Pragmatic ADO.NET: Data Access for the Internet World (Microsoft .Net Development) (Paperback)

Developers need a way to interact with all data platforms in a uniform way, and Microsoft has attempted time and again to meet this need with its Universal Data Access strategy. In developing ADO.NET, Microsoft has made their additions of support for XML and disconnected data sets easier to use. This tutorial will guide the reader through ADO.NET from the top down, showing readers the hows and whys of using ADO.NET with lots of examples they can mold into their own projects right away. It is intended to be an introduction to ADO.NET for developers with some knowledge of data access. While it will show readers how ADO.NET follows on its predecessors, it will be written to avoid repeating any remedial instruction in databases and storage theory.

"This is my favorite book on ADO.NET. The author clearly has an extensive understanding of the subject matter. It is useful not only for expert data access programmers but also for weekend code warriors."
—Glenn Thimmes, Senior Software Engineer, New Dawn Technologies.Formerly Develop Support Engineer (WebData), Microsoft Corporation

Pragmatic ADO.NET is a practical guide to using the first data access services designed specifically for Web-based applications. This tutorial provides developers with a clear introduction to ADO.NET, and gives practical solutions for using it effectively.

The book begins with a concise history of Microsoft's Universal Data Access strategy and the evolution of technology that has led us to ADO.NET. The core of the book demonstrates how to use ADO.NET to interact with databases and the rest of the .NET framework. In addition, readers learn by example the best practices for using ADO.NET to build scalable, high-performance systems. Pragmatic ADO.NET includes numerous code examples in C#, and a companion Web site located at www.adoguy.com/book features implementations in Visual Basic .NET and C#, along with updates on the technology. The book concludes with an appendix detailing strategies for migrating from ADO to ADO.NET.

Readers will learn how to:

• Work with data in a disconnected way
• Connect to databases through ADO.NET
• Use Command objects
• Use the DataReader
• Construct DataSets
• Create and use Typed DataSets
• Manipulate data with DataSets
• Update databases from DataSets
• Integrate with XML
• Use data binding
• Optimize performance and scalability

The combination of concise coverage, helpful explanations, and detailed examples makes Pragmatic ADO.NET an important guide for all developers looking to gain a working knowledge of ADO.NET.

Books in the Microsoft .NET Development Series are written and reviewed by the principal authorities and pioneering developers of the Microsoft .NET technologies, including the Microsoft .NET development team and DevelopMentor. Books in the Microsoft .NET Development Series focus on the design, architecture, and implementation of the Microsoft .NET initiative to empower developers and students everywhere with the knowledge they need to thrive in the Microsoft .NET revolution.