Example Databases Many of the examples in this book use Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE).

MSDE is a re stricted subset of SQL Server with some size limitations. Because MSDE is a subs et of SQL Server, it provides a relatively easy migration path if you need to up grade your database. You can initially build your application using MSDE and the n switch to SQL Server if you need a bigger database. The MSDE examples described in this book were built on the MSDE server named NET SDK on the computer Bender. You will need to modify the connect strings and Wind ows NT user names used in the examples to work on your server. For example, the following connect string lets a program connect to the Customers database on the server Bender\NETSDK. Dim connect_string As String = _ "user id=sa;password=;Data Source=Bender\NETSDK;Database=Customers" If you build an MSDE server named VBDB on the computer FastBox, you would need t o change the connect string to this: Dim connect_string As String = _ "user id=sa;password=;Data Source=FastBox\VBDB;Database=Customers" You can get more information on MSDE including instructions for obtaining and in stalling at on Microsoft's Web site: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/msde. After you create your MSDE server, you can build databases on it using database design tools or programs of your own. Chapter 2, "Database Design," describes sc ripts you can use to build databases. The code for Chapter 2 available on this b ook's Web site contains example scripts for creating and populating test databas es. You can use the RunScript program explained in Chapter 6, "Database Connecti ons," to execute those scripts to build databases on your server.