ADO.NET revolutionized the way data was accessed through SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL. With Microsoft's release of ADO.NET 2, ADO and the .NET Framework are integrated with SQL Server for the first time—enabling you to program .NET applications directly within the SQL Server database.

Packed with sample code and recommended best practices for using ADO.NET 2, this code-intensive book explores the new data types that are available in the 2.0 Framework and discusses the appropriate time and way to use them. You'll learn how to make repetitive, mundane tasks much simpler and you'll walk away with a solid foundation for developing database-driven applications.

What you will learn from this book

• The basics of creating a connection, executing a query, and returning a result
• Best uses for Oracle in the ADO.NET Framework
• The many new features that are available for XML
• How to use the full text search capabilities of Microsoft® SQL Server 2005
• Methods for retrieving data and presenting it in various ways
• Why MySQL is a viable option for data storage

Who this book is for

This book is for experienced database developers who want to learn the latest release of ADO.NET 2.0. Knowledge of ADO.NET 1.0, general .NET development, and Microsoft SQL Server is necessary.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.

This book shows developers how to build database applications using the complete range of functions of the latest release of ADO.NET 2.0, scheduled to ship in mid-2005.  This release will be designed to work seamlessly with both the  Visual Studio 2005 Development Environment and SQL Server 2005.

The book will be  code-intensive, with lots of sample code along with recommended best practices for using the  technology.  (For example, when someone should use a DataSet instead of a DataReader or a T/Sql Stored Procedure instead of  a CLR Stored Procedure.)   The authors will focus on using ADO with the SQL Server database; however, they will also provide coverage of both Oracle and MySQL. 

Wallace B. McCluregraduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1990 with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. He continued his education there, receiving a master’s degree in the same field in 1991. Since that time, he has done consulting and development for such companies as Coca-Cola, Bechtel National, Magnatron, and Lucent Technologies, among others. Products and services have included work with ASP, ADO, XML, and SQL Server, as well as numerous applications in the Microsoft .NET Framework. Wally McClure specializes in building applications that have large numbers of users and large amounts of data. He is a Microsoft MVP and an ASPInsider, and a partner in Scalable Development, Inc. You can read Wally’s blog at http://weblogs.asp.net/wallym/.

Gregory A. Beameris a solutions architect specializing in Microsoft Internet technologies. Greg got involved in programming in the early 1990s with Visual Basic 3 and has stayed on the leading edge of Microsoft Internet technologies since the Denali beta (ASP 1.0). Greg first worked with .NET with the PDC 2000 beta and has been on both the SQL Server 2005 and .NET 2.0 betas since spring 2003. When Greg is not working, he spends his time with his wife, Tiffany, and their four daughters, Rebecca, Emily, Annabelle, and Miranda.

John J. Croft IVgraduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1991, receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He then spent five years consulting for large companies, including Coca-Cola, BellSouth, and MCI. Work at these companies primarily involved C and C++ programming and object-oriented systems analysis. His various clients have included both Fortune 100s and small startup companies. Their problems have ranged drastically, from large databases and executive information systems to lithotripter control and satellite telemetry. Croft has completed projects with Java, XML, and, recently, C# and .NET applications. He is a partner in Scalable Development, Inc.

J. Ambrose Littleis the editor-in-chief of the ASPAlliance, an ASPInsider, and a Microsoft ASP.NET MVP who currently works as a Web architect for a large credit union in Tampa, Florida. Previously, he worked as a consultant at Verizon, creating XMLWeb Services and middle-tier components, and for BOK Financial’s Web Services department creating ASP.NET applications for their intranet. His pre-.NET programming experience consists mostly of developing Web applications using ASP and VB COM/DCOM for several years. He has a bachelor’s degree in medieval European history, which remains an interest. Apart from developing software, he enjoys movies, reading, writing, foosball, chess, tennis, badminton, and spending time with his wonderful family.

Bill Ryancurrently works as a senior software developer for TiBA Solutions in Greenville, SC. He is also a Windows Embedded MVP, has served on Macromedia’s Flash Advisory Board, and helps run two popular .NET Focused Web sites (www.devbuzz.com and www.knowdotnet.com) and his blog www.msmvps.com/WilliamRyan. After earning his master’s degree in business administration, Bill began work as a statistical analyst, but quickly realized that his true love was programming. He has worked in multiple industries, including financial services/securities, manufacturing, health care, pharmaceuticals, and, currently, consulting. Bill is a frequent speaker at user’s group meetings, has spoken at multiple Microsoft Code Camps, and has hosted multiple MSDN Webcasts. Although technologically related things consume most of his time, Bill’s other interests include cult films, economics, Freemasonry, cuckoo clocks, and, most important, his girlfriend, Kim, and her daughter, Sarah.

Phil Winstanleyis a Web applications developer working for Portfolio Europe, located in Manchester, England. He has been involved with ASP.NET since its inception, and has developed a deep understanding of the platform. As a Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional), member of the ASPInsiders, co-owner of Microsoft Web Developers UK, and the North West England Regional Director for the .NET Exchange, Phil is deeply embedded in the development community and works closely with the Web Platforms team at Microsoft, regularly visiting the developers in Redmond, Washington.

David Yackis the president of Colorado Technology Consultants, Inc. He is a hands-on technology consultant with solid management experience in privately held and Fortune 500 companies and has over 15 years of experience in the IT industry. David is currently responsible for leading Colorado Technology Consultants’ focus on Microsoft .NET technologies. David is an active participant in the Microsoft development community, ranging from the Denver .NET user group to Microsoft’s Public Communities, such as www.asp.net and http://aspalliance.com. David is the leader of the South Colorado .NET user group. David is recognized by Microsoft as a .NET MVP (Most Valuable Professional).

Jeremy Zongkeris a software development manager who works primarily on data-driven ASP.NET applications with Microsoft SQL Server databases. He is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer for .NET and a 2004 MVP for ASP.NET. Jeremy is the founder and senior developer for Trilitech, LLC, a Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, software development company.

Acknowledgments.

Contents.

Introduction.

What This Book Is About.

Who Should Buy This Book.

How to Use This Book.

What This Book Covers.

Providing Feedback.

Chapter 1: History of Data Access.

Chapter 2: Standardized Database Objects and Design.

Chapter 3: ADO.NET Essentials.

Chapter 4: Standard Data Types.

Chapter 5: ADO.NET Integration with XML.

Chapter 6: Transactions.

Chapter 7: Data Binding.

Chapter 8: Building a Custom ADO.NET Data Provider.

Chapter 9: T-SQL Language and Enhancements.

Chapter 10: ADO.NET Programming with SQL Server from a Client Application.

Chapter 11: SQL Server 2005 Server-Side Programming.

Chapter 12: Notification Services.

Chapter 13: Service Broker.

Chapter 14: Full-Text Searching.

Chapter 15: Reporting.

Chapter 16: ADO.NET 2 and Open-Source Databases.

Chapter 17: Oracle and ADO.NET.

Appendix A: Constants/Enums in ADO.NET.

Index.