I am using Access 2010. Can I program using C# instead of VBA?

[Corwin Moyne]

Hello. I am currently creating an Access database. I am a second year programming student where I am learning java and C#. Can I use C# instead of VBA when it comes to Access? I am pretty good with C# but know nothing about VBA and I am finding the different syntax very confusing.

[zmbd]

You'll be wanting to read: How to automate Microsoft Access by using Visual C#


Also moving this thread to the C# forums.

[NeoPa]

You can Corwin, as Z has indicated and helped with.

However, there are various reasons why, were I in your shoes, I would avoid taking that route as a principal choice :

1. As a programming student, you are encouraged to display an ability to handle multiple programming languages, and expected to handle new ones quickly and without fuss.
2. As a student (and we're all that one way or another really), you are better placed going with the main-stream. Finding out about Access and how to handle things is generally best done from people and resources with Access experience. Almost all of those will be using, and illustrating with, VBA when it comes to the programming side. To go outside the main-stream in such a situation is probably a lot braver than you intend to be, as you are cutting yourself off from a lot of helpful resources.

I said "as a principal choice" for good reason. As a student, it may be that you want to show that you're a bit beyond the norm. If you can manage to learn VBA, but show that you can program Access in C# too, then that's flexing muscles that will stand you in good stead in your career I would expect.