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Rating: 
Summary: Good coverage of WinForms & Data Binding
Review: For an experienced programmer. This book provided what I needed to understand using databases in a WinForms environment (I had used ADO.NET for ASP.NET applications). The first 7 chapters cover database basics and an overview of the data bound controls (moderately valuable for an experienced programmer). I found the real substance (in my case) in Chapters 8, 10, and 11.Chapter 8 covers a data entry form, how to bind data, navigate, and save changes. The first example is covered in detail the form is then enhanced with record selection options (a listbox, a treeview, and a filtered list box) only key items are discussed in the text (you need to review the downloadable code to fully understand, I like that the little things are not repeated). Chapter 10 works with an order entry form with multiple DB data tables being maintained and navigating through the twists. Again, several approaches are presented so that you can choose the one with the look & feel you like. Chapter 11 discusses the mult-user situation. I feel that these examples and clear writing allowed me to make the leap into data bound forms (I came from mostly Access programming where that is well handled). 4 stars because I would like to have seen some discussion/examples of an application with multiple screens and suggestions on how to address a slightly bigger application, but the book delivers on its stated goals.
Rating: 
Summary: Invest Your Money Elsewhere
Review: I was truly excited when I acquired this book. However, after spending much time painstakingly following code that promised much but produced nothing; I can with all honesty say use your resources more prudently.
Rating:
Summary: Invest Your Money Elsewhere
Review: Let's start with the (little) negative part, and that's the way this book is organized. In my opinion the first 4 chapters and the appendix A/B should be presented in a different way. I'll see many people starting with chapter 5, or even with the appendix if you need to refresh your knowledge about SQL.
During the past years, i have been working on database apps. with VB6 and SQL Server, and since a while, i had been experimenting a little with data in the .NET environment. In my case, this was the book I needed, because the author does not waste too much time on explaining how to create your first stored proc or how VB works.
Also, he doesn't compare the old ADO with the new ADO .NET which you will see in many other books. No, in chapter 5 you'll get everything to know what you need about the Dataset, maybe some stuff you knew before, but with the details you need, and things start to become more interesting in chapter 8 until the end of the book.
If you are looking for a way to create a quick, nice user interface
by using a datagrid for example this is not the book for you, because these are hardly mentioned.
Instead of this, you'll get to know how to work with xml data, master/detail rel., data binding, images, multi user, query by example,etc. in other words, the data itself.
Excellent book, in case you know the basics about VB .NET and if you've been playing a little bit with ADO .NET, and need to go a step further. However, have a look at the content before you buy. Gunther
Rating:
Summary: very good, but not for everyone
Review: Let's start with the (little) negative part, and that's the way this book is organized. In my opinion the first 4 chapters and the appendix A/B should be presented in a different way. I'll see many people starting with chapter 5, or even with the appendix if you need to refresh your knowledge about SQL.
During the past years, i have been working on database apps. with VB6 and SQL Server, and since a while, i had been experimenting a little with data in the .NET environment. In my case, this was the book I needed, because the author does not waste too much time on explaining how to create your first stored proc or how VB works.
Also, he doesn't compare the old ADO with the new ADO .NET which you will see in many other books. No, in chapter 5 you'll get everything to know what you need about the Dataset, maybe some stuff you knew before, but with the details you need, and things start to become more interesting in chapter 8 until the end of the book.
If you are looking for a way to create a quick, nice user interface
by using a datagrid for example this is not the book for you, because these are hardly mentioned.
Instead of this, you'll get to know how to work with xml data, master/detail rel., data binding, images, multi user, query by example,etc. in other words, the data itself.
Excellent book, in case you know the basics about VB .NET and if you've been playing a little bit with ADO .NET, and need to go a step further. However, have a look at the content before you buy. Gunther
Rating: 
Summary: If you are ready for it
Review: This is a great book for breaking into ADO+, if: (1) You are familiar with VB.NET and RDBMS concepts and have programmed production database applications with VB6 or other older technologies. (2) You are not familiar with .NET ADO+ or at least not enough to put an actual application together, and believe me, it is not trivial. It is powerful, but not easy to understand. This book will provide a quick, yet thorough, path to fluency using WINFORMs with SQL Server using ADO+. You have to read the necessary text and code samples thoroughly, and probably repeatedly. Rod is a consummate computer scientist and does not waste words. ADO+ is the most powerful and elegant database technology from Microsoft so far. It will reward you big time if you understand and apply it fully. It will bite you big time if you don't. The entire book is useful and well written, but the following chapters, in my opinion, are the salient ones for an experienced programmer trying to understand ADO+: Chapter 5 - Datasets. ADO+ represents an application's view of RDBMS data as an "in memory database" called a Dataset, complete with various mechanisms for tracking all aspects of transaction processing. Understand this new model completely. Chapter 6 - Database Connections. The DataAdapter is the new class used for carrying out the actual transactions. Understand it and its associated classes thoroughly. Each DataAdapter contains and carries out commands for Retrieving (Filling), Inserting, Updating, and Deleting sets of rows for a specific DataTable of a Dataset. These commands are most conveniently built by the CommandBuilder. Once you understand this last sentence, you are in good shape. Chapter 8 - Bound Controls are largely the same as old ADO, but be aware of how a Datagrid bound to a Datatable, when used properly, automates implementation of line items such as order lines. Chapter 10 is the first chapter that pulls it all together into an operating Windows Form application. Once you understand how the Dataset and DataAdapter families of classes are used here, you are well on your way. You might even start with this chapter for HOW it works and then refer back to the earlier chapters for WHY it works. Chapters 11 and 12 expand to a robust application of production quality, introducing the necessary multiuser hooks and better UI for queries.
Rating:
Summary: If you are ready for it
Review: This is a great book for breaking into ADO.net, if:
(1) You are familiar with VB.NET and RDBMS concepts and have programmed production database applications with VB6 or other older technologies.
(2) You are not familiar with ADO.net or at least not enough to put an actual application together.
This book will provide a quick, yet thorough, path to fluency using WINFORMs with SQL Server using ADO.net. You have to read the necessary text and code samples thoroughly, and probably repeatedly.
ADO.net is the most powerful and elegant database technology from Microsoft so far. It is very productive if you understand and apply it fully.
The entire book is useful and well written, but the following chapters, in my opinion, are the salient ones for an experienced programmer trying to understand ADO.net:
Chapter 5 - Datasets. ADO.net represents an application's view of RDBMS data as an "in memory database" called a Dataset, complete with various mechanisms for tracking all aspects of transaction processing. Understand this new model completely.
Chapter 6 - Database Connections. The DataAdapter is the new class used for carrying out the actual transactions. Understand it and its associated classes thoroughly. Each DataAdapter contains and carries out commands for Retrieving (Filling), Inserting, Updating, and Deleting sets of rows for a specific DataTable of a Dataset. These commands are most conveniently built by the CommandBuilder. Once you understand this last sentence, you are in good shape.
Chapter 8 - Bound Controls are largely the same as old ADO, but be aware of how a Datagrid bound to a Datatable, when used properly, automates implementation of line items such as order lines.
Chapter 10 is the first chapter that pulls it all together into an operating Windows Form application. Once you understand how the Dataset and DataAdapter families of classes are used here, you are well on your way. You might even start with this chapter for HOW it works and then refer back to the earlier chapters for WHY it works.
Chapters 11 and 12 expand to a robust application of production quality, introducing the necessary multiuser hooks and better UI for queries.
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