How do I access and make updates to the database
once it is set up?

Connecting to an SQL database can be accomplished using a variety of different methods and tools. Section one will address how you may use Visual Interdev and ASP, section two will provide a step by step tutorial on how to use the Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 client tool, Enterprise Manager, and section three provides a step by step tutorial on how to use Access 2000 to connect to and update your SQL Server database.

1.  You may make use of Visual Basic in ASP scripts or Perl scripts using WIN32::ODBC that is located in your Web site to issue SQL commands that will access and make updates to your database. You may also use Visual Interdev, a powerful and useful developer’s tool, to connect directly to the SQL Server database or design ASP pages that can perform interaction with your SQL Server database. ASP or Perl scripts can be written that will retrieve, add, delete and update information in the various tables of your database. We support the use of DSN and DSNless connections to connect to your SQL Server database, and when using system DSN connection, a connection is established via the ODBC software installed in the Microsoft SQL server. Helpful links on how to use ASP to interact with your MS SQL database can be found in our links section below!

2.  You may also connect your computer to your SQL Server using SQL Enterprise Manager or a transactional SQL client, such as Query Analyzer, to manage your SQL Server database. These client side tools are part of Microsoft’s SQL Server 7.0 distribution an included on the SQL Server distribution. A trial version of Microsoft SQL server 7.0 can be downloaded at the Microsoft site, or you may purchase the trial CD for a small fee. Both of these trial versions of SQL Server contain the Enterprise Manager. Instructions on how to use this tool should be included with the Microsoft documentation, however we have added step by step, screen shot instructions on how to use SQL Enterprise Manager to connect to your MS SQL database below.

Before you use the SQL Enterprise Manager to connect to your SQL database, you will need to set up a user DSN on your local computer.

Once you have installed Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 on your NT machine using either the Microsoft SQL server 7.0 download files or the trial CD, launch the SQL Enterprise Manager by clicking on Start à Programs à Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 à Enterprise Manager.

Below is an empty SQL Server Enterprise Manager screen. Begin by registering a new SQL Server by right-clicking on “Microsoft SQL Servers” and selecting “New SQL Server Registration…”.

Click Continue For
step by step, screen shot instructions

Any questions not answered here, can be forwarded to Support@arizonahost.com