htm

[newbee]

When I attempt to hit a site with the ending .asp, I am not able to hit the site. But if I change the ending to .htm I can hit the site. Once I hit the site and check on the url the htm has changed to asp. Why does that happen and if it is going to change to .asp why can't I use that to access the site?

[Paul Komski]

Hi newbee

.asp denotes an active server page. Not all webservers support them but if they do they are able to execute certain code within the text of what would otheriwise be an ordinary html document. This code might be accessing other asps or doing other things (behind the scenes so to speak). I suspect that when you enter the plain .htm it results in a redirection to the relevant .asp page so that it can "do" something.

How are you "hitting" sites and what happens when you try to "hit" an asp site? Is it by using run, clicking links or entering in the address bar; etc.?? The way .asps react on your computer may depend on the file associations for both urls and for .asp "files". If I try to open an asp file on my HDD it opens into FrontPage, because that is what I have setup as the association application.

BTW Trying to view the source code of an asp page will not display any of the "special" html text within it. That is one of the reasons for their existence. They, for example, can be a very secure way to setup a password protected site - on a server that supports them.

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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul
"For a Pandora's box upgrade to IE6 (IEsicks that is)"

[This message has been edited by Paul Komski (edited 04-14-2002).]

[newbee]

Originally posted by Paul Komski:
Hi newbee

.asp denotes an active server page. Not all webservers support them but if they do they are able to execute certain code within the text of what would otheriwise be an ordinary html document. This code might be accessing other asps or doing other things (behind the scenes so to speak). I suspect that when you enter the plain .htm it results in a redirection to the relevant .asp page so that it can "do" something.

How are you "hitting" sites and what happens when you try to "hit" an asp site? Is it by using run, clicking links or entering in the address bar; etc.?? The way .asps react on your computer may depend on the file associations for both urls and for .asp "files". If I try to open an asp file on my HDD it opens into FrontPage, because that is what I have setup as the association application.

BTW Trying to view the source code of an asp page will not display any of the "special" html text within it. That is one of the reasons for their existence. They, for example, can be a very secure way to setup a password protected site - on a server that supports them.




I was typing in the url and it ended in .asp but I got the error message that "unable to view Page", then I tried the same url but with .htm and was able to hit the site but as soon as I get to the site it changed back to .asp. Why?

[Paul Komski]

Not sure if you were just having problems with one asp page or with all of them.

Here are two asp links that you could test.

(1)HouseCall Free online virus scan http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

(2)Web Accessories for Internet Explorer 5 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/previous/webaccess/ie5wa.asp

Many asp links don't end as a pure .asp and have "extras" afterwards eg:

(3)Microsoft Newsgroups http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp?icp=GSS&slcid=us

With urls, what you see is not always what you get. There can be all sorts of scripting, redirection, frame-pointing and DNS "repainting" going on in the background. Typing in the htm obviously somehow gets to the asp page but it may not have got there in one move and by just entering the asp page could have omitted some of the intermediary actions.



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Take nice care of yourselves - Paul
"People in glasshouses ..... shouldn't undress during daylight!"