I, unfortunately, have only recently been able to start working with client/server applications. This same holds true for another developer that is working on a project with me.

What we would like to do is create a COM/ActiveX module (whichever is the correct terminology), that would be responsible for enforcing the business rules and interfacing with the back-end. My hope is that as we become more proficient in multi-tier apps, this will get us one step closer when we decide to truly go multi-tiered and setup an application server.

Right now, I am playing with an object(component?) that just handles user-maintenance. This object will have methods exposed to handle Adding, editing, deleting, and retrieving user information. Right now, I am exposing the 1:1 data elements (User name, employee badge id#, first name , last name, etc) as properties of the object which the GUI would manipulate and then issue the appropriate method (add, edit, delete, get, etc). By using the properties I am running procedures in the PROPERTY LET snippets to make sure that the data is formatted correctly (i.e. left-justified and upper-case). From here I am using a ADO recordset to write back to the DB. I have also seen this done by performing native SQL to the back-end.

I also know that some people just pass a disconnected recordset back to the GUI for display and manipulation and then send the recordset back to be validated and written to the DB.

I guess my question becomes:

What are your opinions on using the object as I have described?

I haven't formed a opinion on way or the other yet. I would really be interested in knowing what other people are doing.

Thank-you for your time.
Dave