compilation, building and deploying

[Harley]

What are the preferred ways to do this? When i normally do asp.net sites, I do a build, then do a publish. With ablecommerce here, I am getting errors on these things on the publish.

Error 1 'System.Web.UI.UserControl' does not contain a definition for 'CategoryId'

I get this error on the following 2 files.
Search.aspx
Browse.aspx

This is the line that bombs.

CategoryBreadCrumbs.CategoryId = CurrentCategoryId;
in Search.aspx of the admin section. I can't browse to the definition, so I am not quite sure how to deal with this.

The site builds and runs locally, so how would i get this to a webserver to take it live?

[jmestep]

Are you trying to build it because of custom code? I just copy the pages up to the real site.

[Harley]

I have to do a build, but not necessarily a publish, I do have custom code in there. So you just do a build, then copy all the files to your server? I never do this regularly, so sorry if the question seems dumb.

[jmestep]

I don't do a build since I haven't really created any new dlls, etc. , so I just copy the pages up. I didn't do a build when I created a new Googlebase feed class .cs and it all still runs. I think the site compiles when the new code is added.

[Harley]

I actually will be, I have a custom library of code that will be added to sites, I am developing so as to not disturb the able code. I have to set this up so all new builds can be accomodated.

[AbleMods]

If you are developing with Visual Studio, open the AC7 site as a "Website" and not a "Project".

The only time a true build is necessary is when you are compiling class library DLLs as part of a VS solution file or if you want to find compiler-level errors before running the site. Standard .cs/.vb code files in ~/App_Code do not require being built since the IIS compiler will automatically compile them the first time the site URL is hit.

Modifying code-behind pages, .ASPX pages or user controls does not require a build.

Also note that if you are working with separate solution files within the same website app, you will have to add references to the appropriate CommerceBuilder DLL files. For instance, you cannot access the Orders CommerceBuilder class in a separate solution without first creating a reference to the CommerceBuilder.Dll file and importing the class library.

By opening an AC7 site as a website, you circumvent this requirement completely and all data classes are available as they are automatically pulled from /Bin by VS at start-up. This is how I do all my development.

Publishing files is strictly up to you. I simply FTP them up once the changes are tested locally. I come from the old school when the "Publish..." menu option was certain death for any website

[Harley]

Joe,

Thanks, I pretty much all of that I figured out.

My real issue is licensing, able is helping me out with that.