Programming Microsoft Visual Basic .NET for Microsoft Access Databases

by Dobson, Rick

• ISBN13: 9780735618190
• ISBN10: 0735618194
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-16
• Publisher: Microsoft Press

Summary

The Microsoft® .NET Framework represents an exciting new world for developers who work with Microsoft Access, Visual Basic®, and Visual Basic for Applications. This book provides complete, practical details on how to take advantage of this world by building or upgrading Access-based client applications with Visual Basic .NET. It gives you specific instructions about how the .NET Framework pertains to Access development. Then it explores programming with Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET, and it puts it all together with examples and code samples that show how to develop robust Web applications and services with these tools. Topics covered include: What's in the Microsoft .NET Framework for Access developers Getting started with Visual Basic .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET Visual Basic.NET techniques for data types, procedures, loops, arrays, classes, class inheritance, event processing, structured exception handling, and file processing Code behind Windows Forms and programming with form controls Form navigation, the Data Form Wizard, and programming the DataGrid control Learning ADO.NET architecture and programming data access and manipulation, plus drilling down on datasets and parent-child relations with ADO.NET A Windows Form sample to browse, manipulate, and handle concurrency violations Learning ASP.NET page design and implementing ADO.NET with ASP.NET pages Using, creating, and deploying XML Web services Securing .NET Windows and Web applications using Access databases Appendix: XML syntax and schema conventions plus Visual Studio .NET XML Designers INCLUDES SAMPLE CODE ON THE WEB! Sample code available at the COMPANION CONTENT link on this page

Author Biography

Rick Dobson is an author, trainer, and Webmaster. You can find his articles in numerous publications and Web sites, such as SQL Server Magazine, the MSDN Online Library, Microsoft TechNet, Visual Basic Programmer's Journal, and Microsoft Interactive Developer

