The examples provided on this book's CD are designed for and tested with Microsoft SQL Server 2000; a few can be used against Microsoft Access 2000. To run the examples, you must have access to a SQL Server 2000 installation and install the test "Biblio" database. Yes, MSDE 2000 versions of SQL Server are fully capable of executing the examples. While some of the examples can be used with SQL Server 7.0, the Biblio database, stored procedures, and other database tables are designed for and with SQL Server 2000 and cannot be loaded by pre-SQL Server 2000 versions. The Biblio database requires about 350 MB of disk space. The Cover Pictures and Examples folders require another 69 MB.

To run any of the examples, you'll need:

• A Database Engine (Microsoft SQL Server 2000) with a SQL Server 2000 DBMS with the Biblio sample database installed. Yes, you can use MSDE version 2000.

SQL Server Links & Updates:
 

A few of the examples illustrate use of Access/Jet databases. For these examples, two different Jet database files are provided. See Setup Instructions for details.

COM-based ADO (ADOc) Chapters

The first part of the book (through Chapter 12) discusses COM-based ADO--what I refer to as ADOc--and uses examples written for and tested against Visual Basic 6.0 SP5 and MDAC (ADO) 2.7. Both the service packs and the latest version of ADO can be downloaded from the Microsoft Web sites shown below. You must, of course, have Visual Basic 6.0 installed to test these examples.

Generally, the version of MDAC installed by SQL Server 2000, the .NET Framework, or supplied with Windows 2000, Office 2000 (or XP) or Windows XP should be suitable for most examples. However, if you are experiencing COM problems you should run the Microsoft MDAC Component Checker to ensure that your MDAC installation is correct.

For the first part of the book (on COM-based ADO "classic") you will need to have the following software installed on your computer:

• Visual Basic 6.0 (Service Pack 5)
  Where do I find Service Pack 5 and other product updates?
     Visual Studio Product Updates
     Updates for Visual Basic
     Visual Studio Service Pack 5
   

• Microsoft Data Access Components
  These are installed with Visual Basic or Visual Studio, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Office. However, if you need the latest version of Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC), look here:
  Universal Data Access (http://www.microsoft.com/data)

ADO.NET Chapters

The second part of this book (starting with Chapter 13) discusses ADO.NET and uses examples written for and tested against the released version of Visual Studio .NET. You must, of course, have Visual Studio .NET installed to test these examples. Microsoft has indicated that it will offer "free" versions of the .NET Framework and possibly Visual Studio on an evaluation basis. This means the software only works for a limited length of time. In order to test the TSQL debugging feature, you must install the "Enterprise Architect" version of Visual Studio .NET--unless Microsoft changes its mind about this limitation.

For the second part of the book (on COM-based ADO "classic") you will need to have the following software installed on your computer:

• Visual Studio .NET (7.0)
  The Enterprise Architect version is only needed if you want to test/use TSQL Stored Procedure Debugging. Otherwise the Professional Edition should run all of the .NET examples on the CD.
  
  Where do I find Visual Studio .NET?
     http://www.msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/