Product Description

Whether you are using WinForms, WebForms, or Web Services, Database Access with Visual Basic® .NET, Third Edition, is your practical guide to developing database applications with Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET. The authors provide real-world solutions to the data-access issues Visual Basic .NET developers face every day and share their secrets for becoming a more effective database programmer using .NET technologies.

The book begins by reviewing the fundamentals of database development, Structured Query Language (SQL), and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000. It then examines how to use the major ADO.NET objects to access data stored in relational databases. Through detailed examples, readers learn how to use properties and methods, as well as more advanced features and techniques. Extensive code listings in Visual Basic .NET illustrate each concept, while business cases apply concepts to real-world applications. The final chapters provide a solid examination of how XML and ASP.NET integrate with ADO.NET to create various types of database applications. A companion Web site provides the code used in the book's myriad examples, all of which is compatible with Visual Basic .NET 2003.

Key topic coverage includes:

Customer Reviews (19)

Good book for getting a handle on DB access in .Net
The book is well layed out and clearly written. It can be read out of sequence. Each chapter is self contained. It shows how you can get a free copy of MSDE sql server 2000 and deftly outlines the versions and how to get started using it. It begins with a good recap of basics of database. It follows with basics of sql. Then does excellent job of enabling you to handle administrative tasks of sql on your machine and getting started. It talks about new interface ADO, ASP Net and ties in xml. Well done. Got me going from startup.

Definitely worthwhile
I struggled for a long time to wrap my head around the new data access methodology of VB.Net. DataConnections, DataAdapters, DataSets, DataTables, DataGrids, DataViews, etc. It was all very confusing. This book divides up each of those components and shows how they stand independent of each other. Most helpful was how it introduced the dataset without using any database. Only when the concepts of the dataset were understood, did it tie in the dataset together to a database source. That approach is what got me past the confusion that was holding me back.

I didn't like the way the authors prefer to set everything in code instead of using the property pane and the designer but I got past that. Also, generally the code examples were more to demonstrate the principles being explained than to actually implement a technique one would like to do in a real-world application. That's not such a bad thing, but sometimes it's nice to have that too. I recommend this book for someone that needs to get the fundamentals of ADO.Net.

Clear book that achieves its goal
Very useful and clear explanations, methodological, covering all the important aspects that any developer would need for accessing data base with Visual Basic.net.highly recommended

Good RDBMS book
Good book from two well-received authors and speakers that have gotten good ratings at our VSLive! conferences. / jim

Takes the mystery out of ADO.NET
This book helped de-mystify ADO.NET for me.Database access in .NET is a complex topic that was handled elegantly in this book. It's clear, concise, easy to read, and has a good mix of prose and step by step instruction that one needs to get a jump start with ADO.NET.I recommed it highly. ... Read more

Product Description
If you are new to programming with Microsoft Access VBA and are looking for a solid introduction, this is the book for you. Developed by computer science professors, books in the for the absolute beginner(TM) series teach the principles of programming through simple game creation. Covering Access 2007, Microsoft Access VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner focuses on VBA programming, but also covers beginning database concepts for those who lack that cursory knowledge of relational databases and/or Microsoft Access. Topics range from beginning SQL concepts, user interface upgrades, new data types, essential programming constructs, and much more. The book not only shows you how to apply the concepts learned to real-world Access 2007 scenarios, but by the time you finish the book, you'll be able to apply the basic principles learned to the next programming language you tackle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Review within context
This book starts with a great explanation of how VBA is tied directly toward enhancing an Access database.Programming concepts build upon themselves in each chapter with an end of chapter exercise.The work is involved for those not exposed to programming and moderate for those with some object oriented programming experience.In the beginning a lot of discussion must be taken for granted with the 'I believe button' pressed often for the inexperienced.But this gray area is quickly cleared up toward the end when all the building blocks start fitting together.All end of chapter programming exercises relate toward some type of game to make the final key takeaways for a chapter fun and exciting.

There have been reports already made that it isn't for a beginner but be wary of these accusations!Programming at any degree requires an individual to understand discrete logic.If you're serious about learning VBA for access this is a great primer.It will lead toward a fundamental understanding of VBA allowing for more advanced programming books such as Access 2007 by WROX and Access Inside Out by Viescas to make more sense.

Don't buy this book
I purchased this book from Barnes and Noble because I was stuck with VBA. I sat on a chair at B/N and on cursory reading in the shop all seemed well after all the book is in its 3rd edition; it was also for Absolute Beginers.

The truth is that the title for Absolute Beginers is anAbsolute Lie. I think the author wants newbies to buy this book.

The book is poorly written, many examples just do not work.

On the other hand if you know the basics of Access VBA say by learning from a primer like the dummies book, this book can be great. But for beginers, my advice is that you should not spend the money. I know it is not the money but the frustration it will cause you.

Computer books are notorius for errata and poor writing. I have learned that the best course is to have a small library of books, where you can learn a bits and peices. I am still looking for a one book that teaches everything about access VBA.

Do not buy the book. A good alternative for beginers is Access 2007 VBA byScott Diamond

M Khan

Me. They explained and then they moved on. I like it.
I have never used VBA as I have no background in programming. I called in my wife, look at this darling as I made very simple magic on the computer. I have not completed the book yet. I am still working on it, but I am enjoying it. I started at chapter three where the actual programming started and got on with it.

I have spent some time reading "Access 2003 Inside Out" so I was a seasoned beginner with Access basics. I do like this book and I will recommend it for people who want to start at the beginning and move on from there.

Good luck and good hunting.

Traveling HT

Great for beginners
I have tried several books to help me with coding in Access and was never able to full grasp it. This book made the basics very easy to understand. I even found better ways to code in VBA through this book than I had learned from other people that we considered seasoned experts in VBA. I would suggest this book for anyone that has never programmed in VBA and those of you that have been thrown into a position at work that you have to design a DB or taking over someone else's project. A majority of the information can be used in prior version of access as well.

One of the better programming books I've read
This book is pretty fun to read.That being said, it is certainly not geared towards those who know nothing of Access.

Knowing both VB and Access fairly well, I was looking for a book that would show me how to integrate VB functionality into Access applications.This book does that pretty well.

Before purchasing this book (or any other programming book for that matter) I recommend skimming the first three chapters and the table of contents to determine whether the subject matter is acceptable to you.
... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive guide to programming for Access 2010 and 2007

Millions of people use the Access database applications, and hundreds of thousands of developers work with Access daily. Access 2010 brings better integration with SQL Server and enhanced XML support; this Wrox guide shows developers how to take advantage of these and other improvements.

With in-depth coverage of VBA, macros, and other programming methods for building Access applications, this book also provides real-world code examples to demonstrate each topic.

Access 2010 Programmer's Referenceis a comprehensive guide to the best-of-breed techniques for programming Access applications.

Coverage Includes:

• Introduction to Microsoft Access 2010
• New Features
• Upgrading and Converting to Access 2010
• Macros in Access 2010
• Using the VBA Editor
• VBA Basics
• Using VBA in Access
• Creating Classes in VBA
• Extending VBA with APIs
• Working with the Windows Registry
• Using DAO to Access Data
• Using ADO to Access Data
• Using SQL with VBA
• Using VBA to Enhance Forms
• Enhancing Reports with VBA
• Customizing the Ribbon
• Customizing the Office Backstage
• Working with Office 2010
• Working with SharePoint
• Working with .NET
• Building Client-Server Applications with Access
• The Access 2010 Templates
• Access Runtime Deployment
• Database Security
• Access 2010 Security Features

Customer Reviews (3)

Clear instructions, good examples, great tips, and valuable techniques
The depth of knowledge contained in the "Access 2010 Programmers Reference" is impressive - and so is the writing and readability.Detail is balanced well:good foundation if the concept is new and thorough enough to unveil the nuts & bolts.I recommend this book to anyone who needs a top reference for Access 2010 that is enjoyable to read.

