Waiting for Helen's book,
i've some very elementary questions (sorry for that).
I've developed some programs in visual basic 6.x and use access database.
Now i'd like to migrate to firebird.
I've pass all my database structure and data into a firebird 2.x database.

In vb - access i use to:
'Set a new connection (is it necessary also with fb, isn't it?)
Set cnDB = New ADODB.Connection

' Set the connection string
'cnDB.ConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data
Source=" & PercorsoDatabase & ";"
And with fb i use
cnStudioLexDB.ConnectionString = "DRIVER=Firebird/InterBase(r)
driver;UID=SYSDBA;PWD=masterkey;DBNAME=C:\TEST.GDB"

'Open the database (is also necessary with FB isn't it ?)
cnDB.Open

questions:
1) can i leave the database connection open through all the program
process and close at the end of my program ?

2) the recordset: i've to define them as i use to do with access ?
Public rsTable As ADODB.Recordset

3) I need to open recordset ?
rsTable.Open "SELECT Utenti.* FROM Utenti WHERE Utenti.Utente = '" +
UtenteSel + "'"

4) The above query how can translate into fb syntax ?

5) how i can retreive the value for example of a field (field_text)
contained in a table (table_demo) ?
in vb - access i use:
Dim test as string
test = rsTable_demo("field_text")

thanks
adriano