Hi All

I am an absolute newbie to connection to SQL-Server databases in VB 2k5 so I really hope you can clearify a couple of issues for me.

After studying both the "Beginning Visual Basic 2005" and "Beginning Visual Basic 2005 Databases" books (which I enjoyed a great deal) I am fairly confused in regards to how to connect to a SQL Server database from a Visual Basic Windows Application...

The way I understand the mentioned textbooks there serveral ways (i.e. alternatives) to build a connections???

Now my quistion is, what way is the easiest, most simple way to do this?

I am not very keen on using the DataSource that produces xml-files, as I do not feel very safe in using xml.

I really hope you can ease my confusion and your reply will be hugely appriciated.



Kind regards
Tina Nielsen, Denmark

Hello Tina,
   I have found that using the Microsoft.ApplicationBlocks.Data.dll simplifies database work. (This dll is something that does not come with .NET, you need to download the source code from MS, compile it yourself, then add a reference to the dll in your project)

What you wind up with are calls that look like this (The VB syntax is similar):

DataTable dt = SqlHelper.ExecuteDataset( <connection string>, CommandType.StoredProcedure, "usp_foo").Tables[0];

SqlHelper is a public class inside of the ApplicationBlock that also exposes these methods and functions: ExecuteScalar, ExecuteNonQuery, ExecuteReader, and ExecuteXMLReader

Of course you can create your own data layer where you define your data adapters, connections, data readers etc.

hth.


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Tina,

You can code your connection strings in the app.config file for Windows applications or the web.config file for Web applications.

Of course you do not want to put these connection strings in plain text so I would suggest that you encrypt them and then place the encrypted values in your app.config or web.config file and then decrypt them in your application.

Chapter 10 in Beginning Visual Basic 2005 Databases covers encrypting and decrypting values.

Thearon