ADO: ActiveX Data Objects

ADO Components

ActiveX Data Objects consists of a generic-style data-access structure that allows you to access any data source, regardless of its structure, with the same programming interface. The individual objects within the ADO object model are used to provide all of the data-storage, manipulation, and retrieval commands needed when writing a data-based application. ADO includes the following objects and collections:

• The Connection object

• The Command object

• The Parameters collection and the Parameter object

• The Recordset object

• The Fields collection and the Field object

• The Record and Stream objects

• The Properties collection and the Property object

• The Errors collection and the Error object

In the next sections, I take a closer look at these objects and collections.

The Connection Object

The Connection object is the gateway for all data communications through ActiveX Data Objects. Figure 2-1 illustrates the Connection object’s object model.

Figure 2-1. The Connection object’s object model

In order to access data from any source, a connection for that source must first be established. ADO uses the Connection object to accomplish this. The Connection object uses information that you provide to establish a unique connection to a particular OLE DB data source. The standard information that a Connection object accepts includes filenames, data-provider names, usernames, and passwords. If your ...