Interacting with a Database Using Visual Basic.NET

The tutorial that this exercise is based on was developed by Brian Kovar and published in the 2006 Compendium of Classroom Cases and Tools for AIS Applications, sponsored by the Information Systems Section of the American Accounting Association (August 2006. Volume 3, Issue 1). This activity was also presented as a hand-on training session at the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Accounting Information Systems Educator Conference. In 2007, this activity was included as part of an Effective Learning Strategies presentation at the 2007 American Accounting Association annual meeting.

Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) is one of the programming languages that is part of Microsoft’s Visual Studio.NET. VB.NET is the first formal programming language that is taught to students as part of the MIS major. This exercise is designed to give students exposure to how computer programs are created and how they can be made to interact with a database. In this exercise, students will use VB.NET to create a graphical user interface (GUI), along with the necessary programming code so that objects on the GUI can interact with a database and its contents (display, modify, and manipulate data). In addition to creating an application that can interact with a database, students will also explore database related concepts and other concepts commonly used by programmers as they create computer applications.

This tutorial/exercise is especially recommended for students who plan to be MIS majors, students who are considering becoming MIS majors and students who plan on working with and using accounting information systems, although students of any major can also gain skills valuable to their given major and future career. This activity must be completed in the CBA computer lab or on some other computer that already has Visual Studio/VB.NET installed.

After completing this tutorial, you can add a statement to your resume that you “have an introductory/basic understanding of how to create a computer program using Visual Basic.NET and how to make a Visual Basic.NET program interact with a Microsoft Access database.”

To complete this tutorial, you will need to visit the following URL: http://info.cba.ksu.edu/bkovar/Xperiential/DBVBproject.pdf

In order to complete the tutorial, you will also need the files that go along with the tutorial. By clicking on this link, you can download the entire set of tutorial files, which have been zipped into one file that you will need to unzip.

If you are unable to work with the zipped files, you can visit S drive directly and copy the necessary files over to your disk. Use the following path: S drive: Info folder, go into the folder called Experiential, and then you should see another folder called DBVB Student Files. Copy that entire folder over to your disk (and when you copy the folder, all of the files and subfolders that are in it copy over as well).

The tutorial tells you step-by-step what needs to be done. Simply follow the instructions EXACTLY as they are written, and you should be in good shape. However, if you have any problems, please stop by my office and I will be able to help out.

When you are all done with the tutorial, here are the printouts that you need to make:  Print out the code found in the DataGrid Example application (code found on frmDataGrid). Label the printout.  Print out the code found in the LabelandTextbox Example application (code found on frmDisplay). Label the printout.  Print out the code found in the LabelandTextbox Example application (code found on frmStateQuery). Label the printout.  Print out the code found in the Multiple Table Query application (code found on frmRoster). Label the printout.

In addition to the printouts listed above, you will also need to answer the following questions in a word processing document. Make sure that you think about your response to each question before writing/typing. When I evaluate your answers, I will evaluate the correctness of the answer and the quality of the answer, looking at completeness of the answer, evidence of learning and not simply repeating something that is found in the tutorial, spelling, and just the overall thought and effort behind your answer. None of the following questions can be answered in 1-2 sentences. It will take more than that to have a “high-quality answer.”  One of the topics discussed in information systems textbooks is the idea of program/data independence. In your own words, exactly what does this mean, and how do the activities that you completed as part of this project reinforce that idea? Why is the idea of program and data independence important and what are its benefits?

 You created several VB.NET applications capable of interacting with an Access database, and there were many different skills that you used and developed, and several database/MIS/programming concepts that you discovered and explored. Look back on this activity, and then develop 1-2 paragraphs where you discuss specific items that you learned, and how or where you might be able to apply them in your future personal or professional career (there is more being asked in this question than just Visual Basic software skills: look at the ENTIRE activity and the BIG PICTURE)

As part of this activity, you will also need to hand in an evaluation form. This form will be used to provide me with some feedback related to this activity. Visit http://info.cba.ksu.edu/bkovar/Xperiential/evaluation.doc and make a printout of that evaluation form.

Since I would like to see and run all of the applications that you either created or modified as part of this exercise, you will need to submit ALL of your Visual Basic files that you create or use in this exercise in some sort of named folder to the KSU Online file dropbox. All students who complete Experiential Exercise #6 as extra credit will submit their work to the Extra Credit, Experiential Exercise #6 folder (there are no section folders).

The packet of printouts that you submit for this exercise should contain the following, in this order, and stapled: 1. A cover page with the usual required information on it. 2. Your typewritten report answering the questions outlined above. 3. Printouts specified above, in the order in which mentioned/listed 4. The Evaluation form.

Since this form is used to provide feedback to me, I will probably remove it from your packet, which is why it is best to make this be the last page in your packet.

Return back to the class web page