This well-written tome flows like a novel with an index worthy of an encyclopedia. It exposes the power of Access in a style that is easy to read.2010 brings an new way of looking at things ... this book provides understanding and critical perspectives that are necessary for effective database design.

Clear instructions, good examples, great tips, and valuable techniques make this an important book fordevelopers who have built applications in Access for years to those of you who are beginning to wet your toes with Access.

While the text is generally easy to follow, there are sections that I had to read a few times to comprehend, such as the subtleties of BrowseTo. Some of the screen shots were also too small for me to read without getting a magnifier ... which I have

Overall, the "Access 2010 Programmers Reference" met my high expectations (since the 2007 version is outstanding).I give it the top rating.Thank you Rob, Geoff, Jerry, Teresa :), and others who contributed ... Ben, Doug, Albert, Armen, Jeff, Garry, Steve, Larry, Dane, and more.You gave me knowledge and inspired ideas that will empower me to build more challenging applications.My book will get tattered though ...already has worn and marked-up pages ;)

Warm Regards,
Crystal

*
(: have an awesome day :)
*

Another winner for Hennig, et al
Access 2010 Programmer's Reference is a well-written, well-thought-out, and very helpful book. It's another winner for the team of authors who wrote it.

Not only are the technical details of Access programming in-depth, complete and accurate, and exceptionally well-explained, the features and functions of Access that they are used to implement or supplement are thoroughly explained, too -- just so your memory will be refreshed on those with which you are already familiar and you can learn the ones that are new to this release of the Access product.

I have used Access since its Version 1.0, lead an Access user group, and have been honored by being recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for the product.But I wouldn't willingly start an Access 2010 project that I knew would involve code without having this book close at hand. I'm happy to let these extremely knowledgeable authors "do some heavy lifting" for me in identifying new functions and features, and investing the time and energy to determine and document exactly how those functions and features actually work.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

Great for beginners and experts
The coverage of upgrade aspects and considerations regarding 64 bit os was great.
The book is written in a way that beginners in Access can follow along, such as the explanation of the parts of the development environment, yet contains great material for experienced programmers. ... Read more

Product Description
* This friendly, easy-to-use guide shows experienced Access users how to use
* VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to build Access databases and applications, but also covers programming fundamentals for nonprogrammers
* Includes practical, ready-to-use VBA code examples that readers can type or copy and paste from the Web into their own database projects
* Explains basic VBA skills and concepts for nonprogrammers, such as procedures, variables, and loops
* Covers more advanced topics, such as record sets and other programming activities that are unique to Access programming
* Author has written more than ninety computer books and has been working with databases since the early 1980s ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Access VBA for Dummies Review
The book is an easy read. It can be used as a starting guide for beginners or even a reference book for a little more experienced users. It can be read in full or in pieces, it is a great reference to have on hand while beginning and continuing projects. No complaints. I only wish there were some exercises in the book to go through.

Great if you stick with it
Have used Excel for a number of years but never knew how to do a macro.Then started an application where a program might make the job easier.Had done Fortran programming years ago and hoped Excel macros could do the same thing.Well it can - arrays, "do" loops, if/then, subrutines etc.This book required careful reading and review.It takes time to get thru the material so that you feel you can really write a program (macro).But thru examples and entering programs yourself, you slowly get the hang of it.There remain times when I wish I could ask a real question.Lacking that, trial and error and Excel help let you muscle thru the process.I would recommend this book to anyone with a bit of a programming background and a real desire to get something programmed.You begin to write macros very early in the reading process.It just takes time to get to the point where you've learned enough to apply it to your particular problem.Good news, in the end, you will learn a good deal about macro programming.Once you've done one, the door is opened for more.

Good overall, though not perfect.
"Access VBA Programming for Dummies" definitely helped me in breaking into the world of Access VBA programming.The first half is especially good at explaning things in such a way that most anyone with a basic level of understanding of Access could benefit.I did run into some problems with some of the code which I used as templates for my database project, however.The solution I found suggested that the book should be using the '&' sign for combinations rather than the '+' sign, which appears to cause problems in some situations.Thus, it seems to have some mistakes in it.

Takes Work to Use Example Code
This book has lots of code snippets, but so many of them are out of context of actual usage (within class and standard modules) that the beginner is really left to READING about things rather than trying them. This is a mistake on the part of the Dummy editors. The authors need to give the beginning Dummy the ability to play with the code. It does no good to explain controls and then not provide the code to create the form or even provide the form for the reader to play with and practice. There are some sample files included, but they are far from useful and don't even follow the book. For example, the Chapter 6 Sales Tax form isn't included. I'd look for a book that gave you more examples for practice. Failing that, it's not a BAD book; it may take another book or two used along with this book which really defeats the concept of a Dummy book. Dummys need practice, not reading material.

Visual Basic Even I Can Understand
I love the Dummies books. They're clear, fun, and make great reference books. This one is no exception. If you're trying to learn VBA, I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

The first two editions of Inside Relational Databases have both been best sellers. These new editions will also cover the relational database model but will use different engines to illustrate the model. In doing so, readers will be able to apply the model using their preferred database engine. Initially three versions are planned starting with Access, SQL Server and my SQL.

The books show just how simple and useful databases can be. No prior knowledge is required i.e. real world examples show how to manage data efficiently.

A significant amount of new material is included in the core of the book and particular emphasis is given to showing how to make a database run faster and more efficiently.

Customer Reviews (34)

Fundamentals are Mandatory
Microsoft Access is a powerful multi-user relational database management system (RDBMS).The only problem is, it's as easy to build a pile of goo where 75% of the database's business rules reside between the designer's left ear and his right, rather than in the database itself, where they belong.

This book teaches the fundamentals of good database design, which will help you to ensure your database is well organized and will remain functional long after you've moved on to better things.It helps the designer to avoid that "pile of goo" I mentioned, and instead steers them towards such goals as Domain Key Normal Form (DKNF), the "holy grail" of proper database design.

It's Access examples are very appropriate to the topic at hand, simple, and easy to follow.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone as a "must read" BEFORE (or at least in conjunction with) any book you might have on Access itself.

Finally! An excellent book to clearly understand Access as an RDBMS
If you are like me with no background in IT and want to clearly understand and design an effective database you certainly need this book. I have read many books in the past and their names were always deceptive - like in 24 hours, bible, missing manual... They tell you how to build a database but skips to clearly explain why and why not something is done.This is the only book which clearly explains stuff like Referential Integrity, Cascading delete, triggers and such things to a newbie with no prior DB experience.Its really sad that even some Access Gurus - atleast the ones I have met do not know about this gem. But they are Gurus and wont need a book to know it all?Me and You would certainly benefit from a book like this.

Explains relational databases in plain English
The authors of this book don't avoid the more difficult concepts in understanding relational databases but they do a great job of explaining things in simple English.This is a good book for anyone who finds themselves having to work with relational databases but haven't understood why they're built the way they are.I've never read anyone before who tackled E. F. Codd's writing (the "father" of relational databases) and translated it so well into readable English.

