Creating VB database applications using ADO control

<Back to Sample VB Programs>


In our visual basic 6 tutorial Lesson 19 and Lesson 20, we have learned how to build VB database applications using data control. However, data control is not a very flexible tool as it could work only with limited kinds of data and must work strictly in the Visual Basic environment. To overcome these limitations, we can use a much more powerful data control in VB known as  ADO control. ADO stands for ActiveX data objects. As ADO is ActiveX-based, it could work in different platforms (different computer systems) and different programming languages. Besides, it could access many different kinds of data such as data displayed in the Internet browsers, email text and even graphics other than the usual relational and non relational database information.

To be able to use ADO data control, you need to insert it into the toolbox. To do this, simply press Ctrl+T to open the components dialog box and select Microsoft ActiveX Data Control 6. After this, you can proceed to build your ADO-based VB database applications.

The following example will illustrate how to build a relatively powerful database application using ADO data control. First of all, name the new  form as frmBookTitle and change its caption to Book Tiles- ADO Application.  Secondly, insert the ADO data control and name it as adoBooks and change its caption to book. Next, insert the necessary labels, text boxes and command buttons. The runtime interface of this program is shown in the diagram below, it allows adding and deletion as well as updating and browsing of data.

The Interface

The properties of all the controls are listed as follow:

Control Name

Property
Form Name frmBookTitle
Form Caption Book Titles -ADOApplication
ADO Name adoBooks
Label1 Name lblApp
Label1 Caption Book Titles
Label 2 Name lblTitle
Label2 Caption Title :
Label3 Name lblYear
Label3 Caption Year Published:
Label4 Name lblISBN
Label4 Caption ISBN:
Labe5 Name lblPubID
Label5 Caption Publisher's ID:
Label6 Name lblSubject
Label6 Caption Subject :
TextBox1 Name txtitle
TextBox1 DataField Title
TextBox1 DataSource adoBooks
TextBox2 Name txtPub
TextBox2 DataField  Year Published
TextBox2 DataSource adoBooks
TextBox3 Name txtISBN
TextBox3 DataField ISBN
TextBox3 DataSource adoBooks
TextBox4 Name txtPubID
TextBox4 DataField  PubID
TextBox4 DataSource adoBooks
TextBox5 Name txtSubject
TextBox5 DataField  Subject
TextBox5 DataSource adoBooks
Command Button1 Name  cmdSave
Command Button1 Caption Save
Command Button2 Name  cmdAdd
Command Button2 Caption Add
Command Button3 Name  cmdDelete
Command Button3 Caption Delete
Command Button4 Name  cmdCancel
Command Button4 Caption Cancel
Command Button5 Name  cmdPrev
Command Button5 Caption ≤
Command Button6 Name  cmdNext
Command Button6 Caption ≥
Command Button7 Name  cmdExit
Command Button7 Caption Exit


To be able to access and manage a database, you need to connect the ADO data control to a database file. We are going to use BIBLIO.MDB that comes with VB6. To connect ADO to this database file , follow the steps below:

a) Click on the ADO control on the form and open up the properties window.

b) Click on the ConnectionString property, the following dialog box will appear.

when the dialog box appear, select the Use Connection String's Option. Next, click build and at the Data Link dialog box, double-Click the option labeled Microsoft Jet 3.51 OLE DB provider.


 After that, click the Next button to select the file BIBLO.MDB. You can click on Text Connection to ensure proper connection of the database file. Click OK to finish the connection.

Finally, click on the RecordSource property and set the command type to adCmd Table and Table name to Titles. Now you are ready to use the database file.



The Code

For the Save button, the program code is as follow:

Private Sub cmdSave_Click()
adoBooks.Recordset.Fields("Title") = txtTitle.Text
adoBooks.Recordset.Fields("Year Published") = txtPub.Text
adoBooks.Recordset.Fields("ISBN") = txtISBN.Text
adoBooks.Recordset.Fields("PubID") = txtPubID.Text
adoBooks.Recordset.Fields("Subject") = txtSubject.Text
adoBooks.Recordset.Update

End Sub

For the Add button, the program code is as follow:

Private Sub cmdAdd_Click()
adoBooks.Recordset.AddNew
End Sub

For the Delete button, the program code is as follow:

Private Sub cmdDelete_Click()
Confirm = MsgBox("Are you sure you want to delete this record?", vbYesNo, "Deletion Confirmation")
If Confirm = vbYes Then
adoBooks.Recordset.Delete
MsgBox "Record Deleted!", , "Message"
Else
MsgBox "Record Not Deleted!", , "Message"
End If

End Sub
��

For the Cancel button, the program code is as follow:

Private Sub cmdCancel_Click()
txtTitle.Text = ""
txtPub.Text = ""
txtPubID.Text = ""
txtISBN.Text = ""
txtSubject.Text = ""
End Sub

For the Previous (<) button, the program codes are

Private Sub cmdPrev_Click()
If Not adoBooks.Recordset.BOF Then
adoBooks.Recordset.MovePrevious
If adoBooks.Recordset.BOF Then
adoBooks.Recordset.MoveNext
End If
End If

End Sub

For the Next(>) button, the program codes are

Private Sub cmdNext_Click()
If Not adoBooks.Recordset.EOF Then
adoBooks.Recordset.MoveNext
If adoBooks.Recordset.EOF Then
adoBooks.Recordset.MovePrevious
End If
End If

End Sub

<Back to Sample VB Programs>

Copyright ® 2008 Dr.Liew Voon Kiong . All rights reserved |Contact

[Privacy Policy]