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Summary

This chapter examines how to use Access projects (.adp files) to create database objects, such as tables, views, stored procedures, triggers, and user-defined functions in SQL Server databases. You also gain exposure to the Access Upsizing Wizard, a graphical tool for creating SQL Server databases and database objects based on existing Access databases (.mdb files).

The chapter's first three sections introduce Access projects and cover graphical means of creating them and the SQL Server databases to which they connect. In addition, the initial three sections introduce Access developers to resources for learning more about SQL Server, including Books Online, sample databases, and MSDE 2000, which is an edition of SQL Server 2000 that ships with Office 2003. Beyond that, you learn of special SQL Server resources that ship with one edition of Office 2003—Chapter 12 explores these resources in greater depth.

The chapter compares and contrasts database objects in Access and SQL Server databases. In addition, you gain exposure to graphical techniques for creating and using these objects. The graphical interfaces start with the Access project Database window that permits you to explore the database objects in the SQL Server database to which an Access project points. You also learn how to graphically create tables, views, stored procedures, and user-defined functions as well as database diagrams for representing whole database schemas.

Although the chapter covers graphical means for creating objects, there is also a strong emphasis on programmatically creating database objects. For example, you learn T-SQL coding techniques. The chapter shows you how to run this code from templates accessible through the Access project Database window as well as via ADO in the VBA project associated with an Access project. Although the VBA samples generally take advantage of running from an Access project, many of these samples can run with slight modification from the VBA project for an Access database file.


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