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Summary: Best book on OLE DB
Review: Among all the books talking about OLE DB, this one explained it the best. The author not only talks about how but also why. I would even recommend the charpter on COM to a friend who starts to learn COM.
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Summary: This is a definite must-have for Visual C++ users
Review: Even if think you'll be using Visual C++ solely for neat GUI stuff just for the internet or web, and don't consider databases your future, just get the book. Databases are becoming very important, and Microsoft is a major player with SQL and ADO. This book will immediately equip you with the knowledge to write front-ends using Visual C++ with ADO and he adds a lot to the book by covering how database API's evolved all the way from the older ODBC API. It seems like Visual Basic is taking over more and more, much to my chagrin (I bought it, though, just to make sure I know it), but it's wise to get to know the API behind ADO (OLE DB) as well as ATL/COM which Robison covers in a balanced way so you know how everything fits in. Just limiting yourself to VB removes the need for the knowledge of ATL/ OLE DB, and other low level stuff that your boss might one day ask YOU to use, in case he decides he wants faster access to a database!!
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Summary: I have found the code examples to be very helpful!
Review: I am about half way through the book and have not had any serious problems with the author's code examples. I have about 18 years of mainframe programming experience, but I have taken only one "Intro to C++" course at the local JuCo. I found Mr. Robison's descriptions of how to use Visual/C++ to be exact and have had very little trouble completing the examples. I feel that I could do most of what I want (be able to use a simple Access DB in my program) after reading through Chapter 6. I have read a lot of programming books over the years, and this one does an excellent job of walking you through the material.
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Summary: Hard to get, but well worth having.
Review: I had a really hard time obtaining this book. For some reason, the publisher seems to have stopped printing it. The most recent edition was printed in 1999, so it is not that old. It really is a wonderful book. It does what I need most from a programming book - it explains a concept and then walks you through how to do it step by step. The book is extremely hands-on. After much searching, I was finally able to locate the book by means of an online used/out of print bookstore. Another thing I like about the book is that it uses Access as the database for all of the exercises. While SQL Server is important to learn, using it introduces another set of connection problems that you don't get with Access. I liked being able to learn the C++ database concepts without that extra level of headache. The book covers all the major database topics in a way that is thorough and easy to understand. And most importantly, it shows you how to actually use the stuff. It is worth the struggle to obtain it.
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Summary: Awesome book!
Review: I just wish all books were written like this one. I recommend it as a starting point in exploring database programming because it will show you the right way in the beginning: OLEDB is in, ODBC is out! I'm looking forward to see the second edition.
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Summary: Excellent book for someone who knows MFC
Review: I really wanted to like this book. I'm a relatively experienced VC++ developer, and was in need of a quick DB lesson. Exactly the type this book was written for. I've read other books in the "21 Days" series, and they've generally been pretty good. This one started out fine, and I was feeling pretty good about things, until an example stomped out my good vibes. The first real example (on day 4) doesn't compile. Honest. I've restarted the project 3 times, being VERY careful to follow the example in the book. I've written letters to the publisher and author, and nobody's bothered answering me. I'm moving on, since I don't have time to waste. If you don't, either, skip this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Save yourself some grief
Review: I really wanted to like this book. I'm a relatively experienced VC++ developer, and was in need of a quick DB lesson. Exactly the type this book was written for. I've read other books in the "21 Days" series, and they've generally been pretty good. This one started out fine, and I was feeling pretty good about things, until an example stomped out my good vibes. The first real example (on day 4) doesn't compile. Honest. I've restarted the project 3 times, being VERY careful to follow the example in the book. I've written letters to the publisher and author, and nobody's bothered answering me. I'm moving on, since I don't have time to waste. If you don't, either, skip this book!
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Summary: I was not able to make the author's code work!
Review: I tried creating my own projects and after a high level of frustration, simply used the author's source code to see if I could understand it better that way. Problem is it didn't work! I am sure that there are some good examples in the book but for someone trying to learn a new language this is not the book!! If you are an experienced Visual C++ programmer and want to help Mr. Robinson debug is code then this will be a challenging book. I have been corresponding with Mr. Robinson on the specific problems but he was too busy to say more than copy his code and modify it. Funny, the source code supplied with the book shouldn't really need a modification ... if it works, that is ... happy debugging ... I myself, have a language to learn, elsewhere!
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Summary: Great place to "get started". Covers a broad range of info
Review: I usually stay away from "Teach Yourself" books - especially after trying "Teach Yourself VC++5" a couple of years ago - but this book was really helpful. If you are looking for a good book to cover ado, ado extensions and ole-db templates in depth, you might want look for something a little more recent or specific to those technologies, but as an introductory book it is great. Covers a broad range of data access techniques. Easy to follow examples.
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Summary: A very useful database book
Review: I'm amazed to see those negative feedbacks below. I have over 10 years of C/C++ programming experience. And I found this book very useful. I didn't buy this book myself, I saw it at my friend's house. This is a very clearly and professioanlly written book on C++ database programming. I agree with the author, people who find this book hard to read or inaccurate should work on their C++ windows programming basics. I recommend them Jessie Liberty's "Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days",and Horton's "Visual C++ 6.0", or if you already know some VC++, read "Programming Windows" 99 edition. After finishing those books, maybe this book will seem more useful. I knew C++ database programming before already, and I really do not have that much criticism for this book.However I want to point out one thing, 570 pages are far from enough to cover all aspects of C++ Windows database programming. But as one of the "21 Days" book, this is really of good quality. If you want to study all the aspects in depth, you have to figure them out on your own, because there are not that many good and advanced books on this subject. After reading an intro and one or two more advanced books, you are on your own, that's how we all learned.
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