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction	xiii
Introduction to the .NET Framework	1	(24)
What Is the .NET Framework?	2	(2)
Why Should Access Developers Learn Visual Basic .NET?	4	(4)
Catching the Next Generation Wave	4	(1)
Learning Consistent Tools	5	(1)
Exposing Access Databases Over the Web	6	(1)
Exposing Access Databases via XML Web Services	7	(1)
Elements of the .NET Framework	8	(7)
Common Language Runtime	9	(2)
Running Source Code	11	(2)
Assemblies	13	(2)
Selected .NET Programming Innovations	15	(3)
Namespaces	15	(1)
Object Orientation	16	(1)
Exception Handling	17	(1)
Visual Basic .NET Data Processing Capabilities	18	(7)
Why Move to ADO.NET?	18	(1)
ADO.NET Data Providers	19	(1)
ADO.NET Architecture	20	(5)
Using Visual Basic .NET with Visual Studio .NET	25	(34)
Getting Started with Visual Studio .NET	26	(6)
Configuring Visual Studio .NET for Visual Basic .NET	27	(2)
Using the Start Page	29	(1)
Introducing Three Important IDE Windows	30	(2)
Overview of Project Types and Project Folders	32	(12)
Summary of Project Types	33	(2)
Starting a Windows Application	35	(2)
Adding a Message Box to a Windows Application	37	(2)
Creating and Consuming a Class Library Project	39	(5)
Selected New and Different Visual Basic .NET Topics	44	(8)
Data Types	44	(1)
Arrays	45	(1)
New Keyword and Sub Procedures	46	(1)
Opening and Closing Class References	46	(2)
Class Inheritance	48	(2)
Namespaces	50	(2)
Jump Start: A DataGrid Sample for the Northwind Shippers Table	52	(7)
Building the Jump Start Example	53	(4)
Demonstrating the Jump Start Example	57	(2)
Visual Basic .NET Fundamentals	59	(70)
Visual Basic .NET, Access, and System Data Types	60	(9)
Visual Basic .NET Data Type Summary	60	(3)
Visual Basic .NET Data Types vs. Access Data Types	63	(2)
Value Type Objects vs. Reference Type Objects	65	(4)
Sub and Function Procedures	69	(9)
Creating Reusable Code Blocks	70	(1)
Passing Values	70	(2)
Using Option Strict	72	(1)
Using Access Modifiers	73	(1)
Optional Parameters and Parameter Arrays	74	(4)
Branching and Looping	78	(14)
With...End With Statements	78	(1)
Branching Statements	78	(1)
Looping Statements	79	(1)
COM Interop	80	(2)
Iterating Through Tables in a Database	82	(3)
Iterating Through Columns in a Table	85	(1)
Translating Access Data Types	86	(6)
Arrays	92	(10)
Overview of Array Design	92	(3)
Processing a One-Dimensional Array	95	(1)
Processing a Two-Dimensional Array	96	(3)
Consolidating Metadata with an Array	99	(3)
Classes	102	(27)
Overview	103	(1)
Creating and Using Class Properties	104	(12)
Creating and Using Methods	116	(13)
Selected Visual Basic .NET Advanced Topics	129	(64)
File Processing Techniques	130	(16)
System.IO Objects for File Processing	130	(2)
Listing Files in a Folder	132	(5)
Selecting and Showing Binary Files	137	(5)
Writing Access Database Contents to Files	142	(3)
Reading and Managing Text Files	145	(1)
Event Handlers and Custom Events	146	(16)
Overview of Event Processing	146	(3)
Form LoadEvent Basics	149	(1)
Working with Windows and System Timers	150	(7)
Raising Events from Custom Classes	157	(5)
Class Inheritance	162	(17)
Overview of Concepts and Keywords	163	(2)
Setting Up for Class Inheritance Demonstrations	165	(12)
Running the Application Project	177	(2)
Structured Exception Handling	179	(14)
Overview	180	(1)
Setting Up the SEH Sample	181	(1)
SEH Programming vs. Programming Without Error Trapping	182	(3)
Catching Multiple Exceptions in a Try Block	185	(2)
Using the Finally Clause	187	(3)
Throwing Your Own Exceptions	190	(3)
Fundamentals of Programming Windows Forms and Controls	193	(58)
Programming Code-Behind Forms	194	(15)
Windows Form Designer Generated Code Region	194	(2)
Adding Custom Code to the Module Behind a Form	196	(3)
Manipulating a Form with Event Procedures	199	(5)
Disabiling the Close Control in the Control Box	204	(5)
Working with Multiple Forms	209	(15)
Modal vs. Modeless Forms	210	(4)
Returing a Result from a Child Form	214	(6)
Passing Values Both Ways Between Forms	220	(4)
Programming Controls with the Northwind Database	224	(27)
Validating a Password with a TextBox Control	224	(3)
Browsing the Shippers Table with TextBox Controls	227	(5)
Navigating with a ComboBox and Showing Pictures	232	(6)
Using One Form to Designate Data for a Second	238	(6)
Building a Switchboard Form with the LinkLabel Control	244	(7)
Programming Windows Forms: Building on Fundamentals	251	(62)
Navigation and Data Source Assignment Issues	252	(28)
Switchboard Form for Samples	252	(4)
Navigation with Text Boxes	256	(6)
Adding Formatting to TextBox Navigation	262	(4)
ComboBox Navigation	266	(3)
Dynamically Formatting a DataGrid Control	269	(5)
Loading One of Three Data Sources into a DataGrid Control	274	(6)
Using the Data Form Wizard	280	(16)
Menu for the Section	280	(1)
Data Access and Manipulation with TextBox Controls	281	(5)
Add an Updateable Data Source to a DataGrid Control	286	(4)
Main/sub Forms	290	(4)
Main Table with Aggregated Sub Form	294	(2)
Managing DataGrid Properties	296	(17)
The ReadOnly and AllowSorting Properties	296	(4)
The CurrentCell and CurrentRowIndex Properties	300	(13)
ADO.NET: Concepts and Architecture	313	(42)
ADO.NET Platform and Design Issues	314	(7)
Overview of ADO.NET Platform Issues	314	(2)
Overview of ADO.NET Design Elements	316	(3)
Comparison of ADO.NET and ADO Data Access	319	(2)
ADO.NET Architecture	321	(23)
OleDbConnection	321	(6)
OleDbCommand	327	(5)
OleDbDataReader	332	(5)
OleDbDataAdapter	337	(7)
