Hello,

I am still getting my feet wet with ASP and I have two questions I'm hoping someone can answer.

1. Can someone clarify when I should Dim? I understand using it to store variables while executing a script but I don't know if I need to use it to store values I'm pulling from a database and using/displaying. My main focus right now is database connectivity and adding, updating, deleting, sorting records. If anyone can recommend some good examples or a good reference book I would appreciate it.

2. Can someone explain the relationship between .Closed and = Nothing? When should I use a combination of the two versus only = Nothing? Should I use it for everything I've dim'ed? Here are the two examples I've seen thus far:

Example.Close
Set Example = Nothing
Set OtherExample = Nothing

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Randall

.close oposite to .open
but With nothing you clear all settings to the object

Ahmed Ali
Software Developer

;;;Can someone clarify when I should Dim?

Anytime you want to declaire a variable name you should Dim it. To ensure you do this evertime put:
<%= OPTION EXPLICIT %>
at the top of all your asp pages (prompts you to declaire any variables that you havnt)

;;;I don't know if I need to use it to store values I'm pulling from a database
Yes you do - EG:
[the following assumes you have created and opened a connection called conn]
Dim rs
sql = "Select ....."
set rs = conn.execuet(sql)
[the variable rs now holds your record set - when you have finished with your record set dont forget to set it to nothing EG set rs = nothing]

;;;Can someone explain the relationship between .Closed and = Nothing?
I am not sure about .Closed
In the example above you would use conn.close (our open DB connection) then set conn = nothing
Also above our record set named rs would be set to nothing after you have finished with it, as illustrated above.

Wind is your friend
Matt

Think of a case where Example is a grocery store
When it is Nothing, it has some ability to pertain to a grocery store, but it does not curently pertain to any particular store.

If you asign it to the SafeWay at 6th & Main, it has some very specific properties:

   The location
   The color
   The number of employees
   etc.

That store can be .Open, in which case it is populated with employees, the lights are on, and so on.
The stroe is able to handle someone coming there to shop.

It can be .Closed, in which case it is not currently useful, though it has explicit properties that pertain to a real place.
If you arive with money, time to shop, and a shopping list you still cannot get any supplies; the store is .Closed.

The analogy doesn't fit in every respect, but it should help you to conceptualize the distinction.

".close" means that the providerstring/connectionstring in use with the obj. (when querrying a db) is no longer valid. Is ".close" only to use with a db?

".nothing" means setting the obj. value to nothing! Like canceling the value of a variable.

FYI

;;;".nothing" means setting the obj. value to nothing! Like canceling the value of a variable.

I am not sure what .nothing does, I have never used it - it should be:
set varName = nothing

;;;It can be .Closed, in which case..
I believe it should be .close not .closed

Wind is your friend
Matt