Database Engines
There are several basic database engines
- ODBC - Used by most database applications
- BDE - Borland Database Engine
- Jet - used by MS Access
- ADO - Includes ODBC, uses Jet
- DAO - Includes ODBC, uses Jet
Microsoft's article
ADO, DAO and RDO in Visual Basic
explains the differences and provides links to more information.
Basically, ADO is the newest and should be used for new applications -
except in those instances where you need to use DAO.
ODBC
- ODBC
- Various notes on configuring ODBC
BDE
The
Borland Database Engine (BDE)
provides a non-Microsoft way to access data in
Paradox, DBase, FoxPro, and ASCII databases.
It also provides an ODBC connection to other types of databases.
Delphi 5 (Pro and Enterprise), Paradox, dBase, C++ Builder, and Quatro Pro
interface with the BDE.
On the down side, you will need to distribute and configure the BDE
with your applications. In addition, Borland is no longer
developing new capabilities.
Jet
This is the Microsoft Access database engine -
it can be accessed via DAO and ADO.
ADO
Delphi 5 Enterprise
and Delphi 6 Pro
support ADO (Microsoft® ActiveX® Data Objects).
When using ADO, there is no need to distribute the BDE.
- ADO
- Various notes on loading ADO
-
Use Variables in SQL behind forms
- This shows how to query the ADO schema to automatically determine
the correct delimiters for dates, strings, integers, and the like.
DAO
Data Access Objects (DAO)
is yet another way to access databases.
More info
I use this with MS Access
(it is apparently the default access method for
MS Access 97,
but the library needs to be added and your code modified
for use with
MS Access 2002
)
and
Delphi
(does not require the BDE).
Author: Robert Clemenzi -
clemenzi@cpcug.org