The extension ASP stands for Active Server Pages.
This technology developed by Microsoft Corporation is used for the server-side creation of dynamic web pages. Files with the extension ASP are standard HTML documents in which one or more scripts are embedded. These scripts can be written in VBScript or JScript, the JavaScript alternative from Microsoft.
Because ASP files are typically run on a web server, any browser can be used to display the resulting document.
ASP files are similar to PHP or CGI. The users never get to see the actual ASP file, but only the created HTML page.
All you need to do to develop ASP pages is a text editor. Preferably, an editor that recognizes the language elements of ASP, color-coded and structured represents. There are also special applications that generate ASP code for specific applications, eg database connections.
Microsoft has discontinued the development of ASP. ASP.NET is the successor technology.
However, this uses the extension aspx.
The extension ASP is mostly used instead of htm or html on websites, if the server is running under Microsoft IIS or uses ASP.NET. There are also various extensions for other web server systems that allow you to execute ASP code.
Most often resolving problems with opening ASP files is very simple. Just install an appropriate program that supports such files. All of the listed programs support ASP files, but may vary in offered function and purpose. Some programs may be capable only of viewing contents of ASP files or offer file conversion options, but may not be capable of editing such files.
It is possible that although a compatible program has been installed on user’s system, it is not used by the system to open it. This may happen because no default application was associated with this type of files. To associate ASP files with given application, select "Open with" from drop-down menu (accessed by right-clicking on the file). Then select from the list the program or application you want to be used to open this type of file. If the Web browser applications is not on the list, select "Browse" option in order to manually locate the directory where Web browser has been installed.
Sometimes problems with opening ASP files may not lie with the application itself, but can arise due to other causes, such as: