Data Source Controls and Data Binding

Summary

This Drill shows how to use ASP.NET 2.0’s powerful data source controls, which act as intermediaries between an application’s interface controls and the underlying data. Tasks show how the SqlDataSource control interacts with a SQL database, how the ObjectDataSource control relates to business objects, and how an XmlDataSource control can display hierarchical information from an XML file.

Audience

This Drill is for developers who want to gain experience using ASP.NET 2.0’s versatile data source controls, which are used to bind data sources to the controls that display the information.

What you'll learn

You will learn the skills needed to work with ASP.NET 2.0’s data source controls, which act as intermediaries between an application’s interface controls and the underlying data. You’ll learn how to use an SqlDataSource control with a SQL database, how to relate an ObjectDataSource control to business objects, and how to use an XmlDataSource control to display hierarchical information from an XML file.

What you need to know

We assume that you’re familiar with the concepts of programming and you’ve experience with Visual Studio 2005, including its designer and control wizards. You’ll also need to be comfortable with Visual C# or Visual Basic syntax and have a working knowledge of web server controls. You’ll need to know the syntax of SQL, data-binding, and XML Path Language (XPath). A basic understanding of XML is also required.