Welcome to Sams Teach Yourself Database Programming with Visual C++ in 21 Days. The 21 lessons presented in this book provide C++ developers with a much needed treatise on databases from a C++ programmerís perspective.
C++ Windows developers already possess valuable knowledge of object-oriented programming in the Windows environment. However, many C++ programmers lack knowledge of database technology. Knowledge of database technologies is crucial for building software for business applications, as well as for many scientific applications.
A Windows application that is written in C++ and has a powerful database as its foundation can perform amazing feats. With the advent of multitier architectures, C++ takes on a major role as an excellent language for building server and middle-tier software components. Writing multitier software components frequently involves using C++ with database technology. Having knowledge of C++ alone is often not enough for these modern applications. You need knowledge of C++ database programming if your skills are to be at the forefront of Windows software development.
This book builds on your knowledge of C++ Windows programming by teaching database expertise in a way that you, as a C++ developer, can really take advantage of it.
Here is a brief rundown of what you will learn:
This book is designed to teach database programming to intermediate-level
C++ Windows developers. If you already know something about C++
Windows programming and want to expand your skills to include
database programming, this is your book.
What You Will Need to Use This Book
Most of the programming examples in this book use Visual Studio
6 Enterprise Edition. The Enterprise Edition has built-in tools
for relational databases; these tools are very helpful for database
programming. You can get by with the Professional Edition of Visual
Studio if the Enterprise Edition is not available to you. This
book also teaches programming for Microsoft Transaction Server
(MTS), Internet Information Server (IIS), and Internet Explorer
version 4 (IE4), so you will need these software packages as well.
You can use Microsoftís Personal Web Server (PWS) in place
of IIS if you like. In terms of operating systems, Windows NT
4.0 makes an excellent platform running MTS and IIS. You probably
could make do with Windows 98 instead of Windows NT as long as
your machine has sufficient memory to run Visual Studio, MTS,
IIS (or PWS), and IE4 simultaneously.
Acknowledgments
Writing a book is something that I've always wanted to do. I am very pleased that I have had the opportunity to do so. There are many people who made it possible for me to complete this work and who deserve my thanks.
Many friends and colleagues gave me much needed encouragement. I appreciate their helpful feedback, which kept my motivation from sinking at critical times.
My wife and my three young sons made
many sacrifices to give me the time I needed to write. My sons
endured the long hours of my absence from them with selflessness
and maturity. My wife, Capri, carried the burden of being virtually
a single parent while I was holed up in the office, pouring my
best efforts into these pages. In addition, Capri produced the
line drawings for this book and did some initial editing as well.
Without a doubt, her help was instrumental in my completing it.
About the Authors
Lyn Robison is a career software developer who specializes in database, COM, C++, and Java development on the Windows platform. In addition to software development, Lyn enjoys writing, speaking, and teaching new technologies to technical and non-technical audiences.
Lyn works as a developer at Webridge Inc., in Portland, Oregon. Webridge is a small software company poised on the edge of greatness.
When he is not working, Lyn enjoys watching college football and playing basketball. He lacks just 12 inches in his vertical leap from being able to slam-dunk the basketball.
You can reach Lyn via email at LynRobison@aol.com.
K. David White is
a software developer with over 10 years' experience developing
control, database, and user interface applications. He has been
developing Windows NT applications for the last five years. Dave
can be reached at kdwhite@donet.com.
Tell Us What You Think!
As the reader of this book, you are our most important critic and commentator. We value your opinion and want to know what we're doing right, what we could do better, what areas you'd like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdom you're willing to pass our way.
As the Executive Editor for the Advanced Programming team at Macmillan Computer Publishing, I welcome your comments. You can fax, email, or write me directly to let me know what you did or didn't like about this book-as well as what we can do to make our books stronger.
Please note that I cannot help you with technical problems related to the topic of this book, and that due to the high volume of mail I receive, I might not be able to reply to every message.
When you write, please be sure to include this book's title and author as well as your name and phone or fax number. I will carefully review your comments and share them with the author and editors who worked on the book.
Fax: 317-817-7070 Email: adv_prog@mcp.com Mail: Bradley L. Jones, Executive Editor, Advanced Programming, Macmillan Computer Publishing, 201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290 USA
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