HOWTO: ODBC and OLEDB Connection Prompt Control in ADO

ID: Q193128


The information in this article applies to:


SUMMARY

This article demonstrates how to prompt a user for ODBC connect string information such as Server, User ID, Password, Trusted_Connection, Language, and Database using ActiveX Data Objects (ADO).

The article also shows how to display an OLE DB Data Link dialog box to select an OLEDB provider and its properties.


MORE INFORMATION

ODBC Connect String

The following ADO example uses a "DSN-less" ODBC connection so you do not need to set up a data source name (DSN) with the ODBC Admin utility.
  1. In Visual Basic 6.0, add a project reference to the Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects Library.


  2. Paste the following code into the Sub Form_Load() section of a new form or another place in your Visual Basic code:
    
          Dim conn As ADODB.Connection
          Dim strConn As String
    
          ' Assign the connection string to a variable.
    
          strConn = "DRIVER={SQL Server};SERVER=;UID=;PWD=;DATABASE="
    
          ' Create the Connection object.
          Set conn = New ADODB.Connection
    
          'Assign the connection string and provider, then open the connection.
          With conn
            .ConnectionString = strConn
            .Provider = "MSDASQL"
          ' Valid Enums for the ADO Prompt property are:
          ' adPromptAlways = 1
          ' adPromptComplete = 2
          ' adPromptCompleteRequired = 3
          ' adPromptNever =4
            .Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways
            .Open strConn
          End With 


OLEDB Data Link Dialog Box

  1. Set project references to the Microsoft OLE DB Service Component 1.0 Type Library and Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects 2.0 Library.


  2. Use the following code to open a data link dialog box and print the connection string in the immediate window:
    
          Private Sub btnRunTest_Click()
          Dim conn As New ADODB.Recordset
          Dim dl As New MSDASC.DataLinks
    
          conn = dl.PromptNew
          Debug.print conn.ConnectionString
    
          End Sub 


Additional query words: ADO ODBC OLEDB PROMPT DataLink


Keywords          : kbADO100 kbADO150 kbADO200 kbDatabase kbODBC kbOLEDB kbProvider 
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0,1.5,2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto 

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999