Customer Reviews

Sams Teach Yourself Database Programming with Visual Basic 6 in 21 Days

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book promises much, but delivers little. Both the book and the examples from the CD are so full of errors that it is more of an example in frustration than learning. It is nothing more than a usless piece of garbage

This is neither a book for people who know nothing about database programming, nor is it a book for experienced programmers. Not sure where it's placed.

For beginners it's very difficult to figure out what the author is saying about DAO, RDO, ADO. This is exponentially exacerbated by the fact that MSFT seems to change its mind about the standard each time they bring out a new version of Access.

MSFT seems now to have settled on ADO as the standard, so with the bulk of this book focussing on DAO, it's not worth getting. But in reviewing, we must remember that this book was written way back in 1998 - an aeon in programming.

I found the line numbering style reminiscent of the early days of DOS BASIC when every manufacturer had their own version. Ah, the days of my old Spectravideo.

Although the book covers most of the topics associated with VB and database programming, it is riddled with grammatical errors. The source code listed in the book has errors. You will have to decipher before trying to make sense what the author is trying to explain.

This is an excellent introduction to using the power of Microsoft's Jet database engine in VB programs. It covers all the basics and provides example coding throughout. Having worked my way through most of it, I can write powerful database programs easily and quickly, in a fraction of time and using a fraction of the code demanded by VB to achieve the same results. I can even understand those dreadful Microsoft Jet Database Help Screens now!!!!!! I recommend the book to experienced VB programmers.

The book is not a 'VB programming for beginners' publication - you need to understand VB before using it. The sample code is full of errors that only an experienced VB user can detect and correct. The authour insists on using the Visdata utility to create SQL commands but does not make clear how to translate these into VB code; a VB beginner would be hopelessly confused and not understand the power and flexibility of this command. Readers also need to understand the concept of relational databases.

While I do agree with some reviewers in terms of errors which exist in some code in the book, I strongly disagree with those who condemn this book as being inadequate. This is not a book for Vb or Programming NEOPHYTES!

This book assumes that you know VB, and concentrates on teaching you how to develop database applications. In this area it does a marvelous job. I do agree with the authors mix of DAO/RDO and ADO. There is still a lot of DAO/RDO stuff out there which will need to be supported! It does an excellent job with its treament of ADO, DED, and data report designs. Not forgetting how to design and implement robust databases! Its database treament is even better than most database-only books I have reviewed!!

I know of pricier books that do not come anywhere close in terms of what this book offers(teaches). If you need more or exclusive ADO stuff look elsewhere.

I am both a professional VB/Database designer and also an instructor in VB and DB in a CIS dept and comparing this book to other books especially textbooks, you can't find anything more readable than this book!

I score this book a 4 because of code mistakes!

If you know VB, this is an excellent database design book for you! (Common! Let's be FAIR! The authors actually warn you up front about this fact!)

I agree with the other reviewers, this book could use a bit more proof reading, there are some errors. However, if you go through the book and type in all their code and try to figure out why some of their code doesn't work, you learn a lot. You won't learn anything by reading this book, you really have to get your hands dirty, do all the exercises. Overall, I was pleased with this book.

I'm relatively new to programmming. After receiving a project to revamp one of our databases, I bought this book (and a few others) to help me feel my way around. It was a mistake that I'm only luke warm about because my company thankfully footed the bill. The book is full of examples which alleviates the popular gripe about the lack there of in simliar books, but it fails to include clear and correct explanatations. I would even go as far as saying, some of these examples are not "smart" enough. The recurring theme so far revolves around its accuracy. I tend to agree. Please be careful when purchasing this book or others of this type. Too often, in order to compete with the market, publishers will hash things together in a pretty package and the "bonus cd" to lure you into a product that is ultimately useless. Does anybody else find that confusing? I'm glad I use amazon to help me sort through the gas and get my hands on some meat! Unless you have a clear and grounded understanding of VB, this book will feel like taking a college French exam in Spanish. On a lighter note, publishers such as Que and SAMS do well against the others in technical self help books. I would buy from them again (as I have), but I wouldn't buy this one again.

They did cover alot of ground for one book. Once they started chapters on the actual data objects, the code becomes laborious and tedious at best. They should have demonstrated each concept with simpler code modules and more explanation. In some of the chapters I had the impression that the authors were as weary of writing as I was of reading. It is a good introduction in the sense that it covers much of the vocabulary and many of the concepts of database programming. I now at least know what to look for in other references. In summary - it covers alot of ground with not much depth. Good for a first survey, but not much good for future reference material.

These people have some nerve charging $$$ for a BETA book. Thebook lists 6 editors plus a proofreader. What the h*ll did thesepeople do! The book is RIDDLED with code errors and VERY poor project layout. You can probably get something out of this if you have the patience to DEBUG THEIR APPLICATIONS.

The book is not that much of use. Many mistakes embarsed me through out the book. And on the other hand, 21 days is not enought to become a good programmer !