KB9251: Differences in architecture between the Java and ASP.NET versions of MicroStrategy Web

Salesforce Solutions Architect • Strategy

This knowledge base article introduces and explains the user to the differences in architecture comparing MicroStrategy Web JSP and ASP.NET

The MicroStrategy Developer Library contains all of the information necessary to understand the MicroStrategy Software Development Kit (SDK). The MicroStrategy Web SDK section contains in-depth information of all the architectural layers that comprise MicroStrategy Web 10.x.

This document summarizes the differences in architecture between the Java and ASP.NET versions of MicroStrategy Web 10.x. A review of the MicroStrategy Developer Library is recommended for users who want to learn more about the architecture.

MicroStrategy Web 10.x provides support for Java and ASP.NET technologies. The MicroStrategy Web architectures in the Java and ASP.NET versions differ only in the outmost layer, called the Presentation Layer. These differences are highlighted below:

The ASP.NET version uses ASPX and ASCX files; the Java version uses JSPs.

The presentation layer for the ASP.NET version contains ASPX and ASCX pages. Similar to the Java version, these pages have very little code and act merely as containers for web objects.

The structure of the pages remains the same in both versions. The template page in the Java version is called mstrWeb.jsp while the template page in ASP.NET version is called mstrWeb.aspx. The pages that constitute the sections within these pages have an ASCX extension.

For example, the template and section information for the Report Execution page is shown below. The file names are exactly identical except for the file extensions.

	Java version	ASP.NET version
Template page	mstrWeb.jsp	mstrWeb.aspx
Sections
Header	Generic_Header.jsp	Generic_Header.ascx
Path	Report_Path.jsp	Report_Path.ascx
Toolbar	Report_Toolbar.jsp	Report_Toolbar.ascx
content	Report_content.jsp	Report_content.ascx
Error	Report_Error.jsp	Report_Error.ascx
Footer	Generic_Footer.jsp	Generic_Footer.ascx
Links	Report_Links.jsp	Report_Links.ascx

An ASPX page in the ASP.NET version fulfills the role of a Servlet in the Java version.

MicroStrategy Web 10.x Java version uses a Servlet-Controller combination. The servlet invokes the controller to either initialize the application or process the incoming request. In the ASP.NET version, an ASPX page replaces the servlet and invokes the controller. The servlets mstrWeb and mstrWebAdmin in the Java version are replaced with mstrWeb.aspx and mstrWebAdmin.aspx, respectively. The role of these ASPX pages is exactly identical to their corresponding servlets.
Web Controls in the ASP.NET version replace Tag Libraries in the Java version.

Tag Libraries in the MicroStrategy Web 10.x Java version make use of Tag Helper objects to display container components and properties of objects. In the ASP.NET version, these Tag Libraries are replaced by Web Controls that make use of Tag Helper objects to carry out the same functionality.
A .NET bridge is necessary in the ASP.NET version to communicate between the ASPX client and the Java components.

The underlying layers of the MicroStrategy Web 10.x architecture are built using Java technology. Thus, a .NET bridge is provided for communication between the ASPX and ASCX files in the Presentation layer and the Java components in the underlying layers.

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Knowledge Article

Published:

February 20, 2023

Last Updated:

January 31, 2024