Includes index.

Understanding Data Access -- An Overview of ADO and ADO.NET -- A Brief History of ADO -- Moving Forward with ADO.NET -- Getting ADO or ADO.NET -- Understanding Data Access Architectures -- ADO and OLE DB -- ADO.NET -- Earlier Data Access Libraries -- Choosing a Data Access Library -- Understanding ADO -- Using the ADO Objects to Retrieve Data -- Introducing the ADO Object Model -- Connecting to Data Sources -- Opening Recordsets -- Using Stored Procedures to Retrieve Data -- Finding and Sorting Data -- Editing Data with ADO -- Updating Data -- Adding Data -- Deleting Data -- Using the Supports Method to Determine Capabilities -- Using Transactions -- Managing Activity with ADO Events -- An Event Sample -- Connection Events -- Recordset Events -- Using Records and Streams -- Using ADO with Nonrelational Data -- Working with BLOBs in Recordsets -- Using Command and Result Streams -- Data Shaping -- Types of Hierarchical Recordsets -- The SHAPE Statement -- Examples of the SHAPE Statement -- Synchronizing Recordsets -- Reshaping -- Fabricated Recordsets -- Working with Disconnected Recordsets -- Optimistic Batch Updating -- Creating Synthetic Recordsets -- Remote Data Service -- Using ADO in Multitiered Applications -- Using ADOX for Data Definition and Security Operations -- The ADOX Object Model -- Limitations of ADOX -- Creating New Database Objects -- Using Procedure and View Objects -- Manipulating Database Security -- Analyzing Multidimensional Data with ADO MD -- Multidimensional Data Architecture -- Analysis Services Concepts -- Creating a Cube -- The ADO MD Object Model -- Retrieving Multidimensional Data -- Understanding .NET -- Introduction to .NET -- .NET Architecture -- Building a .NET Application -- Understanding Namespaces -- Understanding .NET Languages -- Visual Basic .NET -- C# -- Other Languages -- Language Interoperability via the CLR -- Using ADO from .NET -- .NET-COM Interoperability -- A Sample Hybrid Application -- Upgrading an Existing Application -- Filling a DataSet from an ADO Recordset -- Understanding ADO.NET -- Using the ADO.NET Objects to Retrieve Data -- The ADO.NET Object Model -- .NET Data Providers -- Using DataSets -- Finding and Sorting Data in DataSets -- Running Stored Procedures -- Editing Data with ADO.NET -- Updating Data -- Adding Data -- Deleting Data -- Using Auto-Generated Commands -- Adding Primary Keys to a DataSet -- Working with ADO.NET Events -- Managing Concurrency and Transactions -- Working with Disconnected DataSets -- Converting DataSets to XML -- Reconstituting an XML DataSet -- DataSets via Web Services -- Using Windows Forms with ADO.NET -- Data Binding with Windows Forms -- Manipulating Data through Windows Forms -- Synchronizing DataSets with XML -- Understanding XmlDataDocuments -- Synchronizing a DataSet with an XmlDataDocument -- Using Synchronized Objects -- Managing Data on the Web with ASP.NET -- Introducing ASP.NET -- Displaying Bound Data Using ASP.NET -- Using the DataList Control -- Using Legacy ADO with ASP.NET -- Specific Provider Issues -- ADO and SQL Server -- SQL Server Versions -- SQL Server Connection Strings -- Dynamic Properties of ADO Objects -- Using Linked Servers to Access Heterogeneous Data -- Using OPENXML -- ADO and Oracle -- Supported Versions of Oracle -- Provider-Specific Connection String Parameters -- Setting Up the Oracle Environment for ADO -- Limitations of ADO with Oracle Data -- Oracle Tips and Quirks -- An Oracle Example -- ADO and Jet -- Supported Versions -- Provider-Specific Connection String Parameters -- Dynamic Properties of ADO Objects -- Jet Tips and Quirks -- Using Linked Tables for Distributed Queries -- Custom Schema Rowsets -- ADO and Other Providers -- Active Directory -- ADO and Active Directory -- MySQL -- Specific Client Issues -- Using ADO from Visual Basic -- Using Bound Controls to Present ADO Data -- Using the Data Environment and Data Report -- Data Consumers -- Creating an OLE DB Provider -- Using ADO from Microsoft Access -- The Client Data Manager -- Binding Access Forms to ADO Recordsets -- Shaped Recordsets and Access Reports -- Using ADO from Microsoft Excel -- Connecting Data to Excel -- Working with OLAP Data in Excel -- Using ADO.NET from Visual Basic .NET -- Using the Server Explorer -- Visual Data Objects on Forms -- Using the Data Form Wizard -- Working with XML Schema Files -- The ADO Object Model -- The ADOX Object Model -- The ADO MD Object Model -- The ADO.NET Object Model -- ADO and ADO.NET Utilities -- SQL and MDX Language Primer.

Data access technology has come a long way in the past decade. The introduction of Microsoft Access was a major step forward, followed by the giant leaps represented by ADO and now by ADO.NET. ADO and ADO.NET Programming will help you use both APIs to write data access code that works perfectly, irrespective of the data source or front end. You'll learn to enlist ADO techniques in support of legacy systems, as well as in other scenarios where ADO is simply the better choice. And you'll master the special capabilities of ADO.NET, such as support for XML and disconnected data, that promise to make it the dominant data access API for years to come. Simple data retrieval and updating is only the beginning. Advanced topics include schema modification, data synchronization, and multidimensional aggregation.

This book also offers detailed coverage of source-specific and client-specific functionality, helping you tap into features unique to SQL Server, Oracle, and Jet on the one hand, and Visual Basic, Access, and Excel on the other hand. You also get a practical introduction to the .NET Framework and appendices covering major object models. The enclosed CD contains all the book's sample code -- both ADO code written in Visual Basic 6 and ADO.NET code written in Visual Basic .NET. You'll also find a primer on the SQL and MDX languages, as well as the MySQL database and a collection of ADO utilities.