Paginate a recordset

Although SQL Server an Access support the TOP keyword to limit the amount of records returned, you cannot specify a starting value; making it unsuitable for use when paginating a recordset (ie displaying records over multiple pages, as in a web directory). Fortunately, ADO provides an alternative:

'create a recordset object
Set rItems = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")

'set the cursor location and type
rItems.CursorLocation = 3' adUseClient
rItems.CursorType = 3 'adOpenStatic

'number of rows to cache at a time. Should be set to the same as PageSize
rItems.CacheSize = 10

'number of items to display per 'page'
rItems.PageSize = 10

'execute the SQL query, and keep the recordset open
'you cannot use the Execute statement for this.

rItems.Open sSQL, cConn

'check if empty
If rItems.EOF Then
    'no rows
Else

    'set current page
    rItems.AbsolutePage = Request.QueryString("page")

    'get the total number of records
    nItemCount = rItems.RecordCount

    'get the number of pages
    nPageCount = rItems.PageCount

    'loop through an display the items in the recordset
    Do While Not rItems.EOF and nItem < rItems.PageSize

        'do something
        rItems.MoveNext 'move to the next record
        nItem=nItem+1 'increment count

    Loop
End If

'close the recordset
rItems.Close

'and destroy the object...
Set rItems = Nothing