Very little substance ...
I did not find this book very useful.I suppose I was looking for more of a book on Access and the application of relational databases.I should have picked up "Grover Park George ON ACCESS" and avoided this one.

However, even if I only had only wanted to learn the basics of relational databases, I should not have bought this book.It has about 25% of the substance that I would expect from a book of its length.The author explains every little thing over and over, and explains why he's explaining things, then provides more examples than necessary.To me, this book was an unfortunate waste of time.

Great Book!
This author is great. Makes for fun reading. Makes sense of databases whereas other books trying to explain databases cannot. I will buy all his books that deal with database now. Really helped me and I was completely clueless before this book, but CLUELESS NO MORE! Trust me, get it. ... Read more

Product Description

Five Touchstones to Understanding Access

Let’s face it--learning the tricks and techniques of database design can be a bit of a slog. But if you’re just starting out with Access, here are five key insights that can help you understand how the database world works. Keep these points in mind, and you’ll be on the inside track to mastering Access.

1. Databases hold database objects. Most people are familiar with tables, the grid-like grouping of data that stores your information (for example, lists of items you own, friends you have, or products you sell through your small business). But tables are just one type of object that an Access database can hold. The other key ingredients are queries (customized search routines that pull out the information you need at the drop of a hat), reports (similar to queries, but nicely formatted and ready for printing), forms (windows that make it easy to review and edit the data in your tables), and macros and modules (miniature programs that can do just about anything—from updating 10,000 records at once to firing off an email).

2. Relationships hold it all together. Access newbies sometimes start out thinking a database is just a glorified spreadsheet. After all, can’t Excel hold long lists with hundreds of thousands of rows? (And yes, it can.) However, Access has a feature Excel can’t duplicate: relationships.A typical Access database holds several tables, and relationships link these tables together. For example, a table of customers might link to a table of orders, which would link to a table of products, allowing you to answer questions like “What customers spent the most money?” and “What is the most popular product for customers living in New York?” Relationships also safeguard your data--for example, they make it impossible for someone to accidentally place an order for a product or a customer that doesn’t exist.

3. There are two ways to work with a database: as a designer and as a user. The database designer is the person who sets up the database. The database designer has the responsibility of laying out the tables, building the queries, and knocking together some nice reports and forms (assuming you want all those features). By comparison, the database user is the person who uses the tables, queries, reports, and forms in day-to-day life. The user reviews records, makes changes, and fills the tables up with data.

Depending on what type of database you’re creating (and what you want to accomplish), you may be both the database designer and the database user. But it’s important to realize that these are distinct tasks. In fact, when using a properly designed database, database users don’t need to be particularly skilled with Access. They can just work with the forms and reports that the database designer created.

4. Sooner or later, you’ll need macros. To become an Access expert, you must first learn to design a logical, consistent set of tables and add the relationships that link them together. Next, you must learn to build the other types of objects--queries, forms, and reports--that make it easier to perform common tasks. At some point, while tackling this second stage, you’ll run into a challenge that forces you to step up to the third level of Access mastery: macros.

Macros are miniature programs that perform custom tasks. The good news is that in Access 2010, you can design your own macros without becoming a programmer. You just need to drag, drop, and arrange a sequence of ready-made macro commands into the Access macro designer. For example, you can use macros to build buttons that send emails, start printouts, make updates, or just take you around your database.

5. Expert user, meet Visual Basic. Some people stop their Access journey at this point, content to use tables, forms, reports, and macros to do all their work. But if you want to see everything Access has to offer, you need to take a look at its high-powered Visual Basic engine.Using VB code, you can do almost anything, from validating a credit card to leading a customer through an order process (two examples that are discussed in Access 2010: The Missing Manual). And if you’re willing to pick up some basic programming concepts, you can use code to transform a simple database into a cohesive database application—for example, something that looks more like the traditional desktop programs you run on your computer.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fantastic Coverage
This book is well written and is very easy to follow.Both for the novice user and advance.There is quality information for both.I have been programming since the old school days (pascal, cobol, fortran, c, c++ and of course basic). This book simplifies programming and has you up and running in no time ready to add all the bells and whistles to your finished product. Well done Matthew MacDonald and staff for a textbook very well written.

Mostly for beginners
I picked this up a few weeks back so haven't read it completely. Still I think not the best book for anyone experienced with MS Access. There's lots of basics but not a good balance of depth. I recommended taking a read through before you pick it up.

Beginners into to Access
Maybe I have unrealistic expectations - but so much of the book is devoted to very basic items and so little of the book is devoted to software development.Almost no discussion of Access classes or calling API's; only a token consideration of programming in Access. In my opinion, this book would be excellent for someone not very familiar with Access 2010 that wants to build a database and use standard features to enter data, query it, and produce reports.This book is not quite right for the experienced software developer that wants to use an underlying programming methodology to have precise control and develop professional-looking applications that require no user training.

Learn Access 2010 With A Gem Of A Reference Book!!!!
'Access 2010: The Missing Manual' by Matthew MacDonald is another gem in the line of Missing Manual books. Filled with 800+ pages of material, if you are new to Access or even a seasoned pro, there is a little bit of something for everybody in this book. A fantastic layout, wonderful content, and one of the most user-friendly books out there, if you use Access for any length of time and want to become a better user or are a new user and want to discover how to use Access, this is the ONLY book for you.

An absolute marvel which richly deserves the title 'Missing Manual' as this keeps up with the past quality works expected from this line.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

An in-depth tutorial. Highly readable.
Some people think there's only one Matthew MacDonald who writes books about Access, but I know better: I've read "Access 2010 The Missing Manual," and I've seen for myself that there are two Matthew MacDonalds.

The first Matthew MacDonald is a good one, the one who rejected the too-easy idea of merely writing a survey of database concepts or merely writing a survey of the Access user interface. This Matthew MacDonald insisted on writing an integrated presentation of database concepts and associated Access procedures--a presentation perfectly suited to readers building their first serious business database in Access.

The second Matthew MacDonald is an even better one, the one who rejected the idea of merely identifying the various elements shown in the many screen snapshots scattered throughout the book. This Matthew MacDonald wrote full-bodied captions (in sidebar form) that explain exactly how each snapshot illustrates the concepts covered in the text.

Together, the two Matthew MacDonalds have produced a highly readable, in-depth tutorial that makes you feel as though a couple of helpful, knowledgeable friends are guiding you along the way. (These are the type of friends who know you'll want to learn about related tables before learning about lookup lists based on related tables, and that you'll be better off learning about junction tables before learning about multi-value fields.)

The careful unfolding of complex subjects, which is perfectly suited to the needs of readers new to databases in general and to Access in particular, might cause a small measure of frustration for readers who want to dip into the book for quick reference purposes--but onlya small measure.

For example, a reader who wants to quickly review everything there is to know about indexes in database tables will discover that the material he or she is looking for is split across two locations. The role of indexes in preventing entry of duplicate data is presented at one location, and the role of indexes in speeding searches is presented at a different location. Fortunately, the book's table of contents and index make it easy to discover where each type of information is located, and cross-references within the text make it easy to jump from one location to the other.

If I were editing this book, I would urge the MacDonalds to avoid quarrels with user interface terminology. One way they could do this is by using expressions such as "To build an expression, choose Build..." rather than "To insert an expression, choose Build...." My argument would be that if Access provides tools for building rather than inserting expressions, you might as well get used to building rather than inserting them.

