Newbie: vb.net connect to access, excel, etc.

  • Thread starter Thread starter mdtripla
  • Start date Start date
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mdtripla

I am very new to programming. What I am looking for is a basic guide
on the direction I should with this project.

I am creating a Windows Application with a CheckedListBox. There will
be the Checked List Box and 2 command buttons, Install and Exit.

I want it to connect to either a Access DB or Excel. There will be
less then 150 records in the DB or excel. The format will be
(Application name in one column and the location to the installation
executable).

The objective is that the desktop tech would be able to sit at a
computer that was just reloaded, run this application that would list
all of the applications listed in the DB or excel. When the tech
checks the box to whatever apps they want installed, this application
would reference the DB/excel find the installation executable and
install the selected software.

sorry for all of this mumbo jumbo. I know what I want but don't know
if I explained it very well.

Thanks in advance,

Dustin
 
mdtripla said:
I am very new to programming. What I am looking for is a basic guide
on the direction I should with this project.
Click to expand...

To connect to an Access database, use ADO.Net

http://samples.gotdotnet.com/quickstart/howto/doc/adoplus/ADOPlusOverview.aspx

Before going too far with your specific problem (the checklist connected to
a database), you should learn the basics of how data access works in Visual
Basic.NET - its a little different than older models of Visual Basic and it
is a bit harder, too. The quickstart above is a good place to start - it
describes the DataAdapter (which lets you suck data out of databases), the
DataSet (an in-memory database), the DataReader (a forward-only recordset),
the Command (an object to execute database command statements), and
Connection objects.

If you have a budget for it, a book might not be a bad place to go either -
I think Wiley's still sells "Professional ADO.Net Programming."

R.
 
I hate to say it, but if this is all you are doing, why not just use access
full stop.

However . . .

If you are doing this purely as an excercise of for some other good reason
then you will need to read up on ADO.NET. The adonet newsgroup will be able
to help there. But in essence, you will need the following from your ToolBox
DATA tab

OLEDBDATACONNECTION ( Connects to your Database )
OLEDDATAADAPTER (Is the link between the DATASET which contains all your
tables etc in your application , this contains methods to get and update
data in the database source ).
DATASET, this is generated by the OLEDBDATADAPTER.

You then need to bind the data on your form to the field/fields on your
dataset. The Update button should then call the method to update the data to
the database.

There is simply too much information to give in one post. You need to do a
little reading. VISIT MSDN for more examples, there are also many examples
in the on-line help.

Hope this helps.

OHM
 
One Handed Man said:
I hate to say it, but if this is all you are doing, why not just use access
full stop.

However . . .

If you are doing this purely as an excercise of for some other good reason
then you will need to read up on ADO.NET. The adonet newsgroup will be able
to help there. But in essence, you will need the following from your ToolBox
DATA tab

OLEDBDATACONNECTION ( Connects to your Database )
OLEDDATAADAPTER (Is the link between the DATASET which contains all your
tables etc in your application , this contains methods to get and update
data in the database source ).
DATASET, this is generated by the OLEDBDATADAPTER.

You then need to bind the data on your form to the field/fields on your
dataset. The Update button should then call the method to update the data to
the database.

There is simply too much information to give in one post. You need to do a
little reading. VISIT MSDN for more examples, there are also many examples
in the on-line help.

Hope this helps.

OHM
Click to expand...

--------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the info. The reason I don't want to use access is because
the most of the machines will not have access on them in the first
place. Thanks for the links and other info.

Dustin
 
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