ADO.
NET &
Database
UNIT - 4
ADO.NET
ADO.NET (ActiveX Data Object for .NET) is an object-oriented set of
libraries that allows you to interact with data sources.
Commonly, the data source is a database, but it could also be a text file,
an Excel spreadsheet, or an XML file.
It is a part of the base class library that is included with the
Microsoft .NET Framework.
It is commonly used by programmers to access and modify data stored
in relational database systems, though it can also access data in non-
relational sources.
ASP.NET Websites / Web Applications are uses ADO.NET to
communicate with Database System.
ADO.net Architecture
ADO.net Architecture
ADO.NET uses a multilayer architecture that mainly has a few concepts,
for instance Connection, Reader, Command, Adapter and Dataset objects.
ADO.NET introduced data providers that are a set of special classes to
access a specific database, execute SQL commands and retrieve data.
The Data providers are extensible. Developers can create their own
providers for a proprietary data source.
There are some examples of data providers such as SQL Server providers,
OLE DB and Oracle provider.
ADO.net Architecture
ADO.NET provides the following two types of classes objects:
Connection-based: They are the data provider objects such as Connection,
Command, DataAdapter and DataReader. They execute SQL statements and
connect to a database.
Content-based: They are found in the System.Data namespace and includes
DataSet, DataColumn, DataRow and DataRelation. They are completely
independent of the type of data source.
ADO.NET Namespaces
Connected architecture
In connected architecture ,you made a connection to the database system
and then interacted with it through SQL queries using connection.
The application stays connected to the DB system even when it is not using
DB services.
This commonly wastes valuable and expensive database resources, as most
of the time applications only query and view the persistent data.
We read data from database using DataReader object.
Connected architecture is read only, we cant update the data.
Disconnected architecture
ADO.NET solves connected architecture problem by managing a local
buffer of persistent data called dataset.
Application automatically connects to the database server when it needs to
run a query and then disconnects immediately after getting the result back
and storing in dataset.
This design of ADO.NET is called a disconnected data architecture.
It maintains a local repository of data in the dataset object.
User can perform insert, update and delete operations.
Data Providers
ADO.NET allows us to interact with different types of data sources
and different types of databases. However, there isn't a single set of
classes that allow you to accomplish this universally.
Since different data sources expose different protocols, there are
more data sources every day that allow you to communicate with
them directly through .NET ADO.NET class libraries.
These libraries are called Data Providers and are usually named for
the protocol or data source type they allow you to interact with.
Connection Object
Each data provider in ADO.NET contains a Connection class that
inherits from the System.Data.Common.DbConnection class.
The DbConnection serves as the base class for all the Connection
classes of different data providers.
To interact with a database, you must have a connection to it. The
connection helps identify the database server, the database name, user
name, password, and other parameters that are required for
connecting to the data base.
Creating a SqlConnection Object
A SqlConnection is an object, just like any other C# object. Most of the
time, you just declare and instantiate the SqlConnection all at the same
time, as shown below:
SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection( "Data Source=(local);Initial
Catalog=Northwind;Integrated Security=SSPI");
The SqlConnection object instantiated above uses a constructor with a
single argument of type string This argument is called a connection
string.
Using a SqlConnection
The purpose of creating a SqlConnection object is so you can enable other
ADO.NET code to work with a database.
Other ADO.NET objects, such as a SqlCommand and a SqlDataAdapter
take a connection object as a parameter. The sequence of operations
occurring in the lifetime of a SqlConnection are as follows:
Instantiate the SqlConnection.
Open the connection.
Pass the connection to other ADO.NET objects.
Perform database operations with the other ADO.NET objects.
Close the connection.
Command
Each data provider has their Command class which is use to execute SQL
commands or stored procedures to the database.
Each Command class inherits from the System.Data.Common.DbCommand base
class.
The following are the different flavors of the Command class for each data
provider.
SqlCommand object allows you to specify what type of interaction you want to
perform with a database.
SqlCommand object can be used to support disconnected architecture.
For example, you can do select, insert, modify, and delete commands on rows of
data in a database table.
Creating a SqlCommand Object
Similar to other C# objects, you instantiate a SqlCommand object via the
new instance declaration, as follows:
SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand
("select CategoryName from Categories", conn);
for instantiating a SqlCommand object. It takes a string parameter that holds
the command you want to execute and a reference to a SqlConnection object.
The following are important built in methods uses in the Command Object to
execute the SQL statements.
Data Reader
DataReader object allows forward-only, read-only access to a database.
Using DataReader is the connected way of accessing data and an open connection must be
available first.
