Visual Basic Database Programming

Book Review


Visual Basic Database Programming
by Michael Kofler
Copyright 2002
Addison Wesley

Visual Basic Database Programming Find out more about this book,
or purchase it, from Amazon.com

At the last couple of companies I have worked at, I have found myself teaching VB developers how to properly access SQL Server data. If they had purchased this book, Visual Basic Database Programming, and read it, not only would I have more time on my hands, but these developer’s would have produced faster performing SQL Server-based applications.

This book is designed for VB developers who want to learn how to access SQL Server data. Given the ever increasing popularity of SQL Server as a back-end to Visual Basic, the information found in this book is invaluable.

Here’s what this book covers:

  • Quick Start

  • Relational Databases

  • Tools and Components

  • Transact-SQL

  • Database Design

  • Connection Objects

  • Recordset Objects

  • Command Objects

  • Hierarchical Recordsets

  • Database Control Elements

  • Storing Linked Records

  • Input Form for Linked Records

  • Internet Databases with Web Classes

  • SQL Server Administration with SQL DMO

  • Transfer of Database Projects

  • Libraries

  • ADO Control Elements and Designer

Oddly, for a book that just came out, the examples in this book are based on SQL Server 7.0. This is really not a problem, as they all should also work with SQL Server 2000. The book also devotes a lot to the MSDE engine, which is good, because good information on this topic is hard to come by.

While the book does a good job of covering SQL Server access from Visual Basic, it doesn’t offer much in the way of performance tuning information. There are some sprinkled about the book, but I would have like to see an entire chapter devoted to it. Time and time again, as I troubleshoot SQL Server performance problems, I have discovered that poorly written Visual Basic applications are often at the root of the problem.

Overall, though, this book is a good introduction to the topic, and you should consider it it if you are a Visual Basic developer who needs to learn how to access SQL Server data.

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