How to connect to SQL Server database from JavaScript in the browser?

Question

Can anybody give me some sample source code showing how to connect to a SQL Server 2005 database from JavaScript locally? I am learning web programming on my desktop.

Or do I need to use any other scripting language? Suggest some alternatives if you have them, but I am now trying to do it with JavaScript. My SQL Server is locally installed on my desktop — SQL Server Management Studio 2005 and IE7 browser.

Answer 1

You shouldn´t use client javascript to access databases for several reasons (bad practice, security issues, etc) but if you really want to do this, here is an example:

var connection = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Connection") ;

var connectionstring="Data Source=<server>;Initial Catalog=<catalog>;User ID=<user>;Password=<password>;Provider=SQLOLEDB";

connection.Open(connectionstring);
var rs = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Recordset");

rs.Open("SELECT * FROM table", connection);
rs.MoveFirst
while(!rs.eof)
{
   document.write(rs.fields(1));
   rs.movenext;
}

rs.close;
connection.close; 

A better way to connect to a sql server would be to use some server side language like PHP, Java, .NET, among others. Client javascript should be used only for the interfaces.

And there are rumors of an ancient legend about the existence of server javascript, but this is another story. ;)