScript reference.


Top class easy to read reference book   May 4, 2001
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Yet another top book from the O'reilly gang. The beauty of the "nutshell" series is that there is plenty of code samples throughout.

Sure you'll never be able to write an entire app after reading this, but that's not the aim of these books.

As a reference book, it's superb.