Readers who have been using Access for years will appreciate sections of the book devoted to Access 2010's new "backstage" view, new navigation controls, revamped macro designer, and new Ribbon customization capabilities. Readers interested in extending the reach of their Access databases will appreciate sections devoted to working with SQL Server, Sharepoint, and the web. ... Read more

Product Description

Microsoft Office 2007 is a major upgrade from the last version of Office; Access will also be greatly revised. Alison Balter is the name that Access developers will trust to guide them through Access 2007's new features. She has the rare ability to take complex topics and explain them clearly, as shown by the success of her ten previous books on Access. Balter is known for providing real-world solutions to specific Access development problems. She also is known for her ability to back up her practical examples with just enough underlying theory to give the reader a good overall understanding of Access. In short, this book will provide beginning and intermediate Access developers with everything that they need to know to design and build Access 2007 applications. It should also appeal to DBAs and power users who want or need to get started building custom Access apps. This latest book in her Mastering Access series will not disappoint her many fans who anxiously await each new version, and should win her new fans as well.

Customer Reviews (14)

Excellent and Comprehensive
I am very particular about the training books I purchase, that's why I spent several days researching the various Access Development books available.Based on the author's background, I finally selected Alison Balter's "Access 2007 Development."

After receiving the book and going through the first chapter, I am happy to say that I am convinced I chose the best of breed.The book is written in such a manner as to be accessible to those of us with various degrees of Access knowledge.Each chapter begin with a brief description of the relevance of the material covered in that particular chapter.The book is well illustrated with clear step by step directions and is replete with VBA examples. I was a bit concerned prior to receiving the book that it would be written in an excessively technical style, but this was not the case as I was able to follow the author's logic. The first chapter alone has already improved my Access skills.

Although no single book can completely cover everything that is possible in Access, Alison's book certainly seems comprehensive enough for the most demanding Access developer.I am highly satisfied with the book and would recommend it to anyone seeking to master Access Development.My satisfaction with the book led me to purchase Alison's Access Development Videos - I can't wait for those to arrive!

Very Good Reference
I bought Alison Balter's book as I was transitioning from Access 2003 to 2007.
This book was wriiten in very good way to walk you into 2007 and shows some practical introductions and uses for VBA.
I use Access professionally and find this book to be a very good reference among other publications I keep at hand.
I recommend it for anyone who needs a better understanding to using Access 2007.
I also didn't get the CD with the book. I thought that was odd.

This Book is Great!
I've read many Access how-to books over the past 15 years.Most have been very rudimentary, but better than the original Microsoft documentation, which doesn't take much.
I bought this book to help me with a project and I was very pleasantly surprised? Following the Wizard data, background on how Wizards work, etc., I'm now using ADO to code record set manipulation with Access 2007.If you have only have money for one book, this is it.Everything you want/need to know is in the table of contents or index.The logical progressions of knowledge from fundamentals through VBA make the plot pretty good for reading straight through. This lady knows her stuff.
I love Alison Balter's work.If you want to learn Access and VBA, then you can't go wrong with this book.

Access 2007 VBA
This is probably the best Access book ever written. It presents an overview of Access for beginner and experienced alike. A summary of the version 7 features, and why it's the best is the development section that shows the power and versatility of VBA to achieve the best performance.
Mastering Access 2007 not only shows what can be done - it also shows what is possible....With thanks.

One of my three greatest resources!
Contrary to popular claims, no one book could cover every aspect of this subject, but if there was one single book I could own, This would be it. Extremely well written, a tiny bit of humor, a fun read (quite actually). I spent hours in this and had something to show for my money.

This book can take you from marginal knowledge to building a company wide sabotage-proof application that will command respect.

Disclaimer: this is not to say that you might not have to spend hours and hours exploring this ocean-deep hobby. Work is still essential on your part, but Balter takes as much pain out of the task as humanly possible.

A nice complimentary companion to this work is Hernandez's Database Design for Mere Mortals, but take this one first.

A terrific Value.

Steve, Akron, OH
Hobbiest and enthusiast.

Expert's Exchange fee-based newsgroup is another terrific help to get you on your way. ... Read more

Product Description
No matter your information management needs, this easy-to-follow resource will show you how to collect and process data, customize data entry, share it through secure pathways, and create your own processing rules. Designed for easy comprehension, this helpful guide gives you step-by-step explanations supported by relevant examples and exercises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Want to learn Access?Get this book, today!
I've been trying to learn Access for the past year, and none of the books of the dozens I've consulted really helped.Mr. Sheldon's book, however, is different.In every chapter, he explains how to use Access with concrete examples, and he even teaches the reader about database design along the way.There are progress check questions and end of chapter quizzes, both with answers!Most importantly, each chapter contains very well-designed, easy-to-do, hands-on projects!They're great.Plus, the material is general enough that, in my opinion, one can use any version of Access with this book.If you're new to Access and databases, get this book! ... Read more

Product Description
With MICROSOFT ACCESS Version 2002 CORE REFERENCE, developers learn how to quickly connect to structured data sources-and extend their solutions to the Web-with code and instruction, straight from the source. Highly regarded programming author Rick Dobson takes readers inside the enhanced capabilities of Access Version 2002, providing the expert guidance and rich, adaptable code samples they need to write, test, and debug extensible database applications faster and more intuitively than ever. The book covers ActiveX(r) Data Objects (ADO), ADO+, Microsoft SQL Server(tm), XML, and Web development in depth, using best practices and real-world examples to build comprehension and help expedite developer productivity. All the book's code appears on the companion CD-ROM so developers can study and reuse them for their own projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

This is the most "MUST HAVE" Access book
This book really helped me to have a kickstart to become a professional access programmer.... it contains the best tricks to do whatever you want with Access....Besides the writer has writen the book in a way that is very comprehensive for every one....After this book I`m a real fan of Rick Dobson...He knows how to lead you to make you professional....

Great Help
I have read your book and applied some of the programming methods mentioned in it and found it very helpful.

I have 20 years of software development experience mainly in the
mainframe area both here in Sydney, Australia and Boston, Mass. I recently decided to start my own consulting firm and develop business applications using Access.In the past four months, I have used your book to learn Access in order to develop an
inventory and billing software package for one of my clients. I can honestly tell you that I learned a lot from your book, and I can even say that without your book, I would've not been able to finish the project.

Includes Much That You Will Not Find Elsewhere
This complete reference book is actually three books in

one. It is the clearest available introduction to VBA

coding. It provides explanations with a huge collection

of Access VBA code. And it is a thorough presentation

of what is new and powerful in Access 2002, especially

concerning integration with SQL Server.

This book is just the thing for anyone who wants to

become a serious Access user or developer. It is the

answer to the prayers of many Access users who have

wanted a reference that would finally take them from

the limited GUI Access interface into the more full and

flexible features of VBA coding. The coding in this

very large book is so extensive that I bet you could,

if you wanted to, do every future Access project with

just code and without reference to the GUI interface.

You can tell that Rick Dobson loves to code and to pass

on what he has learned.

The explanations are very readable and give you the

background necessary to actually understand why things

work the way they do. Much attention is given to

keeping you out of trouble by conveying a very clear

understanding of operational issues not covered

elsewhere. This includes successful integration of

different versions of Access and SQL Server, getting

the reference libraries correct, and even using Access

with FrontPage (now included in Office XP

Professional).

If this reference indicates the way Microsoft Press

books are headed, then I am going to look to add more

of them to my reference collection in the future.

Clarity, comprehensive, and Code, code, code!

Must have for Access Developers
Being a seasoned Access Veteran, I found the book most helpful in explaining ADO (New in Access 2000), explaining class modules and using Access with SQL Server. Most MS Press books in the past that have dealt with Access / VBA have been fairly "light" on these subjects, but this one goes in depth on these subjects. Also the chapter on XML does a good job introducing the platform to novice developers.

