VB 2008 Professional and SQL Express Questions

I am a beginner and having difficulty understanding some database connection
related issues. I started off with VB Express 2005/2008 and have moved to VB
2008 Professional (The trial edition currently).

1. In VB Express when connecting to a database I was given a choice as to
whether I wanted a copy in my local project directory. It seems that in VB
2008 one is not given a dialog to choose and instead one has to select
whether connecting to a database or attaching a database. Is this correct?

2. If 1) above is true, then there are two choices. Connect directly to the
database or attach to the database which creates a local connection under
the project directory.

3. If one connects directly to the database and enters sample data, then the
id counter can only be reset with an sql query statement or by deleting the
id field and re-entering it. I am not sure whether the dataset gets updated
at this point? or whether one has to delete the dataset and create it again
using the wizard?

4. If one attaches to the local project directory database and any changes
are required to the column structures, then this is the process I have gone
through :
Fix the field in SSME.
Detach the database, so that it can be copied to the project directory.
(Otherwise one is allowed to copy).
Copy the database to the project directory.
Recreate the dataset
build the project again
Run debug to see if it works.

I am sure there must be an easier way to deal with this and probably because
I just don't get the whole concept. Any explanations or related links would
be much appreciated..

Peter

wrote in message

> I am a beginner and having difficulty understanding some database
connection
> related issues. I started off with VB Express 2005/2008 and have moved to
VB
> 2008 Professional (The trial edition currently).
>
> 1. In VB Express when connecting to a database I was given a choice as to
> whether I wanted a copy in my local project directory. It seems that in VB
> 2008 one is not given a dialog to choose and instead one has to select
> whether connecting to a database or attaching a database. Is this correct?
>
> 2. If 1) above is true, then there are two choices. Connect directly to
the
> database or attach to the database which creates a local connection under
> the project directory.
>
> 3. If one connects directly to the database and enters sample data, then
the
> id counter can only be reset with an sql query statement or by deleting
the
> id field and re-entering it. I am not sure whether the dataset gets
updated
> at this point? or whether one has to delete the dataset and create it
again
> using the wizard?
>
> 4. If one attaches to the local project directory database and any changes
> are required to the column structures, then this is the process I have
gone
> through :
> Fix the field in SSME.
> Detach the database, so that it can be copied to the project
directory.
> (Otherwise one is allowed to copy).
> Copy the database to the project directory.
> Recreate the dataset
> build the project again
> Run debug to see if it works.
>
> I am sure there must be an easier way to deal with this and probably
because
> I just don't get the whole concept. Any explanations or related links
would
> be much appreciated..
>
> Peter
>

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