Private Sub btnInsertDirect_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
    Handles btnInsertDirect.Click
        Dim iRet As Integer
        Dim iNextId As Integer
        Dim sConnectionString As String = "server=(local);database=contacts;user=ASPNET"
        Dim conn As New SqlConnection(sConnectionString)
        Dim sSQL As String
 
        sSQL = "INSERT INTO contacts (contactid, firstname, lastname)" & _
           " VALUES (@contactid, @firstname, @lastname)"
 
        Dim cmd As New SqlCommand(sSQL, conn)
        iNextId = 123
        cmd.Parameters.Add(New SqlParameter("@contactid", 123))
        cmd.Parameters.Add(New SqlParameter("@firstname", txtFirstName.Text))
        cmd.Parameters.Add(New SqlParameter("@lastname", txtLastName.Text))
 
        conn.Open()
        Try
            iRet = cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
            litMsg.Text = String.Format("Inserted {0} records", iRet)
        Catch ex As System.Exception
            litMsg.Text = String.Format("Error: {0}", ex.ToString)
        Finally
            conn.Close()
        End Try
 
    End Sub

Private Sub btnDeleteDirect_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnDeleteDirect.Click
        Dim iRet As Integer
        Dim sConnectionString As String = "server=(local);database=contacts;user=ASPNET"
        Dim conn As New SqlConnection(sConnectionString)
        Dim sSQL As String
 
        sSQL = "DELETE FROM contacts WHERE lastname = '" & txtLastName.Text & "'"
 
        Dim cmd As New SqlCommand(sSQL, conn)
        conn.Open()
        Try
            iRet = cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
            litMsg.Text = String.Format("Deleted {0} records", iRet)
        Catch ex As System.Exception
            litMsg.Text = String.Format("Error: {0}", ex.ToString)
        Finally
            conn.Close()
        End Try
    End Sub