6.0.0- Objects, Properties, Methods and Events

Objects, Properties, Methods and Events

In this chapter, we will be looking at objects. Some of you may have heard terms like "object oriented programming", "object models", and similar. In order for us to understand what these terms mean, we first need to look at the word found at the core of each of them: object.

In our study of objects, we will find that an object is a software representation of a real-world item, or object. Software objects feature properties (that describe the object), methods (that allow the object to do things for you), and events (code that is executed automatically when a certain situation – an event – occurs).

Once we have looked at what an object is, we'll then be able to look at how objects are useful to us in developing ASP applications. Developing web applications requires us to deal with both the client-side and server-side programming, and therefore we'll take a look at how objects can be used on both sides of the wire.

Before we get started, here is what we will cover in this chapter:

• What is an object?
• An introduction to properties, methods, and events
• How can we change the characteristics of an object?
• How do we know when the object tells us something?
• What is an object model?
• How do we use the object model in Active Server Pages?

We'll begin by taking a look at what an object is.