ASP Lesson 2: Setting up the Datasource

Before we can begin the fun stuff, we must first setup the data source. This is accomplished by first creating a database that you will use for your web site. Then you must add the data source to your System ODBC Manager.

TASK 1: Download the database.

For this tutorial I prepared a database for use throughout. Click here to download the database (you may need to CTRL + CLICK to save it as a file). The database file can reside anywhere on your system, though preferably outside the path of your root web. Depending on what web server you are using, you may have to set read permissions on the directory where the data file is located.

The database contains two tables called Students and Grades, their fields and datatypes are shown below:

STUDENTS GRADES
Field Name Type
SID Text, 8
FName Text, 30
LName Text, 20
Address Text, 50
City Text, 30
St Text, 2
ZipCode Long Integer
Field Name Type
SID Text, 8
Exam1 Long Integer
Exam2 Long Integer
Exam3 Long Integer
Final Long Integer

TASK 2: Register the database in ODBC

  1. Open the Control Panel
  2. Double Click the ODBC icon, ODBC which opens up the ODBC settings for your computer.
  3. You need to add a System DSN. Click the System DSN tab, then click the Add button

    4. Add Data Source
    Figure 2.1: Add the Data Source to the ODBC Manager.

  4. Since you created a MS Access database,
  5. Add the MS Access driver. Once selected you will be presented with the following dialogue box. Here you choose the database and associate a name with it.
    • Data Source Name: asp101
    • Description: Asp 101 Data Source
  6. Database: Locate asp101.mdb by clicking Select, then navagate to the directory in which you saved the database (c:\webshare\db).)
Setup Data Source
Figure 6.2: Setting up the Data Source.