Overview of IIS Application Architecture

Some of the new elements that you will get to know when programming a VB IIS application include the following:

WebClass objects. WebClass objects are enhanced Class objects that you create with the WebClass Designer in an IIS application. Each WebClass object provides a Web page to its client. The Web page provided by the WebClass is based on an associated HTML template (see the following item). You program the WebClass object to dynamically create the Web page from the HTML template based on its own internal logical decisions and on information sent back from the end user.

You can also create HTML programmatically to be sent to the browser by using the Write method of the WebClass’ Response object.
HTML templates. An HTML template, as just mentioned, is the basis for the Web page that a WebClass dynamically creates. You create an HTML template as a normal HTML page using an HTML editor or text editor.
WebItems. A WebItem is an IIS application object that provides one or more custom events for a WebClass.
ASP host page. An ASP host page provides an instantiated WebClass object to the server. Users must point their browsers to the ASP host page’s URL to use the associated WebClass.

The host page’s only job is to call CreateObject to instantiate your WebClass object. You do not have to create the IIS application’s ASP host pages, because VB automatically creates a host page for each WebClass when you run or compile your IIS project.

The following sections discuss the use of these elements.