Next to The Access Developer's Handbook Seriesby Litwin, Getz etc..and F. Scott Barker's Power Programming, I would say this is a "must have" for any serious Access Developer.

How to Deploy SQL and Web Solutions w/ Access XP
This book builds on Dobson's prior book "SQL Server with Access 2000" and ferrets out good solutions to some everyday needs like image processing and dynamically populated combo boxes.I'm a small business owner whose time is precious, but needs to get big picture solutions so not to be reworking stop gap efforts to streamline my operations.

Being pressured to grow my application to many users (both trusted LAN and anonymous Web) and being comfortable with the graphical interfaces of Access, I found the the need to learn about programming ADO recordsets, Data Access Pages and ASP while determining the best solution.I have been overwelmed by the flexibility of MS solutions and options that are possible and needed some guidance in plain language to explain such terms as Objects, Properties and Methods, and what they meant to be programmed.Chapter 2 does a good job of that which is followed by a useful summary of the ADO library.Data Access Projects are lined out well along with some practical tips to incorporating SQL Server 2000 as a data source.He further builds upon this model and shows how to dynamically (!) create web pages from the Access Project using MS Frontpage XP, the resultants being Active Server Pages!I have found while the Access 2002 graphical tools are helpful, Dobson explores how to control the code behind the power of the XP Office release.

I have found the code to be tight and well commented.I'd urge anyone interested in harnessing the full power and speed of deployment of Access 2002 and the Office XP suite to add this book to their "How To" library. ... Read more

Product Description
Databases on the Web is a concise, readable guide to enabling Web access (across intranets and the Internet) to information created over decades on many different systems. This content includes shop-by-mail pricing guides, school registration and tuition systems, and billion-dollar corporate databases.

The key to integrating databases onto the Web is flexibility. Flexibility is also the key to this book. Learn to make a wide range of applications and configurations work in harmony: all database types -- flatfile, relational, extended relational, and object; assorted SQL implementations; several levels of security concerns; and many transaction systems ranging from plain old CGI to FastCGI, NSAPI, and ISAPI.

Choose and use the best tools and configurations for your system, and follow the author's real-world success stories to make your intranet- or Internet-ready database work right the first time.

The companion CD-ROM offers database management systems, connection libraries for Perl and Java, and an invaluable collection of useful tools for building a Web/database application, including Microsoft's Visual J++ 1.1 Trial Edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good info -- about due for an update.
My background -- I'm a senior software engineer, but haven't done much "web-work".

I'm in the planning stages of a large commercial website that will be mostly data-driven so I'm "consuming" asmany [good] books related to this subject as I can.

I've found this bookto be helpful. It contains many good tips, and a good overview of thedifferent technologies that might be used to build a data-driven website --along with the hows, whys, advantages, and disadvantages of eachtechnology.

It's perfect for someone trying to design a data-driven site,or add (or improve) database capabilities to an existing site. This bookprobably isn't the ONLY book you'll need to put together a full-blowndata-driven site -- but it'll get you headed down the right path, andyou'll come out of the book with a good idea of what other (more specific)books you need (and don't need).

The one negative for me with this bookis the number of typographical and grammatical errors that exist throughoutthe book. This type of thing is quite distracting to me -- and I have tosay the number of errors of this nature far exceed that of any othertechnical book I've bought from a bookstore.

Fortunately, the technicalcontent seems pretty sound.

The best advice I can give the author for"next time" is to find a good editor (if you had an editor lasttime, get a different one). Having been an author myself, I know the valueof a top-notch post-draft review process.

rffgh
fgsgdf ... Read more

Product Description
Explains how users can design effective, well-structured Access applications, discussing the database software's graphics capabilities, creative database design, and ways to create appealing forms, reports, and tables. Original. (All Users). ... Read more

Product Description
Do you have tons and tons of data on your computer but you’re not quite sure how to make heads or tails of them—or even organize them? Are you using Access as spreadsheet rather than what it was really meant for? If you have trouble finding meaning in your data, then Access 2007 Forms & Reports for Dummies let you discover the wonders of this highly useful program.

This no-nonsense guide gets right down to business by showing you the easy way to use this powerful tool. It gets you started with selective, targeted queries; forms that improve efficiency; and reports that communicate—while sparing you of any fancy language. This hands-on guide features clear, concise instructions that show you how to:

• Orient yourself with forms and reports
• Create and modify queries
• Build and edit forms
• Design and update reports
• Troubleshoot queries, forms, and reports
• Make your forms useful
• Add multiple tables to forms
• Add finishing touches to reports

Thanks to the included references, Web sites, and informative tips, putting your data to good use has never been easier. You’ll even add some pizzazz to your reports with handy suggestions on ways to wow your viewers. With Access 2007 Forms & Reports for Dummies, you will be creating effective queries, forms, and reports in no time! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Who's The Dummy?
These books are not written for dummies.I got more information from the 'help' in the Access program.CoMpLeTe waste of $$ and time.Let me help write the next book that the common person can understand.

Easy, quick, and fun!
I didn't want to waste a lot of time--who has that? This book didn't waste my time but instead it told me what to do, how to do it, and why it mattered in simple, straightforward language. It was actually fun to see how much I could accomplish in Access in such a short time. Now everyone in the office thinks I'm an Access wizard.

Great way to learn
I've got a LOT of Mr. Underdahl's books in my library, and have come to expect excellent coverage of whatever topics he writes on.I know how to use Access, but I'm not quite that up-to-speed on creating forms and reports and using the Query tool properly - this book fills in the blanks and shows you how maximize your time and financial investments in Access.The author also does a great job of showing you how to use the Access tools with other Office applications (like Word and Excel).The book is a great one-stop-source for Access 2007 forms/reports/query tool - if you use Access often, this book is one of those resources you'll always find yourself reaching out for... a great reference.

Access 2007 Review
Since I don't use Access often enough to be great at it, this is the perfect reference book to quickly guide me through unfamiliar areas. I found the "queries" discussions particularly helpful. Also, this book is loaded with tips, notes and reminders that really make sense and offer great ideas to manipulate the data and produce the perfect report. Thank you for making that task easier and less stressful. ... Read more

Product Description

The Ultimate Microsoft Office Access 2007 Resource

Build a highly responsive a database so you can track, report, and share information and make more informed decisions. This comprehensive resource shows you how to design and develop custom Access 2007 databases--even if you have little or no programming experience. You'll learn to collect data from a variety of sources, share it securely with others, and integrate it with other Office applications.

Filled with detailed, easy-to-follow instructions, Microsoft Office Access 2007: The Complete Reference shows you how to take full advantage of all the new features, including the new ribbon user interface and navigation pane, new field types, and more. Create a reliable and versatile information management solution with help from this all-inclusive guide. As a bonus, you can gain hands-on experience by following along with the book's sample databases on the CD-ROM.

• Customize the user interface to suit your preferences
• Use the built-in database templates or design your own
• Create, modify, and relate tables
• Enter and edit data
• Write advanced queries to extract and manipulate information
• Create customized forms and reports
• Improve performance and back up your database
• Develop macros to carry out automated responses to user actions
• Import, link, and export data
• Enable a multiple-user environment
• Secure your database

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Reference Book
I purchased this book as reference book while I am refreshing my Access skills.I am using a text book for the refresher and this book is a great reference for things that are not covered in enough detail in the textbook.

