This book covers all of the new and improved data-access features of Visual Basic 6 (VB6) and illustrates how to put the various components and techniques to work in real-world applications. The first chapter spells out the concepts of databases in general and then introduces the reader to the Data Control and the VB Data Form Wizard--a quick way to snap together a database interface. From there, author John Connell spends a few chapters illustrating how to code the data control and build a "bulletproof" user interface to your data.

After a discussion about planning your database structure, Connell steps you through the process of building a fully functional application that uses many important VB features. The chapters include screen shots, diagrams, and code snippets, with plenty of tips and step-by-step exercises. You can download the source code for the included examples from the publisher's Web site.

Once you have the preliminary education under your belt, the author presents Microsoft's Universal Data Access (UDA) architecture. He shows how to create your own data-bound ActiveX controls and use Active Server Pages (ASPs) to fetch and return database records via a Web browser. Connell finishes off this lengthy education with a brief foray into data mining and a discussion of how to export data to other applications. --Stephen Plain

Visual Basic 6 is the new release of the Microsoft's leading windows programming tool. There are over 3.2 million current users of Visual Basic in the world, ranging from novices to programming to experienced developers. Visual Basic 5 sold over 1m copies in 1997, an increase of over 40% over the previous year's sales. This is a large category that is on an exponential growth curve. Microsoft estimate that 70% of all development that is done with VB is database related. It's the leading tool for developing all database front ends, both to new applications, and to legacy systems. Beginning Visual Basic 6 Database Programming is out concurrently with the new release of VB6, it uses the same winning tutorial format as Beginning VB covering everything from database design, to SQL to client server all at a fast pace. There are practical hands on examples that are usable right from the book and it uses DAO to explain the basics of database programming in lucid tutorial format. Added to all this is the fact that it also covers new ADO technology in depth.