Chapter 22. Visual Database Tools

Database connectivity is almost essential in every application you create, regardless of whether it's a Windows-based program or a web-based site or service. When Visual Studio .NET was first introduced, it provided developers with a great set of options to navigate to the database files on their file systems and local servers, with a Server Explorer, data controls, and data-bound components. The underlying .NET Framework included ADO.NET, a retooled database engine that works most efficiently in a disconnected world, which is becoming more prevalent today.

Visual Studio 2008 took those features and smoothed out the kinks, adding tools and functionality to the IDE to give you more direct access to the data in your application. This chapter looks at how you can implement data-based solutions with the tools provided in Visual Studio 2008, which can be collectively referred to as the Visual Database Tools.