How to use Server.Execute method in ASP
The Server.Execute method is a new ASP method, introduced with IIS 5.0 for a
first time. You can execute a child ASP page with the Server.Execute and treat
the child ASP page as part of the main page.
What are the advantages of using Server.Execute, why did Microsoft introduce a
new method?
The main advantage of using Server.Execute is that you can do a dynamic
conditional execution of an ASP pages. For example with the SSI includes you
include file like this:
<-- #include File = "c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\Your_App\include1.asp" -->
<-- #include Virtual = " /Your_App/include1.asp" -->
One problem with the #include command that it is processed before the page is
executed, while the Server.Execute method can be used after the ASP page
processing has started. The developers can conditionally execute ASP pages
depending the main page business logic or on the user input with Server.Execute
method.
You can find an example of Server.Execute in action bellow.
Open any text editor, copy and paste the code below in it and save the file as
Main.asp to a web folder:
<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT"%>
<html>
<head>
<title>Server.Execute Method in Action</title>
</head>
<body>
<% If Request.QueryString("file")="" Then %>
This is the main page!<br><br>
<a href="main.asp?file=file1.asp">Execute File1.asp</a> |
<a href="main.asp?file=file2.asp">Execute File2.asp</a>
<% Else %>
<a href="main.asp">Back</a>
<% Server.Execute Request.QueryString("file") %>
<% End If %>
</body>
</html>
The File1.asp looks like this:
<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT"% >
<% Response.Write "This is File1" % >
The File2.asp looks like this:
<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT"%>
<% Response.Write "This is File2, which has longer text :)" %>
After you have saved all 3 ASP pages in your web folder, open a new browser and
load the main.asp:
http://localhost/Your_Web_Folder/Main.asp
Now you can click on the File1 and File2 links to trigger the Server.Execute
method.