Each provider has its own version of DataReader which inherits to
the System.Data.Common.DbDataReader base class.
DataReader cannot be created directly from code, they can created only by calling
the ExecuteReader method of a Command Object.
SqlDataReader sqlReader = sqlCmd.ExecuteReader();
Connection Object can contain only one DataReader at a time and the connection in the
DataReader remains open, also it cannot be used for any other purpose while data is being
accessed.
Read() method in the DataReader is used to read the rows from DataReader and it always
moves forward to a new valid row, if any row exist .
sqlReader.Read();
Data Adapter
DataAdapter can be considered as a bridge between the actual data
source to your application.
It is commonly used together with a DataSet. Using DataAdapter
and DataSet is the disconnected way of retrieving data from the
data source.
DataAdapter allows you to fill a DataSet with values from the data
source, or execute different commands to the data source.
DataAdapter class inherits from the
System.Data.Common.DbDataAdapter base class.
Each data provider has its own version of DataAdapter.
Data Adapter Properties
The DataAdapter is the one that actually executes the commands to data
source. It has a SelectCommandproperty which accepts
a DbCommand object that specifies the SELECT statement used to
retrieved data from the data source.
The following shows you an example of assigning a SelectCommand.
SqlCommand selectCommand = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM
Students", connection);
SqlDataAdapter adapter = new SqlDataAdapter();
adapter.SelectCommand = selectCommand;
To execute the command specified by the SelectCommand property, we
can use the Fill() method of the DbDataAdapter class.
The Fill() method requires an instance of the DataSet or DataTable classes.
The following shows an example of filling a DataTable instance with
values retrieved from the database.
adapter.Fill( DataSet/DataTable);
Dataset
System.Data.DataSet class holds data that are retrieved from the database.
DataSet class allows you to hold disconnected data.
DataSet contains DataTableCollection and theirDataRelationCollection . It
represents a complete set of data including the tables that contain, order, and
constrain the data, as well as the relationships between the tables.
Dataset contains more than one Table at a time. We can set up Data
Relations between these tables within the DataSet. The data set may comprise
data for one or more members, corresponding to the number of rows.
DataAdapter Object allows us to populate DataTables in a DataSet. We can use
Fill method of the DataAdapter for populating data in a Dataset. The DataSet can
be filled either from a data source or dynamically.
Data Table
In ADO.NET, DataTable objects are used to represent the
tables in a DataSet.
DataTable represents one table of in-memory relational data;
the data is local to the .NET-based application in which it
resides,
DataTable is a relational database like table in the memory.
It has a structural definition and constraints like unique
constraints.
We can create hierarchical relationships among many
DataTables dynamically in a DataSet.
To create DataTable,
DataTable myDataTable = new DataTable(“Sample_Table”);
DataColumn
Stored in collection named columns and represents the schema of a column in
a DataTable.
DataRow
DataRow represents a row of data in a DataTable.
You can add data to the table using DataRow Object.
DataRowCollection object represents a collection of data rows of a table.
Use DataTable’s NewRow metgod to return a DataRow object of data table,Add values
to the data row and add a row to the data table.
DataTable myDataTable = new DataTable(“Sample_Table”);
DataColumn myDataColumn new DataColumn();
DataRow my DataRow = myDataTable.NewRow();
Data View
DataView provides different views of the data stored in a DataTable.
That is we can customize the views of data from a DataTable.
DataView can be used to sort, filter, and search the data in
a DataTable , additionally we can add new rows and modify the
content in a DataTable.
We can create DataView in two different ways. We can use
theDataView Constructor , or you can create a reference to the
DefaultView Property of the DataTable.
The DataView constructor can be empty, or it can take either a
DataTable as a single argument, or a DataTable along with filter
criteria, sort criteria, and a row state filter.
dv = new DataView(dt, “Filter“,”Sort”,
DataViewRowState.CurrentRows);
dv = dt.DefaultView;
Data GridView
DataGridView control is designed to be a complete solution for
displaying tabular data with Windows Forms.
DataGridView control is highly configurable and extensible, and it
provides many properties, methods, and events to customize its
appearance and behavior.
DataGridView control makes it easy to define the basic appearance of
cells and the display formatting of cell values.
The cell is the fundamental unit of interaction for the DataGridView.
All cells derive from the DataGridViewCell base class. Each cell
within the DataGridView control can have its own style, such as text
format, background color, foreground color, and font. Typically,
however, multiple cells will share particular style characteristics.
The data type for the cell's Value property by default is of type Object.
Using Data GridView
Find DataGridView control from ToolBox under Data Tab.
