Learn How to Use to ASP.NET 3.5 Application Services C#

Category: .NET Framework

This tutorial will show you how to use ASP.NET 3.5 Application Services. These services can be accessed over the Web to enable client applications to use user authentication, role, and profile information.

In this tutorial we will show you how to configure and use ASP.NET 3.5 application services. To start we will configure an ASP.NET Web site to expose these application services. You will create a Web site that will use roles, log-ins and creating users and services. For this you will need to use Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server or SQL Server Express Edition installed on your pc. Here are a few snapshots of what the Web site will look like:

First we need to create the application services Web site. Open Visual Studio 2008 and from the file menu, click > New Web Site > ASP.NET Web Site > name it WindowsAppServices. Then click OK. Notice how Visual Studio creates a new Web site and opens the default.aspx page. From here navigate to the properties window, click in the Solution Explorer > the name of the website > then back to the properties window and set the dynamic ports to False.

**Make sure that you click in the Solution Explorer to the name of the Web site then to the Property Pages window. You cannot access the Web Site Properties window from the Property Pages window. Next set the Port number to 8080, or use a different port number, just make sure that you change it when needed throughout this tutorial.

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Now we can write the code that will create users and roles for this Web site. The first time that the Web site is accessed, the database is automatically created, however we still need to add two roles (Employees and Customers) to the database.

In order to create users and role information we need to add a global.asax file to the Web site. So first we need to add the Global.asax file. We can do this by locating the Solution Explorer > Right-click on name of Web site > Add New Item > Global Application Class > click Add. Then replace the following code in the Application_Start method:

void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

if (!Roles.RoleExists("Employees"))
{
Roles.CreateRole("Employees");
}
if (!Roles.RoleExists("Customers"))
{
Roles.CreateRole("Customers");
}
}
 

Again, the first time this Web site is accessed, the code creates soemthing similar to a .mdf (access) database in the App_Data folder and adds the roles Employees and Customers to it. This database is then used to store profile, roles, and credential information. Now open the default.aspx page and replace the markup with this markup:




Please Enter User Info
The following will enable you to create a user, and assign them to either an Employee or Customer role and profile.






Please login to change a profile

This markup will create links to: LoginStatus, ProfileInfo.aspx, CreateUser.aspx. We will add these pages later in the tutorial.

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Next, we need to check and see whether the user is authenticated. In this Page_Load event we are referencing the current HttpContext, which is of type ProfileBase then performing a check against the current user name are return a message whether the user is currently logged in or not. Open the default.aspx and enter the following in the code-behind file in the Page_Load method:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
lblLoggedId.Text = HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name + " you are currently logged in to your profile";
}
else
lblLoggedId.Text = " you are not Logged in!";
}
}
 

 

Now we want to add a page named Login.aspx. In order to add an .aspx, locate to the Solution Explorer, Right-click on the Web site and click > Add New Item > Web Form, and finally name it accordingly. In this case: Login.aspx. Then add a Login control to the Login.aspx file. Here is the markup for the Login.aspx file:








 

Now we want to add a page named ProfileInfo.aspx. In order to add an .aspx, locate to the Solution Explorer, Right-click on the Web site and click > Add New Item > Web Form, and finally name it accordingly. In this case: ProfileInfo.aspx. Then add a Login control to the ProfileInfo.aspx file.

**Make sure that you uncheck > the Place Code in Separate File is Selected**

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The Profile page contains Label controls that are used to display the user name, role, and textbox controls are used to change the user name and phone number. Here is the markup for the ProfileInfo.aspx file:




The Current Authenticated User Profile Info:
Return Home

Please Read Profile Info


User Name:

Furthermore, to enable you to obtain and change user profile information you need to enter in the code-behind file for the ProfileInfo.aspx page. What the class ProfileInfo is doing is referencing the Profile property of the current HttpContext, which is of type ProfileBase. Then we cast it to type ProfileCommon to get the strong typing.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.Security;

public partial class ProfileInfo : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
ProfileCommon Profile = HttpContext.Current.Profile as ProfileCommon;

if (HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
lblUserName.Text = HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name;
string[] roles = Roles.GetRolesForUser();
lblRoles.Text = "";
foreach (string r in roles)
{
lblRoles.Text += r + " ";
}

lblFirstName.Text = Profile.strFirstName;
lblLastName.Text = Profile.strLastName;
lblPhone.Text = Profile.strPhoneNumber;

}
else
{
lblUserName.Text = "User’s need to be Authenticated";
lblUserName.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.Red;
}
}

protected void btnReadProfile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
lblUserName.Text = HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name;
string[] roles = Roles.GetRolesForUser();
lblRoles.Text = "";
foreach (string r in roles)
{
lblRoles.Text += r + " ";
}

lblFirstName.Text = Profile.strFirstName;
lblLastName.Text = Profile.strLastName;
lblPhone.Text = Profile.strPhoneNumber;

}
else
{
lblUserName.Text = "User’s needs to be Authenticated";
lblUserName.ForeColor = System.Drawing.Color.Red;
}
}

protected void btnUpdateProfile_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.IsAuthenticated)
{
Profile.strFirstName = tbxFirstName.Text;
Profile.strLastName = tbxLastName.Text;
Profile.strPhoneNumber = tbxPhoneNumber.Text;
}

}
}
 

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Now add another page named CreateUser.aspx. In order to add an .aspx, locate to the Solution Explorer, Right-click on the Web site and click > Add New Item > Web Form, and finally name it accordingly. In this case: CreateUser.aspx.

Now add a Login control to the CreateUser.aspx file. Here is the markup for the CreateUser.aspx file:




Please Fill out the following to Add a New User
Return Home

OnCreatedUser="On_CreatedUser">






Please check this box to assign the user to a Employee role.
Otherwise, the user is a customer.


Employee




 

Next, in order for the page to enable you to create users and assign them roles you need to enter in the code-behind file for the CreateUser.aspx:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.Security;

public partial class CreateUser : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

}
protected void On_CreatedUser(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string userName = cuwCreateUserWizard.UserName;
if (cbxEmployee.Checked)
{
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(userName);
Roles.AddUserToRole(userName, "Employees");
}
else
Roles.AddUserToRole(userName, "Customers");

cbxEmployee.Visible = false;

HttpContext.Current.Response.Redirect("~/default.aspx");
}

}
 

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