Data Definition Language

The OLE DB specification has been extended to encompass interfaces to better define and manage tables, indexes, relationships, and other database objects. These interfaces include IAlterTable, IAlterIndex, ITableDefinitionWithConstraints, and ITableCreate. The Jet Provider supports these interfaces as an alternative to SQL-based Data Definition Language (DDL) statements. Also, existing interfaces such as ITableDefinition and IIndexDefinition have been further clarified in the specification, and the new provider reflects these clarifications.

Although the version 3.5 provider supports some interface-based DDL capabilities, its use in conjunction with the ADO DDL components is not recommended. The capabilities of the older provider are more limited, and there has not been much integration testing between these two components, therefore increasing the possibility of encountering bugs or limitations. Now, using the Installable ISAM technology in Jet, you can perform DDL operations against older Jet file formats, including the 3.x format that the version 3.5 IISAM supports through the version 4.0 provider.