The most distinctive feature here is the format of this book, which features Q&A dialogues between the hypothetical students and the author as he works through the basics of database design with VB6. With an exceedingly patient presentation style, this approach will work best for the novice VB programmer. The book starts from square one, with the fundamentals of databases, before it proceeds to VB's database components, such as the Data Control. The book makes use of a single case study for a product catalog for a dishware shop. Readers will learn how to add tables using Microsoft Access and then build forms that access data within Visual Basic.

Besides the fundamentals, the author does mention key Visual Basic technologies, such as an ADO primer on the syntax of SQL for querying databases. The goal of this book isn't so much a comprehensive tour as much as a how-to for demystifying databases within Visual Basic.

In all, this book's format makes it an ideal choice for the novice programmer who's had trouble making the leap into the world of database development. Learn to Program Databases with Visual Basic 6 can put the powers of a VB database into the hands of virtually any reader who's willing to spend a few hours reading and working through its effective code examples. --Richard Dragan