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Building Data-Centric Business Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic 6
Course 1633: Three days; Instructor-led

Introduction

This course teaches foundational Microsoft Visual Basic programming skills in the context of building an actual application. Students use their expanding skills to build the Product Support application during the class.

At Course Completion

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand the business problem explored in this course and the database design that supports the business solution.
  • Describe the different ways to connect to data through the Visual Basic development environment.
  • Validate a user by using custom security.
  • Use ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) to connect to a data source, and retrieve and edit data.
  • Use various techniques to make data-access code more efficient in a multiuser environment.
  • Use the ADO Command object to run a parameterized query.
  • Use properties and methods of the Recordset object to find, filter, and sort data.
  • Create reports by using the Microsoft Data Report designer.
  • Describe how three-tier client/server architecture differs from two-tier architecture.

Microsoft Certified Professional Exams

There is no MCP exam associated with this course.
Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have successfully completed course 1303, Mastering Microsoft Visual Basic 6 Fundamentals, or meet the following prerequisites:

  • Build custom, multiple-form applications.
  • Use standard controls to create forms.
  • Use Microsoft ActiveX® controls in Visual Basic applications.
  • Incorporate dynamic menus, pop-up menus, status bars, and custom toolbars into applications.
  • Implement form-level and field-level input validation.
  • Debug applications by using debugging tools.
  • Write centralized error-handling code in applications.
  • Use the Data control and other data-bound controls.
  • Create setup programs to distribute applications.
  • Define the terms table, record, column (field), relationship, and query.
  • Use tables to store data.

The course materials, lectures, and lab exercises are in English. To benefit fully from the instruction, students need an understanding of the English language and completion of the prerequisites.

Course Outline

Day 1

Module 1: Business Application Overview

Topics

Exploring the Business Problem
Product Support Database Platform
Product Support Database Design
Product Support Database Views
The User Interface
The Closed Requests Report

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Define the business problem that will be solved in this course.
  • Describe client/server architecture and why this architecture was selected for the business solution created in this course.
  • Describe the database platform that forms the basis of the business solution.
  • Describe the database design that supports the business solution.
  • Describe the user interface design for the business solution.
  • Describe the report layout and features for the business solution.

Module 2: Connecting to a Data Source

Topics

Introduction to Data Access in Visual Basic
Using the Data Environment
Introduction to the ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) Object Model
Using the ADO Connection Object
Handling Database Errors
Introduction to Security

Labs

Enhancing the Application and Adding the Login Form
Authenticating Users

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Compare the different ways that data is accessed from a Visual Basic application.
  • Describe the purpose of a data environment in Visual Basic.
  • Use the data environment to connect to a data source.
  • Use a Command object in a data environment to bind data to controls on a form.
  • Describe the ADO objects and their individual purposes.
  • Connect to a data source by using the ADO Connection object.
  • Use the Errors collection to handle connection errors.
  • Describe the types of security commonly used to validate a user.

Module 3: Using the ADO Recordset Object

Topics

Working with the ADO Recordset Object
Using SQL to Open a Recordset
Navigating Through a Recordset
Modifying Records in a Recordset
Implementing Data Validation

Labs

Creating the Requests Form
Working with Records
Implementing Security

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Use the ADO Recordset object to retrieve data from a data source.
  • Reference fields in a recordset by using the Fields collection.
  • Open a new Recordset object by using an SQL SELECT statement.
  • Use the MoveFirst, MoveNext, MoveLast, and MovePrev methods to navigate through a recordset.
  • Use the AddNew, Edit, Update, and Delete methods of the Recordset object to modify the records in a data source.
  • Describe the need for client-side versus server-side data validation.
  • Validate data by using range checks, null data checks, length checks, and data type validation.

Day 2

Module 4: Multiuser Considerations

Topics

Managing Database Connections
Managing Database Locking

Lab

Handling Locks

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Identify the need for using a single Connection object in a data access application.
  • Describe how disconnected recordsets are used to manage database connections.
  • Use record-locking to handle collisions in a multiuser data access environment.
  • Add error-handling code to handle locking errors.

Module 5: Querying the Data Source

Topics

Using the Command Object
Searching and Sorting the Recordset
Binding Data-Bound Controls to a Recordset

Labs

Adding the Search Form
Adding the Request Tracking Form

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Use the ADO Command object to run a query.
  • Use the ADO Command object and the Parameters collection to run a parameterized query.
  • Use the Find method to locate a record in a recordset.
  • Use the Filter property to limit the accessible records in a recordset.
  • Sort records in a recordset by using the Sort property of the Recordset object.
  • Bind a DataGrid control and a DataCombo control to a recordset.

Day 3

Module 6: Database Reports

Topics

The Purpose of a Report
Report Features
Using the Microsoft Data Report Designer

Lab

Creating the Closed Requests Report

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the different features of a report, such as headers, details, footers, sorting, grouping, and totals.
  • Use the Microsoft Data Report designer to create a report.
  • Create a child command in the Data Environment designer and use it to build a report.

Module 7: Beyond This Course

Topics

Introduction to Enterprise Development
The Curriculum Tree

Skills

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the high-level architecture of an enterprise solution that uses Microsoft's enterprise development strategy.
  • Explain the terminology and concepts of Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed interNet Applications (DNA).
  • Identify the Visual Basic programming courses in the Microsoft curriculum.

For more information or to give feedback, send e-mail to info@OneApex.com or call 949-597-2100