🎞️ ASP – Ad Rotator (Shared with ASP.NET) – Display Rotating Banner Ads Easily

🧲 Introduction – What Is the ASP Ad Rotator?

The ASP Ad Rotator is a built-in feature that allows Classic ASP and ASP.NET pages to dynamically rotate banner ads. It works using a server-side XML-like text file containing ad definitions, and displays ads randomly or based on weight. It’s one of the earliest tools used for managing banner advertising in web applications.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to use the AdRotator component in Classic ASP
• Format and structure of the ad file (ad rotator text file)
• Embed rotating ads into HTML pages
• Differences between Classic ASP and ASP.NET usage

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🗂️ The Ad Rotator File – Format & Syntax

ASP Ad Rotator uses a text file similar to an .ini or .xml file with comma-separated values. Each line represents one ad.

📝 Sample ads.txt

ImageURL, NavigateURL, AlternateText, Impressions, Keyword
/banner1.jpg, https://example.com/product1, Product 1, 50, Electronics
/banner2.jpg, https://example.com/product2, Product 2, 25, Gadgets
/banner3.jpg, https://example.com/product3, Product 3, 25, Deals

📌 Fields:

1. ImageURL – Relative or absolute URL to the banner image
2. NavigateURL – Link user is sent to when they click the ad
3. AlternateText – Tooltip or alt text for accessibility
4. Impressions – Weighted percentage of ad display
5. Keyword – Optional keyword filter (used in ASP.NET only)

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💡 Classic ASP Example – Display Rotating Ad

<!--#include virtual="/adrotator/AdRotator.inc"-->

<%
' Display random ad from ads.txt
AdRotator "/ads/ads.txt"
%>

📌 The AdRotator function is defined in an included file such as AdRotator.inc or can be part of a custom function.

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✅ ASP.NET Equivalent – <asp:AdRotator>

In ASP.NET, the AdRotator is a server control:

<asp:AdRotator 
    ID="AdBanner" 
    runat="server" 
    AdvertisementFile="~/ads/ads.xml" 
    KeywordFilter="Electronics" />

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🧾 Sample ads.xml (ASP.NET format)

<Advertisements>
  <Ad>
    <ImageUrl>~/images/banner1.jpg</ImageUrl>
    <NavigateUrl>https://example.com/product1</NavigateUrl>
    <AlternateText>Product 1</AlternateText>
    <Impressions>50</Impressions>
    <Keyword>Electronics</Keyword>
  </Ad>
  <Ad>
    <ImageUrl>~/images/banner2.jpg</ImageUrl>
    <NavigateUrl>https://example.com/product2</NavigateUrl>
    <AlternateText>Product 2</AlternateText>
    <Impressions>25</Impressions>
    <Keyword>Gadgets</Keyword>
  </Ad>
</Advertisements>

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🧪 Output Example

If the ad rotator selects Product 1, the output HTML would look like:

<a href="https://example.com/product1">
  <img src="/images/banner1.jpg" alt="Product 1" />
</a>

🧠 Ad is randomly selected based on the impression weight.

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🔁 How Rotation Works

• Ads with higher Impressions are more likely to be shown.
• If all ads have the same impression weight, each is equally likely.
• Classic ASP reads from .txt
• ASP.NET reads from .xml (with support for filters)

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📘 Best Practices for Ad Rotator

✅ Do:

• Store ad file in a secure folder like /ads/
• Use relative paths for portability
• Test ad weights by adjusting Impressions values
• Sanitize all ad content if dynamically generated

❌ Avoid:

• Serving broken image links or invalid URLs
• Skipping AlternateText (affects accessibility and SEO)
• Hardcoding ad HTML instead of using the rotator for maintainability

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📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

The ASP Ad Rotator simplifies rotating ad banners using a centralized text (Classic ASP) or XML (ASP.NET) ad file. It ensures equal or weighted exposure of ads, and integrates easily into static or dynamic websites.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• Use .txt for Classic ASP and .xml for ASP.NET
• AdRotator randomizes ads based on defined weights
• Easy to maintain and update without changing HTML

⚙️ Real-world Use Cases:

• Rotating banner ads on blogs or CMS
• Internal announcements in intranet portals
• Seasonal promotions on e-commerce sites

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❓ FAQs – ASP Ad Rotator

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❓ Is Ad Rotator still supported in ASP.NET?
✅ Yes, though it’s considered legacy. <asp:AdRotator> works in Web Forms, but not in Razor Pages or MVC.

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❓ Can I rotate HTML snippets instead of images?
❌ Not directly with Ad Rotator. For full HTML ad rotation, use custom ASP logic or JavaScript.

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❓ How does Impressions affect ad rotation?
✅ Higher Impressions values increase the chance of that ad appearing. It’s relative, not fixed.

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