Active Query Builder is a .Net-ready ActiveX visual query builder component to build complex SQL queries via an intuitive visual interface easily. It differs from other query builders by its powerful SQL parser that correctly handles SQL queries containing multiple nested joins and other fine points of SQL syntax. Another feature is the powerful and user-friendly GUI that allows you to build queries involving unions and sub-queries. Active Query Builder is a true two-way query builder, so you may combine visual query building with direct SQL query editing. The interface of Active Query Builder is similar to either MS-Access or SQL Server visual query construction interface, but is much more powerful compared to other similar components. The unique features of Active Query Builder such as the ability to build queries with unions and sub-queries make it the best solution for professional developers. Active Query Builder supports Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MS Access, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Informix, Sybase, Interbase, Firebird, and other SQL dialects. The sophisticated Active SQL parser can translate any valid SQL statement into it's visual representation. Active Query Builder can be used in any software project which supports ActiveX controls as well as in the .Net projects. For example, you can use it with Visual Basic 6.0, Visual Basic .NET, Visual C++ 6.0, Visual C#, PowerBuilder, Delphi and so on. Active Query Builder was successfully tested in Windows.Forms and ASP.NET environments, with .NET Framework 1.1 and 2.0. In many cases, direct connection to the database is undesirable or even impossible from the point of view of security or performance, for example in the ASP.NET environment. In this case, the most convenient solution would be to work with Active Query Builder in offline mode, loading metadata information from a previously saved XML file. It also makes loading metadata almost instant regardless of the number of objects being loaded.