Advise on this architecture...

[rjlohan]

I'm making an exam db. I want a .dll/.exe component to do all DB work, and expose properties such as QuestionText, AnswerText, etc.

Is this an appropriate design:

clsDBAccess
-->LoadNewQuestion
-->GetQuestionText
 
clsQuestion
-->Propert QuestionText

The clsDBAccess does all the actual DB work, and is the only way to access this .dll's properties and methods. But, to break it up a little internally, I was gonna make separate internal classes to hold the properties for the Question, perhaps another for the Answers, I'll see how I go.

The question is - should I bother breaking it up internally? It would add an extra layer of function calls to retrieve properties, but I thought it may help in the design if it was broken up like this.
Although, it's not that complicated anyway, and probably wouldn't matter toooo much if I just had one class to do what I need.


Thoughts?

-RJ

[Lord_Rat]

Use XML

It is a standard and can be easily output. Esp. if you plan on outputting SQL server, since XML is a native output type for SQL Server (2000 at least). It only requires you name the top level document node.

If you are unfamiliar with XML, create a trial database at www.quickbase.com and then make a view and select XML FLAT and do not enter a stylesheet.

When you run the view, you will see how XML should look.

I have a login/logout system programmed completely in an active X dll for the backend and as an additional bonus, the front end can access the architecture through the SEVERXMLHTTP object and it is FAST.

[Edneeis]

As to the architecture question I think 2 objects is overally complex for so little number of properties and I would leave them as 1 object.

[rjlohan]

I think I shall.
Cheers,
RJ