Chapter 12 -- Building Solutions with MSDE and Access Projects

Chapter 12

Microsoft Access 2000 introduces two innovations for working with Microsoft SQL Server databases. The first innovation is the Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE). MSDE permits local data storage in a SQL Server database format. MSDE databases can serve as the back end, just as SQL Server databases do, for solutions in .adp file types. By developing with MSDE, you can smooth the transition of your solutions from those serving local, department needs to those addressing the needs of entire enterprises with thousands of users. The second innovation is the new .adp file type. Microsoft calls applications developed with .adp files Access Projects. (The letters adp stand for Access Data Project.) Access Projects use traditional forms, reports, modules, and even macros but with a SQL Server database instead of a Jet database. The new database file type does not contain Microsoft Access tables or queries, but it makes available SQL Server tables, views, and stored procedures.

In this chapter, you'll learn how to install and manage MSDE and how to develop custom applications with Access Projects. You'll learn how to work with tables, views, stored procedures, reports, and forms. The code samples will illustrate how to automate your Access Project applications with ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). (Chapters 3 and 4 cover OLE DB routes to other remote database formats besides SQL Server.)