About Stephen Jackson Expertise I can help with questions regarding VB.NET syntax and object references, with data interfaces and with the design and creation of robust, data aware object classes. I can also be very helpful with creating distributable applications and provide tricks and tips on .msi creation. I also have extensive experience in designing SQL Server Databases and interfacing them with VB.NET. I try to avoid web specific questions, as that is an area of expertise all its own.
Experience
Experience in the Area: I have been a programmer in Visual Basic since version 1.0 and have worked with VB.NET (which is infinitely more powerful than previous versions) since its initial release and SQL Server, both as a corporate IT professional and professional consultant. I first wrote Basic in 1976 on a TRS 80 and have worked in Visual Basic 1.0 and every subsequent release of Microsoft Visual Basic. I worked for over 7 years as a Senior Level Consultant in the area and currently hold a Project Manager position in IT.
Education and Credentials: MBA in Econometrics, 1983, University of Memphis.
BBA in Financial Management, 1982, Fogelman College of Business and Economics, University of Memphis. Microsoft Certified Professional
Areas of Special Expertise:
My specialty is the design of Object Oriented Solutions with robust, data aware object classes. I generally avoid the classic ‘Three Tier’ model as I find it redundant and cumbersome to maintain. I also specialize in the creation of ‘User Friendly’ User Interfaces which help lessen the need for user training and help prevent user error. I work best with Windows Forms based applications, and while I do work in C# as well, I prefer to limit my questions here to Windows Forms based applications created in Visual Basic.NET and SQL Server. I wil also address questions relating to the distribution and installation of Windows Forms based applications created in VB.NET.
Expert: Stephen Jackson Date: 2/26/2008 Subject: DATASET VISUAL STUDIO 2008
Question I am relatively new to vb.net and i have a problem with a dataset in my application.
I have developed the software with a datasource configuration wizard and it works great with my textboxes and datagrid. It uses a dataset, bindingsource and tableadapter. I also have other bindingsource and tableadapter for a different database table and datagrid from the same database. Now here lies my problem, in the setup of my software i have an option to change the database and i cannot figure out how to assign the new database tables to the existing dataset, bindingsource and tableadapter. Have i done this incorrectly? Should i have not used the datasource configuration wizard and assigned the database on the fly. If so how do i do that. Under the existing system when i install the software on another computer although the database is installed in the local folder it is not being recognized by the software.
Thanks in anticipation for your help.
Answer Thomas,
I should say that I am not yet in Visual Studio 2008, and still in 2005. I have, however, recently run into a similar issue with a web based application developed for us by outside talent last year. Since then, a large number of database changes have had to be made (luckily no new tables, but many, many new fields and procedure calculation results). As a result I have had to manually edit each of the multiple layers to make the appropriate additions. This is a lot of tedious coding and has taken us many hours.
If you have a really significant change in database architecture and are using the automatically generated datasource objects, I fear you may be best advised to regenerate the datasource objects. I know this will involve a lot of work reconnecting things to your forms and may even involve recreating some of them. This may still be faster (and almost certainly more reliable as all sorts of issues can result from changes to this automatically generated code). This method is intended for the lucky few who start a project with both proper and complete specifications. I cannot even remember when I had either, much less both, before development began. It is hard to be sure without actually sitting down with you and going through it, but it sounds as though you should consider using the wizard to generate a new datasource collection. Make sure you have backup copies of all of your forms and especially any complex business logic, so you can just paste in and modify it, rather than start over.
This is just an opinion, but about all I can offer. I hope it helps and I wish you the very best!
