Options to save data

bart

17y3.3k

For years I have been developing data-centered applications using an access database to store my data (I then distribute the mdb file with my app). I wonder what is a typical setup for a vb.net application? What options do I have to store data that allow me to have good performance to retrieve and store data? Should I look at XML? Greetz, Bart

I typically use MS SQL Server. Integration with vb.net is pretty easy. You can, I believe, make the db part of the project file and distribute it similarly to how you've probably been using Access. I prefer to keep the db separate from the project file because I've found that to be less confusing and makes both the db and the project easier to manage. The real strength of SQL Server is the ability to use "Stored Procedures" to process the data. Using stored procedures, you can have almost all the data functions exist only in the db and then you only have to use vb to call the appropriate stored procedure and supply any variable/parameters for your queries. This separation allows you to make changes to either your SQL code or your vb code without effecting the other.

SQL Server can be run on a server or a local machine, depending on your needs, and the free, Express version contains most of the options you'll ever need. Each database in the Express version is limited to either 2 or 4 gigs (I can't remember which off the top of my head), but you can run multiple databases and split your tables into different db's if space becomes an issue.

Hope that helps a little.

2 Replies

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Hirendra Sisodiya16y ago
Sean is right, Sql server has more benifits compare of mdb database..
good performance depends on retrieving storing data techniques, you can see on Xml, but you can gain good performance by changing retriving or saving techniques..

thanks
Sean Westerfield16y ago
I typically use MS SQL Server. Integration with vb.net is pretty easy. You can, I believe, make the db part of the project file and distribute it similarly to how you've probably been using Access. I prefer to keep the db separate from the project file because I've found that to be less confusing and makes both the db and the project easier to manage. The real strength of SQL Server is the ability to use "Stored Procedures" to process the data. Using stored procedures, you can have almost all the data functions exist only in the db and then you only have to use vb to call the appropriate stored procedure and supply any variable/parameters for your queries. This separation allows you to make changes to either your SQL code or your vb code without effecting the other.

SQL Server can be run on a server or a local machine, depending on your needs, and the free, Express version contains most of the options you'll ever need. Each database in the Express version is limited to either 2 or 4 gigs (I can't remember which off the top of my head), but you can run multiple databases and split your tables into different db's if space becomes an issue.

Hope that helps a little.