Never too many references
This is an excellent reference on Access. Transition to Office 2007 is hard enough for old heads, but Access is a total rewrite. Gives good illustrations of inserting objects into Access database and pulling into reports and forms. I teach and write Access applications, so the "Tips" are great! ... Read more

Product Description
-Programmers improve database productivity with this task-oriented guide to using macro and VBA programming to create custom database applications.

--Building on a basic knowledge of Access, this book takes users to the next level, providing coverage of automating complex processes and designing and delivering applications that meet users' exacting requirements.

--The companion CD contains code from the book and sample databases for hands-on experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Look elsewhere
I bought this book to accompany the others in the series and this has disappointed time and again. The information that's in here is covered in much better detail in Litwin/Getz/Gunderloy's Access 2002 Developer book by the same publisher. One subject it covers well is creating forms dynamically. So it gets a star. I blame the editors for letting this go to print.

Can't use it enough!
This book has been all that I hoped it would be.I use it as a tutorial one day and a reference the next.I was a beginner Access VBA developer and now with this book I have become much more comfortable around VBA.So much more comfortable that I have developed 4 financial Access applications that are going to be used by multiple departments.I recently picked up the Access 2002 Developer's Handbook Set which is a little more advanced but I keep coming back to this one.

With a little study and committment
I started using Access a few years ago as an adjunct of Microsoft Office, creating simple databases for my Christmas card list and such.Then about a year ago, because of work, I had the opportunity to dig deeper.Where to start?I began with Alison Balter's Mastering Access 2002 Desktop Development, a frustrating and disorganised tome that seemed to be missing all of the secret handshakes, signals and knowledge I longed for to unlock the supposed power of Microsoft Access.Every time it appeared Ms. Balter was going to get to the actual point and impart the wisdom I was seeking...she swiftly moved on to another topic.The book didn't even serve to help me clarify the mind-boggling vocabulary necessary to describe and understand the application.To me, Ms. Balter seemed like somebody whom, if they possessed a lot of knowledge, wasn't giving any of it away.A job change took care of my deadline but I was still intrigued and inherited a larger project when I committed myself to writing a custom database application for my partner's administrative needs.I needed help and serious instruction to achieve the application designs I had in my head.

I turned to Getz, Litwin & Baron's Access Cookbook (1st edition), thinking I could hi-jack some off the shelf solutions and, if not actually learn to write Access VBA, at least tweak the code they supplied to suit my starry-eyed custom application needs.Not a bad idea.Problem was, as intriguing as the book is, it's really for experienced developers looking to take their skills in another direction (skyward).Very strong on methodology too, which is important, but it wasn't exactly getting me off the launch pad (it wasn't even getting me off my mouse pad, to be more accurate).

Seven months on, two books later and still no real understanding of Access VBA.I checked out Getz, Litwin & Gunderloy's Access 2002 Developer's Handbook Set and was ready to dig deep...but one really needs to know the basics and fundamentals of Access VBA to keep up (otherwise it's like reading a foreign language of which you have very little knowledge).One hundred pages in and I sensed that I had skipped a grade and it wasn't going to get any easier.Even Ken Getz & Co. were repeatedly pointing me toward Novalis & Jones' Access 2002 VBA Handbook (useful for 2003 as well) and I can honestly say, after a few months procrastinating and about 2.5 - 3 weeks of focused study, without any previous programming knowledge or experience, I can now read an Access VBA procedure and understand what is actually going on.It's like I'm speaking their language!

Novalis and Jones are thorough and precise to a fault. Despite the repetitive vocabulary of Access application development, they do a stunning job of continually moving the reader along, down what is, it has to be said, a very tricky and treacherous path.("Each AccessObject object has an AccessObjectProperties collection object, sometimes just referred to as Properties, a collection object that stores custom properties for the object.Each AccessObjectProperty in the AccessObjectProperties collection object itself has two properties: Name and Value."Don't worry, by the time you get to Chapter 13, from whence that comes, it'll just make you chuckle instead of sweat.)If you've ever tried to learn Access VBA and have been left scratching your head wondering what some author's glib explanation is supposed to actually mean, you won't be disappointed in this book.Novalis and Jones will not leave you behind.

The experience of reading the book is like one of taking a university course called Access VBA 101.You have to concentrate andfocus while you do your reading.There are procedures aplenty throughout the book with step-by-step demonstrations and explanations about how to write Access VBA.The book is very well structured with regular variation between activity and explanation.(You will be inclined to start writing customisations and applying your newfound knowledge to the code samples as the book continues.)All of the samples are immediately applicable tothe kind of useful procedures you'll want to include in your custom database application--in very simple form.This book is about foundations, however, it is an end in itself because you could finish it and start writing your own procedures.I have 12 different sections specifically earmarked for functionality that I want to include in my application, which is pretty useful.Their section on Creating and Modifying Database Objects (Chapter 14) has given me plenty of ideas about coding tools I want to write to flesh out the VBA IDE and write my code faster.Did I mention that 3 weeks ago I couldn't even read Access VBA?

If at times the book feels like it's hard going, it probably has more to do with the subject itself (maybe I should've taken a few more breaks).You will hit a few walls but everything is surmountable; I made it all the way through the book (save the DAO Appendix) and all of their code worked for me (be careful in Chapter 13 "Working with Groups of Records...", however, because a couple of their early procedures in the chapter will break some of the later ones).Not a quick start and at least a month or so of Sundays but for those looking to lay a solid foundation in Access VBA, this is a wise investment of time and money.I now feel that I know the depth and power of Access using VBA programming and when you're trying to learn and utilise somethingthis complex, that's half the battle.

Not for the hands on learner
I am in chapter 3 and have decided to set the book aside and look for a more hands on approach.It's my learning style.I learn a lot more from a technical book (on a new topic) where you work through more examples.Once I have gone through a book with more examples I suspect that the theoretical approach will be more meaningful.I will come back to read this book at a later time.

Excellent work!
You have done the graphical interfaces of Access to the limit and You need more theoretical knowledge to climb a step further, so your projects can advance for their accomplishments.This book will give You high quality information, meaning knowledge that is in harmony with other sciences, for instance mathematics.You will not find usefull new examples of code, once the book is based on the Access Samples (Northwind), thanks God! You wont find the icecream shop, or the whisky bottlement, or the video rent,etc.These originalities are meaningless to the understanding of the structure of VBA. You will not find that a number divided by zero is zero, or that x = x + 1, without further explanations, and that programming has a special type of logic that blows up whatever You thought credible. So I would advise to buy the book because it is an excellent work, linking the many areas of knowledge in a deep way, although the subjects are managed with as few words as possible, enough to You understand how VBA is conceived. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides explanations of JDBC and Java fundamentals, a step-by-step tutorial to bring you up tp speed, and an extensively annotated reference to all JDBC classes and interfaces. Paper.Amazon.com Review
Although Java is touted for its simplicity, it also has itsthornier sides, and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)--Java's databaseclass library--is certainly one of them. Thankfully, the creators ofthe JDBC specification at Sun Microsystems have brought out JDBCDatabase Access with Java, an authoritative guide to basic andadvanced topics in JDBC. Though the book suffers from a bland writingstyle, it does include some indispensable information. The guidebegins with a basic tutorial on Structured Query Language (SQL) andteaches the rudiments of using Java as a programming language. It thenprovides instructions for performing basic database operations inJDBC, from simple topics such as joins, updates, and queries withresult sets to more advanced topics such as transactions and storedprocedures. The section on how to use MetaData classes, which allowprogrammers to read and manipulate table structures, is quitevaluable. In addition, all basic database problems include shortsample code.

