Visual Basic(R) .NET Power Coding

Many of the features you have come to expect from database tools ”and more ”exist in ADO.NET. ADO.NET was designed to scale to meet the needs of a huge number of simultaneous Internet users and still support PC applications and connected enterprise database applications. Central to ADO.NET is the disconnected nature supported by XML and the DataSet . Using XML as the underlying infrastructure means that complex data structures can easily be transported over the Internet as XML text, if you so desire . The serializable nature of XML means that mobile and briefcase applications will be easier to develop.

In this chapter, you learned how to update data by using a DataView ; generate SQL with a command builder; program with stored procedures, transactions, and ADO.NET interfaces; define XML Schemas as a way to implement strongly typed DataSet objects; and serialize XML DataSet objects. You will find these skills invaluable for custom business, Web, and retail applications.