DAO Table-Type Recordsets

DAO introduces a new type of recordset unknown in the ODBC universe. A table-type recordset (supported by the CDaoRecordset class) is a direct view of an entire database table. You can use a table-type recordset only with a table in an Access database. Table-type recordsets have the following characteristics that distinguish them from snapshots and dynasets:

• The CDaoRecordset::GetRecordCount function returns an approximate record count that reflects records added or deleted by other users.

• You can't use the CDaoRecordset functions that access a record's absolute position or percent position.

• The CDaoRecordset::Seek function lets you position to a record by key value. You first call the CDaoRecordset::SetCurrentIndex function to select the index.

• If you add a record to a table-type recordset, the record is added in its proper place using the sort order that is determined by the current index.

The table-type recordset is a significant departure from ODBC and SQL. You can now select an individual record without first issuing a query. You can find a record with one index and then move sequentially using a different index. It's like dBASE or FoxPro programming!