SQL Server 2000 is an extremely powerful and flexible development platform, but if the users mess up the data, there's nothing you can do. Protecting the integrity sometimes means severely limiting access to users. Roy Carlson brings us a technique using sp_makewebtask that you can easily use to provide users with some data without giving them query access.   Read more...

Ever been paged while out with your family for some SQL Server problem that had you cutting an evening short? New author Anthony Loera has and he brings us some scripts that he uses to handle some of those crisis from any email device, PDA, phone, and keep him in front of his kids on the weekends.   Read more...

This article discusses why VBScript should be one of the tools you use to manage your server. Sample scripts show how to remove files over x days old and how to FTP files.   Read more...

In the second of this three-part series, learn how to map well-formed XML from a standard SQL Server query to a single cell in a worksheet. The resulting output is an XML tree with non-repeating elements.   Read more...

In the first of a three-part series, learn how to use XML maps to customize Excel as a data input and display system.   Read more...

When .NET first appeared it wasn't unusual to hear the question "Is COM dead?" In fact COM seems to be alive and well, and in this article I'll look at the way that Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 allow you to use COM in a side-by-side way without installing the usual registration entries – you won't need to use the Windows Registry to use side-by-side COM components.   Read more...

Do you use the maintenance plans or hate them? Wish they would do more? Curious about how they work under the hood? Cmon, you gotta read this one! Trust us, it's not another "how-to" article! Well, maybe just a little bit!   Read more...

For some years, I have been asked to review a product that I have only just gotten around to looking at. It was developed by Garry Robinson, who publishes a very useful web resource called vb123.com and who recently wrote one of the best books on Access security, Real World Microsoft Access Database Protection and Security. The product is called The Access Workbench (TAW)   Read more...

If you are really interested in the fastest performance, don't use Access as a front-end to a SQL Server database. While Access is relatively easy to learn and fast to develop in, its performance if poor when compared to other front-end options. But if you like to develop in Access, or don't have any choice, then the tips on this page will help a little to boost your application's performance.   Read more...

Most SQL Server developers and DBAs are familiar with the concept of using a database as a back end to a web site or other application. However the database can be used to store more than just the data that users will edit. An interesting approach to application design begins with some knowledge of the metadata about the underlying data structures and using this to drive the application's behavior. New author Jim Craddock has utilized just such a concept in one if his applications and he brings us a look at how this works.   Read more...

SQL Server has extensions to allow one to call COM based objects from within the server using T-SQL. While this is an interesting feature, it's may not be the best way to structure your applications due to performance reasons. New author Zach Nichter of ScalabilityExperts.com brings us an analysis of different ways of writing out to a file from within SQL Server. Read on to see the most efficient method of generating files on your server.   Read more...

Mindy explores the metadata stored in SQL 2000 to show you how to produce a simple and useful data dictionary!   Read more...

A short survey from Microsoft looking for feedback from users in order to try and improve the application development process. If you build applications with MS technolgies, especially SQL Server, take a moment and respond.   Read more...

Andy starts a new series about Worst Practices - come find out why and read about the first one on his list - using Hungarian Notation for column names!   Read more...

This is the first article by Steve Jones that examines a programming technique for handling operations that may be too large to run in a single query.   Read more...

SQL Server excels at storing and retrieving data, especially in the area of reporting on this data. Chris Cathers has come up with a great solution for gathering and reporting on the filesystem on his network, enabling him to help out his local sysadmins.   Read more...

You can use features in Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 Service Pack (SP) 1 to work more efficiently with image objects and other data. Learn how to use BLOB data types to work with data stored in a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database from an InfoPath form. InfoPath 2003 provides a robust and rich interface to store and access data in SQL Server databases. Learn about best practices for integrating SQL Server databases and InfoPath form data, with an illustrative example.  Read more...

How many times has an application exploded because you upgraded or patched SQL Server? How many people were aware that a patch was applied? New author Andre Vigneau has dealt with this and gives us some code that our applications can use to check to see if anything has changed. It doesn't keep the code working, but it does allow you to inform users that something has changed.   Read more...

The Windows Mobile platform, which includes Microsoft .NET Compact Framework and Microsoft SQL Server CE, encapsulates the complex tasks of communication management and data exchange while your device is in a disconnected state. (16 printed pages)  Read more...

SQL Server allows data access from many sources, probably any that you could want. Some, however, are easier than others. Have you ever tried to update information in Exchange from SQL Server? Not that easy, but new author Steve Boriotti has written code as well as a short article on how you can make this happen.   Read more...