How to Set Up an Ajax Control Toolkit in the Toolbox

Use Ajax to make your own Web apps.

Ajax Control Toolkit is an open source program for making interactive Ajax-enabled apps for Web browsers. The software comes with over 30 controls that you can use with your ASP.NET apps. This versatile Web framework makes Web apps with CSS, JavaScript and HTML. Set up the toolkit in the Toolbox, then use the toolkit's simple drag-and-drop feature to move controls from the Visual Studio Toolbox and into an ASP.NET Web forms page.

Instructions

1. Download the binary version of Ajax Control Toolkit for ASP.NET 4 at Codeplex.com (see Resources).

2. Right-click on the Ajax Control Toolkit for ASP.NET 4 compressed file. Click "Properties," select "Unlock" and click "OK." Right-click the file again and click "Extract All."

3. Start Visual Studio. Click "File | New Website | Solution Explorer | Default.aspx" to open a new file.

4. Right-click on the list beneath "Toolbox" on the left side of the dialog box. Click "Add Tab" and type "Ajax Control Toolkit" in the text field. Right-click on the new tab. Click "Items | Browse | Ajax Control Toolkit | AjaxControlToolkit.dll | OK" to add the toolkit to the Toolbox.

Tips & Warnings

• Visual Studio 2010 works with Ajax Control Toolkit for ASP.NET 4 or Ajax Control Toolkit for ASP.NET 3.5. Download the Ajax Control Toolkit for ASP.NET version 3.5 if you have Visual Studio 2008.

References

• Microsoft ASP.NET: Get Started With the AJAX Control Toolkit
• Microsoft ASP.NET: Ajax Control Toolkit

Resources

• Codeplex: Ajax Control Toolkit