Microsoft Data Access Block For SQL Server

[Lethal]

If you are planning on developing an application that uses sql server as your back-end, you gotta check out this component that Microsoft built for free distribution.

http://www.msdn.microsoft.com/architecture/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnbda/html/daab-rm.asp

Summary
The Data Access Application Block is a .NET component that contains optimized data access code that will help you call stored procedures and issue SQL text commands against a SQL Server database. It returns SqlDataReader, DataSet, and XmlReader objects. You can use it as a building block in your own .NET application to reduce the amount of custom code you need to create, test, and maintain. The download provides full C# and Visual Basic .NET source code and comprehensive documentation.

[hellswraith]

That is great.

I have been using one I got from a book called ASP.NET Website Programming from Wrox. I suggest people download the project at (C#):
http://web.wrox.com/download/code/professional/6934download.zip
The VB.Net version of the code is here:
http://web.wrox.com/download/code/professional/8163_code_v7.zip

It is a relatively good example on how to build a ASP.Net application with a lot of thought about maintainability. It is great for helping you start thinking and designing those bigger ASP.NET projects. The book is good, it assumes you know how to program though, it isn't a beginner book.

[hellswraith]

Here is some more information on the 'blocks' as MS puts it:
http://builder.com.com/article.jhtml;jsessionid=2IH0VWFSRXHOZTQQABUCFFI?id=u00320030116SXV01.htm&vf=crg&rcode=u001

[hellswraith]

Everyone that works with SQL Server, you really need to check out the data access block. I just got around to actually looking at what it provides, and I tell you what, it is well organized, well written and commented, and saves you a lot of time. It is reusable in every project you do so it will save more time later on.

At least take a good look at it. I was writing something similar when I decided to look at it. Glad I did, saved me a lot of time.

[hellswraith]

Just wanted to bump this thread up and tell everyone that MS now has a version 2 of this block. Awesome, it now supports typed ds's.

[matt020876]

sounds excellent but my visual studio wont even let me connect to the sql server......get a 'catastropic error' or 'cant initialise provider'