To locate and connect to the application server, you must first set the properties of the connection component to identify the application server. This process is described in Connecting to the application server. Before opening the connection, any client datasets that use the connection component to communicate with the application server should indicate this by setting their RemoteServer property to specify the connection component. 

The connection is opened automatically when client datasets try to access the application server. For example, setting the Active property of the client dataset to True opens the connection, as long as the RemoteServer property has been set. 

If you do not link any client datasets to the connection component, you can open the connection by setting the Connected property of the connection component to True. 

Before a connection component establishes a connection to an application server, it generates a BeforeConnect event. You can perform any special actions prior to connecting in a BeforeConnect handler that you code. After establishing a connection, the connection component generates an AfterConnect event for any special actions.