DataSet Object Model and Designer	344	(11)
Overview	344	(3)
Demonstrating Code Syntax	347	(8)
ADO.NET Coding Techniques	355	(58)
Programming Database Connections	356	(10)
Reporting Connection Properties for Microsoft Access	357	(3)
Connecting to a SQL Server Database	360	(3)
Connecting to a Database at Your Place or Their Place	363	(3)
Programming Dynamic Data Access	366	(12)
Dynamic Data Access with a SQL String and a Variable	367	(1)
Validating a String Variable Before Using It	368	(4)
Dynamic Data Access with a SQL String and a Parameter	372	(3)
Dynamic Data Access with an Access Query and Parameters	375	(3)
Programming Dynamic Data Manipulation	378	(10)
Creating an Access Database Programmatically	379	(2)
Adding Tables to a Database Programmatically	381	(2)
Dynamic Data Manipulation Within a Transaction	383	(5)
Programming DataAdapter and DataSet Objects	388	(25)
Data Manipulation Setup Code	390	(4)
Displaying Metadata and Data from a Dataset	394	(5)
Manipulating Rows in a Code-Based Dataset	399	(5)
Working with Graphically Based Datasets	404	(5)
Concurrency Violations	409	(4)
ADO.NET: Datasets and Data Manipulation on Windows Forms	413	(48)
Creating and Using Datasets	414	(15)
Three Ways to Make a Dataset	414	(4)
Understanding Datasets from the Forms Designer	418	(2)
Custom Initialization Code for a Dataset	420	(1)
Schemas for Typed and Untyped Datasets	421	(5)
Using intelliSense for Typed Schemas	426	(1)
Creating a Single Dataset with Two DataTable Objects	427	(2)
Processing Parent-Child Relationships	429	(14)
Computing Child Values with an Untyped Dataset	429	(9)
Computing Child Values with a Typed Dataset	438	(5)
Browsing and Manipulating Data with a Form	443	(18)
Design and Operational Views of Form3	444	(2)
What the Application Does	446	(1)
The Form Load Event Procedure	447	(5)
Browsing Through Rows	452	(2)
Inserting a New Row	454	(3)
Deleting the Currently Selected Row	457	(1)
Updating a Row	458	(3)
Programming ASP.NET Pages	461	(28)
Introduction to ASP.NET	462	(4)
Platform Requirements and Browser Considerations	462	(1)
Comparing Web Applications with Windows Applications	463	(2)
Contrasting ASP.NET with ASP	465	(1)
Selected ASP.NET Programming Topics	466	(5)
Web Forms and Their Views	466	(3)
The Web Forms Page Class	469	(1)
Controls on a Web Forms Page	470	(1)
Programming Web Forms	471	(18)
Hello and Goodbye Sample	471	(5)
Hello and Refresh Sample	476	(5)
Logging In to a Protected Page Sample	481	(8)
Implementing ADO.NET on ASP.NET Pages	489	(36)
Overview of Data Processing with ASP.NET	490	(3)
Three-Tiered Architecture	490	(1)
ADO.NET and ASP.NET	491	(1)
Built-In Data Validation Tools	492	(1)
Creating Solution with the Data Form Wizard	493	(6)
Building a Solution with the Wizard	493	(4)
Editing the HTML Behind a Wizard Page	497	(1)
Editing the Visual Basic Code Behind a Wizard Page	498	(1)
Using Graphically Created ADO.NET Objects	499	(7)
Design and Operation Page Views	499	(3)
The Code Behind the Web Page	502	(4)
Using Programmatically Created ADO.NET Objects	506	(6)
Design and Operational Page Views	507	(1)
The Code Behind the Web Page	508	(4)
Insert, Update, or Delete from a Web Page	512	(13)
Design and Operational Page Views	512	(4)
The Code Behind the Web Page	516	(9)
Programming XML Web Services	525	(44)
Underlying Technologies	526	(3)
Quick Synopsis of XML Web Services	526	(1)
XML	527	(1)
UDDI	528	(1)
WSDL	528	(1)
SOAP	529	(1)
Using a Web Service	529	(10)
Building a Web Application Client for a Web Service	530	(6)
Building a Windows Application Client for a Web Service	536	(3)
Case Study for a Computational Web Service	539	(10)
Building the Days TilEOM Web Service	539	(2)
The Code for the DaysTilEOM Web Service	541	(2)
Testing the Web Service	543	(1)
Building a Client Application on the Localhost	544	(4)
Building a Client Application on Another Workstation	548	(1)
Deploying a Web Service	549	(6)
Overview	550	(1)
Deploying the DaysTilEOM Web Service	550	(1)
Invoking a Deployed Web Service	551	(4)
A Web Service for the Northwind Database	555	(14)
Overview of the Application	555	(1)
The Web Service Project	556	(3)
Testing and Demonstrating the Web Service	559	(4)
Building a Client Application	563	(6)
Securing .NET Applications with Access Databases	569	(34)
Overview of .NET Security	570	(5)
Code Access Security	570	(2)
Role-Based Security	572	(2)
Cryptographic Services	574	(1)
Access User-Level Security and ADO.NET	575	(19)
Review of User-Level Security Design Issues	576	(1)
Setting Up for the User-Level Security Samples	577	(5)
Selecting from a Secure Access Database with ADO.NET	582	(6)
Updating a Secure Access Database with ADO.NET	588	(6)
ASP.NET Application Forms Authentication	594	(9)
Editing the Default Web.config File	595	(1)
Creating the Login.aspx Page	596	(3)
Creating a Secure Web Page	599	(2)
Demonstrating the SecurePhoneList Web Application	601	(2)
Appendix: XML for Visual Studio .NET Access Developers	603	(20)
XML Document Design	603	(4)
XML Document Features	604	(1)
Creatig an Element-Centric XML Document	605	(1)
Creating an Attribute-Centric XML Document	606	(1)
XML Schema Design	607	(5)
Schema Design Issues	607	(1)
Creating, Editing, and Using an XML Schema	608	(4)
Saving, Showing, and Reading XML	612	(5)
Saving XML	612	(2)
Showing XML	614	(1)
Reading XML	615	(2)
Relations Between Tables in an XML Document	617	(6)
Graphically Creating a Relation Between Two Tables	617	(3)
Using a Graphically Created Relation	620	(3)
Index	623