The second half of JDBC Database Access withJava contains a useful reference to the dozen-and-a-half classesin the JDBC library. Each section provides a general overview of theclass and a guide to all APIs. This portion of the book also includesa guide to data types in JDBC and all of today's major SQL serverplatforms. The final chapter recounts how the JDBC specification wascreated. Appendices offer short tips for developers who are writingJDBC drivers (who will absolutely want this book on theirshelves). Although most Java developers will want to write to a higherlevel of classes, those new solutions will rely on JDBC, an effectivetool for writing database-independent code in Java. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Time Tested
I bought my copy of "JDBC Database Access with Java" in the fall of 1999.It's sitting next to me on my desk here at work as I write these words.The right side is choked with Postit page markers that get me back to my most frequently referenced pages quickly.The binding has finally worn out within a part of the DatabaseMetaData section - and some of the pages are loose there.I have relied on this book for the past seven years of Java SQL database programming like no other.That's not to say that I don't have others.I just don't use them.The organization and writing style of this book fits my needs perfectly.I happen to be here today to check to see whether there has been an update to this wonderful reference.Nope.Apparently they got it right the first time back in 1997.

If you're looking for a reference book that will enable you to expand your Java capability to JDBC (or to expand your JDBC capability to using all of it) - this is the one.Not too terse.Not too wordy.It covers everything from initial access to database reflection.It has just enough examples to show you how to use JDBC without over-burdening you with code.The index is terrific for quick lookups.Postit notes stick reliably to the pages for many years.A real gem.

sasa
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good coverage, not much depth.
I am an experienced Java programmer who bought this book in the middle ofimplementing a JDBC based application. After staring at the opaque JDBCdocumentation from Sun, I hoped to find in this book an in depthexamination of design and performance issues.The examples here do not govery far. My feeling is that this book covers the subject adequately, butin the end it is not a very complex subject. The hard issues are oftenimplementation specific, and I suppose an in depth look at the details ofconformance and performance is not really possible in a book format (e.g.which databases require that resultsets read every column and only once).Now I wish I had purchased a more general book with one good chapter onJDBC, though I do appreciate the reference section in the back and stillrefer to it.

Excellent book for anyone who wants to learn JDBC and more
This book is well-written and has examples on using the SQL select, insert, delete and update commands.In addition, the topics on metadata is thorough. This is the best of the bunch, you won't be disappointed.It covers everything about database transactions - stored procedures, rollbacks and more.

Very good book for Database Programming using Java
Excellent book for starters in either Java/DB. Can be used by expert prorammers to write their own APIs. My favorite in this book is metadata explanation. A must reference for everyone whose working with JAVA/JDBC. ... Read more

Product Description

The Data Access Handbook

Achieving Optimal Database Application Performance and Scalability

John Goodson • Robert A. Steward

Drive breakthrough database application performance by optimizing middleware and connectivity

Performance and scalability are more critical than ever in today’s enterprise database applications, and traditional database tuning isn’t nearly enough to solve the performance problems you are likely to see in those applications. Nowadays, 75-95% of the time it takes to process a data request is typically spent in the database middleware. Today’s worst performance and scalability problems are generally caused by issues with networking, database drivers, the broader software/hardware environment, and inefficient coding of data requests. In The Data Access Handbook, two of the world’s leading experts on database access systematically address these issues, showing how to achieve remarkable improvements in performance of real-world database applications.

Drawing on their unsurpassed experience with every leading database system and database connectivity API, John Goodson and Rob Steward reveal the powerful ways middleware affects application performance and guide developers with designing and writing API code that will deliver superior performance in each leading environment. In addition to covering essential concepts and techniques that apply across database systems and APIs, they present many API examples for ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET as well as database system examples for DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase.

Coverage includes

• Clearly understanding how each component of database middleware can impact performance and scalability
• Writing database applications to reduce network traffic, limit disk I/O, optimize application-to-driver interaction, and simplify queries—including examples for ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET
• Managing connections, transactions, and SQL statement execution more efficiently
• Making the most of connection and statement pooling
• Writing good benchmarks to predict your application’s performance
• Systematically resolving performance problems—including eight start-to-finish case-study examples

If you’re a software architect, system designer, or database application developer, The Data Access Handbook will be your most indispensable database application performance resource. It’s the one book that focuses on the areas where you can achieve the greatest improvements—whether you’re designing new database applications or troubleshooting existing ones.

John Goodson is vice president and general manager of the DataDirect division of Progress Software, a leader in
data connectivity and mainframe integration. For 20 years, he has worked with Sun, Microsoft, and others to develop database connectivity standards such as J2EE, JDBC, ODBC, and ADO. He served on the ANSI H2 committee that built the SQL standard and now participates in the JDBC Expert Group and Java Rowsets standards committees.

Rob Steward, vice president of R&D at the DataDirect
division of Progress Software,
is responsible for the development, strategy, and oversight of the company’s data connectivity products. Rob has spent the past 15 years developing high-performing database driver and data providers, including ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET.

Both authors have spoken on database application performance at many industry events.

Visit www.dataaccesshandbook.com to get the code examples presented in this book and other supplemental information for DB2, MicrosoftSQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase.

Customer Reviews (2)

Detailed easy read, but repeatative
I recently attended a webcast which introduced me to this book.The example given in the webcast from the book was solid and well founded example CPU, memory, and performance tuning for data access.That good information prompted me to look and purchase the book.

Pros:
Good information, good examples, detailed analysis, and nearly complete all-round.Good middle-ware background. Very easy read and good future reference.

Cons:
Repetitive information, examples, and case studies with looping "see page xyz".Benchmarking, about 20 pages long, could be extended to include network, CPU, disk, and other load testing, analysis, and tuning tools.

optimising your application's use of a database
Many books about relational databases go into considerable details about optimising the use. Like the way you build the tables and how they are interrelated and joined. In contrast, Goodson and Steward describe a different type of optimisation. Here there are at least 2 computers. On 1 runs your application, while on the other is the database it uses. The application talks to a database driver on its machine, and the driver makes the network conversation with the database. The book describes ways to better configure the application's use of the driver.

The key recommendations are thus:

Reduce the number of network connections. Network delays can be considerable, especially if the machines are far apart.

Reduce the amount of data returned over the network by the database. Discard fields [columns] in rows that are unlikely to be needed by the user; all the more so if the fields are large, like images. If the results are large, it takes time to convert these into network packets and then to reassemble the packets on the application machine. Here the penalty is in the time taken on the database server to find the results, the time to transmit these, and the time to reassemble them on your machine.

There are more recommendations, but the 2 above seem the most important. The book goes into details about the others. It also has a useful chapter towards the end where several scenarios of actual non-optimal situations are given, along with the causes and resolutions. Worth careful reading for you to get inspiration and possibly clues about your situation. ... Read more

Product Description
Although many people rarely go from Excel into Access or vice versa, you should know that Microsoft actually designed these applications to work together. In this book, you’ll discover how Access benefits from Excel’s flexible presentation layer and versatile analysis capabilities, while Access’s relational database structure and robust querying tools enhance Excel. Once you learn to make the two work together, you’ll find that your team’s productivity is the real winner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Another great contribution by Michael Alexander
This book has some great tips on how to get these two programs to work together for even more sophistication and productivity.Excel is one of those programs where the average user uses perhaps 15 percent of its capabilities.The same is probably true of Access.Alexander and Clark show some great ways to get the programs to work together.Even as a seasoned user, I found some neat sections that opened my eyes.For me the best sections were those on Microsoft Query, getting Excel reports to look professional (by feeding them to Access Reports), the introduction to VBA, and the very clever sections on integration with Word and PowerPoint.This book will be a valuable addition to every Excel and Access user's bookshelf (and it won't get dusty there, I regularly use it as a reference).