You can bind data into DataGridView in twop different ways:
Using DataGridView Configuration Wizard
Dynamically by C# CODE
Using DataGridView Configuration
Wizard
Click on the DataSource property of DataGridView Control and
click on Add Project DataSource
You will get DataGridView Config Wizard Dialogbox.
Select Database and click Next> button.
Here you can create new database connection or you can select exsiting
database connection. After selecting database conncetion click next.
Then it will ask you to save connection string in application configration
file or not.
it will ask to choose database objects like tables/Views and it will make
DataSet from chosen database objects and click finish.
You can see it will automaticaly add DataSet, DataAdapter and binding source
controls into application.
You can find following automatic generated code in Form_Load Event
// TODO: This line of code loads data into the 'db1DataSet.Table1' table. You can
move, or remove it, as needed.
this.table1TableAdapter.Fill(this.db1DataSet.Table1);
Data GridView Programming
Use DataSource property and bind DataTable or DataSet to it.
OleDbConnection con = new OleDbConnection(@“ConnectionString");
OleDbDataAdapter ad = new OleDbDataAdapter("Select * from Table1",con);
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
ad.Fill(dt);
dataGridView1.DataSource = dt;
dataGridView1.Databind();
Repeater Control
The Repeater control is used to display a repeated list of
items that are bound to the control. The Repeater control
may be bound to a database table, an XML file, or another
list of items.
Repeater is a Data Bind Control. Data Bind Controls are
container controls.
Data Binding is the process of creating a link between the
data source and the presentation UI to display the data.
ASP.Net provides rich and wide variety of controls, which
can be bound to the data.
Repeater Control
Repeater has 5 inline template to format it:
1. <HeaderTemplate>
2. <FooterTemplate>
3. <ItemTemplate>
4. <AlternatingItemTemplate>
5. <SeperatorTemplate>
HeaderTemplate: This template is used for elements that you want to
render once before your ItemTemplate section.
FooterTemplate: - This template is used for elements that you want to
render once after your ItemTemplate section.
Repeater Control
ItemTemplate: This template is used for elements that are
rendered once per row of data. It is used to display records
AlternatingItemTemplate: This template is used for
elements that are rendered every second row of data. This
allows you to alternate background colors. It works on even
number of records only.
SeperatorTemplate: It is used for elements to render
between each row, such as line breaks.
Binding Data to DataBound
Controls
Data-bound controls are Web controls those can easily bind with data
components. Microsoft Visual Studio.NET is a rich IDE for ADO.NET
data components.
Data-bound controls have properties, which you can set as a data
component and theyre ready to present your data in Web
Controls(Gridview,ListBox,ComoboBox).
DataSource and DisplayMemeber are two important properties.
DataSource property of these controls plays a major role. You can set
different kind of data components as datasource property of a control. For
example, you can set a DefaultViewManager or a DataView as this
property.
DisplayMember property can be set to a database table field name if you
want to bind a particular field to the control.
SQLDataSource
The SqlDataSource control enables you to use a Web server control to access
data that is located in a relational database.
This can include Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle databases, as well as OLE
DB and ODBC data sources.
You can use the SqlDataSource control with data-bound controls such as
the GridView, FormView, and DetailsView controls to display and manipulate
data on an ASP.NET Web page, using little or no code.
To add sqlDataSource goto ToolBox>DataControls
SQLDataSource
To configure DataSource create db connection string or use
exisiting connection string.
You can select fields from interface or you can select first value
SPECIFY SQL stmt where you can manually write query or you
can use querybulider.
You can test your query result.
DataBinding Expressions
Data-binding syntax allows you to bind control property values to data
and specify values for retrieving, updating, deleting, and inserting data.
Data-binding expressions are contained within <%# and %> delimiters
and use the Eval and Bind functions.
Eval function is used to define one-way (read-only) binding.
Bind function is used for two-way (updatable) binding.
In addition to calling Eval and Bind methods to perform data binding
in a data-binding expression, you can call any publicly scoped code
within the <%# and %> delimiters to execute that code and return a
value during page processing.
<%# DataBinder.Eval(Container,”DataItem.RollNo”);
DataBinding Expressions
Eval method evalutes the Eval method of DataBinder object,
referencing the current data item of the naming container.
The naming container is generally the smallest part of the data-bound
control that contains a whole record, such as a row in
a GridView control.
You can therefore use the Eval method only for binding inside
templates of a data-bound control.
Data-binding expressions are resolved when the DataBind method of a
control or of the Page class is called.
For controls such as the GridView, DetailsView, and
FormView controls, data-binding expressions are resolved
automatically during the control's PreRender event and you are not
required to call the DataBind method explicitly.
