Minimize javascript HTTP calls from AjaxControlToolkit controls?

Question

I love the ease that the ASP.NET Ajax control Toolkit provides to ASP.NET developers. However, I've not found it to be a scalable solution at all. I have a page with 2 date input fields. By putting a TextBox and an CalendarExtendar control attached to it for each date field, I get several (11, in fact) external Javascript calls to /ScriptResource.axd?d=xxxx

Is there any way to control this? Why does it suck so much? What's a better Ajax toolkit for .NET that can provide equal (or better) set of functionality that is more scalable, straight forward and completely customizable? NOT looking to reinvent the wheel here.

Answer 1

I always preferred to write my Ajax calls in javascript using JQuery or Prototype. ASP.NET Ajax Toolkit does make things easier, but it never seems to do so elegantly.

I personally would make a new Calendar Controller. This way you can control the AJAX (using JQuery/Prototype) calls that are being made.

Answer 2

ASP.NET AJAX allows you to register web services with the ScriptManager which will create JavaScript proxies for you to call. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb515101.aspx.