About ASP.NET Web Matrix
ASP.NET Web Matrix is a free, community-supported, easy-to-use development tool for ASP.NET. It can be installed via a quick 1.3 MB download (about 5 minutes using a 56Kb modem). You will notice the similarity to Visual Studio.NET, with the following exceptions:

ASP.NET Web Matrix Comes with a built-in web server for testing ASP.NET pages Doesn't automatically support code-behind Is file based rather than project based Is Free!!! You can download ASP.NET Web Matrix from http://www.asp.net/webmatrix/default.aspx?tabIndex=4&tabId=46

Adding ASP.NET Auto DB to the Web Matrix Toolbox
By adding ASP.NET Auto DB to the Web Matrix toolbox, you can drag-and-drop Auto DB onto your forms and adjust properties without having to work with HTML code.

When you drag-and-drop ASP.NET Auto DB onto one of your forms, Web Matrix automatically adds the registration directive and control tag to your .aspx page. The best part is that these are the only two lines you need on your form to access ASP.NET Auto DB's complete functionality!!!

Once you have installed ASP.NET Auto DB and Web Matrix on your Development Workstation, follow these steps to add Auto DB into the Toolbox:

1. Open ASP.NET Web Matrix
2. Open an existing .aspx page or create a new one
3. Click on the "Custom Controls" tab in the Toolbox (located on the left-hand side of the editor)
4. Right-Click on the "Custom Controls" tab and select  "Add local toolbox components..." as shown in Figure 1

5. When the "Select Components" dialog appears, press the "Browse" button on the right-hand side of the dialog
6. Locate and select the By360Impact.AutoDB.dll file in the ASP.NET Auto DB installation folder, then press "Open"
7. Click "OK"
8. When the "Install to GAC" dialog box appears, choose "NO", then press "OK"

Congratulations! The ASP.NET Auto DB Control should now appear in the Custom Controls tab of the Web Matrix Toolbox.

Using ASP.NET Auto DB in the Web Matrix Design-Time Environment
ASP.NET Auto DB includes an unlimited design-time license for use on your development machine(s). This license allows you to use the control inside of ASP.NET Web Matrix, which gives you access to properties through the property window as shown below.

Follow these steps to visually adjust the Auto DB control's properties within ASP.NET Web Matrix:

1. Either create a new ASP.NET page or open an existing ASP.NET form. 
2. Drag the Auto DB control onto your form (typically to the top or bottom of your form.) ASP.NET Web Matrix will automatically add the necessary registration and control tags to your form.
3. Click on the [ASP.NET Auto DB] control, and the Web Matrix properties window will show all the properties you can easily adjust as shown in Figure 3 below.

Related Information

Set ASP.NET Auto DB properties globally so they apply to all forms in your web site or application