Great resource!
I found this book to be a great resource.It's perfect for an Excel user who wants to start using the power of Access, Queries, and VBA to take their data analysis to the next level.I highly recommend this book.It was well worth the money.

Terrific!
This book is terrific.It is for the intermediate Excel user.It spring boards you into the world of MS Query! MS Query provides your spreadsheets excellent real time information from your MS Access database.The book states there is web material to work through the exercises.It was a bit difficult to find the materials on wiley.com.Go to h[...]
There are two files with the description of "Sample Files", but they are really the materials for the book.

It was just what I was looking for.
I got a fair bit of value out of this book because there were just a few things I'd been trying to figure out to migrate my Excel apps to using an Access back end, so for me it was something of a Rosetta stone.

I agree with all the reviews given for this book so far, including the really negative one.For the Excel power-user like me wanting to interface with Access it was very useful and provided a reasonable introduction.However, it took me only a short time to get through all of it because I skimmed much of it.

It is a book which many power users will need only to skim read to pick up a few gems, bypassing a lot of basic material on report writing and the like which is dealt with in a myriad of Access books.The book really does deliver what it says on the cover, talking about the integration of Excel and Access.It turns out though that this isn't all that hard to do, so most of the good stuff in this book is contained in just a couple of chapters.

I needed a little push in the right direction, so I found this book really valuable.I know Excel really well, I knew a bit about Access, but I didn't have any idea how to really integrate them and few of the books I've read on VBA really did a good job explaining how... especially with Office 2007.To actually start writing good integrated apps though you'll need good VBA books for both Excel and Access, because the book makes little attempt to go beyond its title's subject.

Shallow and Disappointing Book
Speaking for myself, I found this to be a pretty basic, shallow and disappointing book. I (started to read, but then) skimmed the book for in-depth stuff -- only to find out that it barely touched the primary topics where I was seeking to augment my skills with & between the two applications (which was the WHOLE point of buying the book). There was little or no IN-DEPTH development of areas that I would consider of interest / value. For ME, there was NO 'treasure trove' here. [Notwithstanding the foregoing, I will say: The areas that the book does cover, imo, are covered quite clearly, lucidly, understandably and well.] ... Read more

Product Description

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Database Programming Languages, DBPL 2009, held in Lyon, France, in August 2009 in conjunction with VLDB 2009.

The papers are deal with topics on database programming languages in the area of but not limited to algorithms, XML query languages, inconsistency handling, data provenance, emerging data models, and type checking.

Product Description
Greg Buczek, successful author of Instant ASP Scripts and ASP Developer's Guide, delivers this hands-on "cookbook" aimed at developers and database administrators. Focuses on key topics of interest for high-end Access developers, and provides database solutions for e-commerce, network management, company intranets and more. This must-have book contains complete database solutions that aren't available through wizards or templates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A very nice book
This was really an excellent book. It contains many great sample databases. You will get your money's worth in DAO.recordset operations. One section of sample code just did not work, which caused me to spend some extra time fixing. It was the code to generate Word Tables (Chapter 14). Better instructions for creating grouped Data Access Pages (Chapter 17) were also needed. I also thought that instructions on running all the code in the last chapter concerning Active Server Pages were lacking. Other than these set backs it was still a great book. I think that in many places in the code there were opportunities for the author to implement domain aggregate functions instead of recordsets, With/End With code blocs, case expressions, Between/ And Where clauses in queries as opposed to two expressions joined together by an OR clause, Between/ And clauses in validation rules for tables, the IN operator in queries to avoid expressions with multiple OR operators, and general sub procedures for events that call the same actions. The more experienced reader will find these places and modify the code if he or she so desires. The author seemed to use the same techniques all the time no matter what the situation was as a way to keeping things as simple as possible, without bombarding the reader with other alternatives.

Great Guide!!!
I knew the basics of Access. I can create tables, use the wizards to create forms and use the wizards to create reports. I have found many books that can teach me that.

But I needed to go further. I needed to start writing code that powered my Access databases. This book showed me how to do that.

The author took me step by step through numerous examples that have empowered me to write code that really make my applications so much better.

I highly recommend this book.

I've used his ASP books - this is just as good
I first read the author's work when I needed a "direct approach" to ASP scripts, so I thought I'd give his Access book a try because I saw an example like what I needed to develop.I am VERY pleased - his ability to clearly convey a tramendous amount of information embedded in nice, concise examples is this author's strength.Very much to the point - numerous examples - it's a whole book of well-explained examples.Very good book if you want to put together a successful applicatin in a hurry.Thanks again! ... Read more

Product Description
Database Access with Visual Basic's major emphasis is on solutions, not technology.Rather than rattling off a list of features, diagrams and acronyms, this book provides step-by-step examples of the most important techniques developers typically go through to create database applications.Learn how to design a database, build the user interface, write queries,and construct a three-tiered client server system based on ADO 2.0, RDO, COM, SQL Server orOracle. Find out "what's new?" in Visual Basic 6 as it applies to data access strategies.Receive more information on different types of SQL queries and differences between the Access and SQL Server dialects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

A Thin Reference For Growing VB Programmers
I worry that there may be multiple editions of this book; mine was published in 1999.ADO, the key database technology of VB6, isn't treated until Chapter 10, followed by a quick jump to IIS in Chapter 11.Had problems getting some of the examples to run; the website offered hasn't been up for quite a while.This isn't a bad VB6 database book, and in fact I'd recommend it for students developing their background in the historical development of Microsoft's Universal Database Access technology -- its presentation of the older technologies is great.This text won't, however, solve any problems you'll encounter trying to develop VB6 database applications.

Another must have
Jeffrey writes extremely well and the previous edition of this book was the definitive book on the subject.This wasn't quite as good and lacks a degree of detail that a professional developer could need if messing about with data access but don't let me sound as if I'm putting you off...its a must have on your book shelf compared to some of the junk written on this subject.

He's also unique amongst authors in that he actually replies to E-mails you send him...

A good starting
Even though this book is a little old, and still shows some already unused techniques and resources, as DAO, it brings a good starting for basical VB-60, and good ideas over database accessing, either local or remote. If you are thinking about starting, this book is fine. But, be sure, you will need other titles, when you intend to go deeper in the subject, or you need newer techniques, as ADO.

A great book! Yet not complete
What a wonderful book! You can't seriously start writing professional VB application if you don't have this book. Any intermediate user should get it ASAP. Keep in mind, it's not for learning VB, you should first get an introductory book for that. However, I can't give it 5 stars. First, the book's first printing is from Jannuary 1999, it favors DAO a lot more than ADO (which is Microsoft's actual leading technology in data access) and he consistly uses ADO with ODBC (which is a good way to slow down a perfectly running application). Good overviews offered regarding SQL Server and Active Server Page, but just overviews. Get it, read it, use it. After that your application will be much better and you'll know in which field of databases you want to focus. If you want DAO then you are fine. For ADO, ASP or IIS you'll need something for more advanced users.

great book
I often refer to this book when I need some assistance.It covers everything I need to know as far as what i'm doing, you couldnt ask for a better book, both as a learning tool and as a reference. ... Read more