Step 2: Get my data!

Now we've got our connection all sorted, we'll work on getting the data. Getting data doesn't mean storing it into a variable, it needs to be stored in a RecordSet. A RecordSet makes it eaisier to view data because it stores it like a table, in rows. There are several methods of using a RecordSet to get data, this is the best, because you only need 1 variable (becomes an object).

set Recordset1 = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset") Recordset1.ActiveConnection = objConn Recordset1.Source = "SELECT * FROM Customers" Recordset1.Open()

You know about the first line but then we set object properties that are then used when we call the Open() method. First we tell it where to get the connection, and because objConn already has one open, why not use it? Next we give it a SQL statement. Finally we call the Open() method. The open method basically uses the connection, asks the database for the data which matches the SQL string and stores it in itself. A recordset is a truly useful object, but it only stores 1 table. In ASP.NET they replaced RecordSet with DataSet which can hold more than 1 (See ASP.NET & Data ). You also must think of a RecordSet as a normal database table.