Database Connectivity

[buntine]

I have finally decided to update my knowledge. I am going from ASP to ASP.NET

I have installed the .NET framework (it seems to be working fine)
I have installed the MSDE (Microsoft Data Engine)
I have also installed the SQL Server and ODBC drivers for database connectivity.

Now, what i want to do is simply connect to a database. I dont want the code (thats the easy part), i just want someone to tell me how to setup my machine so i can write database-driven .NET applications.

I have looked through MSDN a few times, though we all know how difficult it is to find helpful information in that damn maze!

A basic explanation or link to a helpful article would be handy.

Regards,
Andrew Buntine.

[buntine]

Ahh. I just solved my own problem.

I wasnt running my instance of SQL Server as an SQLServerAgent. Its still somewhat jiberish to me at the moment, though, i definetely understand the concepts behind .NET.

Feel free to delete this thread, Peo.

Regards.

[PeOfEo]

lol, nahhh. I do not run sql server locally, I find it to be a pain in the butt to mess around with the settings and all. I just do all of my data for local testing with an access mdb, then I change all of the connection strings right before the site gets moved to the production server, I then just make all of the sql server tables which only takes a few minutes.

[buntine]

I got it all working now (i think). I have VS.NET 2003 so i can use the database designer in that.

The whole concept of ASP.NET is completely different to that of Classic ASP! Its alot easier to develop in, but there is a hell of a lot more information you need to memorize.

Regards,
Andrew Buntine.

[PeOfEo]

I dont use vs.net myself, I use dreamweaver, so I do not know about all of vs.net's features. I have just gotton so used to codeing in dreamweaver and I do not feel like changeing, dont see a reason to. I still do things just like you do in classic with <% code %> and then throw in asp.net stuff like the repeater control. The repeater is my favorite control in asp.net, it streamlines things so much but still gives you so much control... But I value control over ease a lot of the time so I do not use the built in error checkers or some of the other form controls because I do not like how they butcher my markup and cramp my style.

[buntine]

Yer, i was playing around with the built-in validation controls. They seem handy. But it does too much for you! You write 5 lines of code and .NET generates the rest.

The database connectivity processes are great.

Regards.