How would you go about using the ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit in a project that doesn't use ASP.NET on the back end

Question

Your backend could be PHP or Python but you want to use the controls from the ASP.NET toolkit is there a successful way to do this?

Answer 1

are you talking about the ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit?

Answer 2

I don't think that it is possible.

The ASP.NET AJAX Toolkit is based on ASP.NET technique (what a surprise) and needs ASP.NET.

It contains server-side controls, which are translated to HTML and Javascript by the ASP.NET engine. It is not working without the engine.

However you can check the code itself to see how it is working, what it generates on the browser side and get ideas and Javascript codes to build into your application or framework.

Edit: I've just found an interesting project, which is in alpha stage, check this out.

Answer 3

Why do you want to use the ASP.NET AJAX Toolkit with PHP / Python?

Have you considered other non ASP.NET specific AJAX libraries like jQuery, Dojo, MooTools, YUI?

ASP.NET AJAX and the ASP.NET AJAX Toolkit is ASP.NET centric, you'll gain more flexibility using other AJAX libraries with PHP / Python.

Answer 4

I have found that much of the functionality in AJAX Control Toolkit can be accomplished via the javascript frameworks such as jQuery.

Answer 5

Have a look at this blogpost on Stephen Walther's blog:

ASP.NET MVC Tip #36 – Create a Popup Calendar Helper

In this post he shows how to use the 'script only' version of the AJAX Control Toolkit. This version of the AJAX Control Toolkit does not contain server-side controls or control extenders. It contains only the client-side files – JavaScript, CSS, images – required to use the client-side AJAX behaviors.

Stephen Walther is a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft who is responsible for ASP.NET MVC content and community (his job title is ASP.NET MVC Ninja).