This topic describes how you can use the Data Access Application Block to develop applications. It first explains how to configure the application block and incorporate it into your applications. Next, in Key Scenarios, it explains how to use the application block for specific scenarios, such as retrieving a single item or using a DataSet object to retrieve multiple rows. Lastly, in Details of Development Tasks, it gives more information about topics such as connection management, parameter handling, and handling exceptions. This topic assumes that you are using the application block in its original state, without extending it. (To learn how to add functionality, see Extending and Modifying the Data Access Application Block.)

All application blocks ship as source code and must be compiled before the QuickStarts and configuration console can be used. To learn how to compile the Enterprise Library source code, see Building the Enterprise Library.