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c# : one class to connect to sql server

Hello there I hope you're having a great time.
I have a question And I will break it down into 3 points:
1: create a class to connect to sql server the connection should be made using sql server authentication.
This class should contain several variables for connection parameters.
2: create a user form that shows the current connection parameters. And allow the user to update those parameters. In this form there should be a button to test the connect and another button to save the user changes to the connection parameters.
3: how to share the connection, created by the class we made in point 1, between different forms in the application. Without keeping too many open connections ideally only one connection should be open.
I will add the code that can solve this problem I hope that you can help me refine it.
I am new to all of this.
Thank you all for help.

already exists; SqlConnection and maybe SqlConnectionStringBuilder
that kinda already exists, via the IDE, but last time I checked this was not a redistributable dll. You could, however, simply hook a SqlConnectionStringBuilder to a PropertyGrid - or just write the UI from scratch
even "only one connection should be open" is wrong, IMO - let the inbuilt connection pooling deal with that; all you need is some configuration class with the connection string - and just deal with the connections as you need them, very locally - i.e.
using(var conn = new SqlConnection(Config.ConnectionString))
{
conn.Open();
// NOT SHOWN: do a couple of related operations
} // <== and here, it dies

1 : go to MSDN website you'll find what you need :
http://msdn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/library/system.data.sqlclient.sqlcommand.aspx?cs-save-lang=1&cs-lang=csharp#code-snippet-2
private static void ReadOrderData(string connectionString)
{
string queryString =
"SELECT OrderID, CustomerID FROM dbo.Orders;";
using (SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection(
connectionString))
{
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(
queryString, connection);
connection.Open();
SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
try
{
while (reader.Read())
{
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0}, {1}",
reader[0], reader[1]));
}
}
finally
{
// Always call Close when done reading.
reader.Close();
}
}
}
2: look at your connection properties (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection_properties.aspx) and fill a listView or equivalent with it
3: Use previous SqlConnection.Open() to deal with it

Update table (rows) Access 2007 and C# 2010

So this is probably the most naive question but that is what questions are for I guess;
Then, my issue is that I have no idea on how to connect Visual C# Express 2010 to Access 2007 and do the typical insert, update, delete, search in an application in C#, I have just learned the basics (finished a console tutorial, which I believe is more than enought, having previous background of VB6 using access 97), and I have been searching here and in the web, but the only thing I could find where the msdn tutorials which I dind't find really clear.
So in my app I just need to link comboboxes, query those values to obtain new ones, do calculations and then store in arrays (and maybe show these in datagrids as well as edit them from said datagrids, which is a bit more complicated I guess) and finally store them in various tables, but I haven't really found a strong (or most likely simple) manual that will guide me to create the typical app insert, update, delete using winforms.
Do you guys have any good links in order to do this?
Thanks.

You can try with this code
Here link about string connection : http://www.connectionstrings.com/access-2007
var query = "...";
var connectionString = "...";
using (OleDbConnection connection = new OleDbConnection(connectionString))
{
// The insertSQL string contains a SQL statement that
// inserts a new row in the source table.
using(var command = new OleDbCommand(query))
{
// Set the Connection to the new OleDbConnection.
command.Connection = connection;
// Open the connection and execute the insert command.
try
{
connection.Open();
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
// The connection is automatically closed when the
// code exits the using block.
}
}

Can't commit changes to SQL Server Compact Edition database

I have a problem,
private void button_Submit_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
try
{
string connectionString = #"Data Source=Database_TouchPOS.sdf;Persist Security Info=False;";
using (SqlCeConnection connection = new SqlCeConnection(connectionString))
{
using (SqlCeCommand command = connection.CreateCommand())
{
connection.Open();
command.CommandText = "INSERT INTO Product (Title,Price,Category_Id) VALUES (#title, #price,#category_Id)";
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#title", textBox_Title.Text);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#price", textBox_Price.Text);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#category_Id", comboBox_Category.SelectedIndex);
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
MessageBox.Show("Product Added Successfully...");
}
connection.Close();
}
}
catch (SqlException ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
}
}
Everything seem to be fine, but still can't add data into database.
I did try with complete database path, example c:\project\database.sdf
I did a lot of search before asking. I saw similar problems but not even a single one works for me.
Data are added when compiling but not committed to database. I can see the data after second attempt of debugging.
Please kindly try to explain in detail.
Thanks

You are probably facing this, http://erikej.blogspot.com/2010/05/faq-why-does-my-changes-not-get-saved.html suggest you use a full path to your database file in your connection string.

Did you try to use transactions explicitly?
IDbTransaction transaction = connection.BeginTransaction();
//add to database
transaction.Commit(); // before close connection

This is a very old thread, so I don't know if it will help anyone if I put my answer.
I had this problem, too.
When I executed an update or insert code in C#, apparently, everything was ok, but when I looked up the database, there was no change.
The thing was that while debugging I had the database opened in a Management Studio. And somehow this obstructed the database changes even when there was no error message.
Closing the Management Studio and opening it after executing the code, the changes where perfectly stored in the data base.
Regards.

complete example for those seeking like me... #"Data Source=C:\Users\MYPC\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\MyProjectFolder\MyProject-1\bin\Debug\MyDatabase.sdf;Persist Security Info=False;";
thank for this example. This saved my day.

Beginner requests Help with Mysql and C#

I'm trying to build a program that uses a C# to work with a MySQL DB. I get the C# syntax, and can write the language, but I don't have much experience with the libraries, and I feel a bit lost.
Could someone post examples of how a program would be built (in technical terms, syntax would be nice, but pseudo code is fine, too)?
I understand the theory of how it works, but need a hands on approach to it.
Thank you.
EDIT
I forgot to add that I want to learn how to do it with the .NET v.2.0 framework / VS2005 / MySQL v5.0 combination.
EDIT # 2
2.0 .NET will only be supported. =)

Here is tutorial for Entity Framework + MySQL.
There are lots of other ways to operate with DB, depending on what you need:
If you need execute raw sql queries against DB - use OdbcConnection + OdbcCommand
Need to manipulate items in DB as objects - use ORM (EntityFramework, NHibernate, Linq2Sql)
Like old-style DB interop? - DataSets is your choice.
I really like EF. Easy thing to start with.
PS: And before mixing UI and DB-interop, please read about Separation of concerns. MVC is interesting to read about too. About "libraries": create another project in your solution and add DB-interop logics there. Don't mix it in one assembly, because when your project becomes bigger than "Hello DataBase!" application it will create a big mess in code and logics, really.
UPDATE:
Using VS2005 and .net 2.0 is mysterious idea, really. Lots of tools and assemblies where made since 2.0 release. Linq, Orm-s, etc. Live without them is hard and all the benefits of C# are lost. I highly recommend to use latest techniques, if there is no strict reasons to use 2.0.
If using SqlServer - ObdcCommand and OdbcConnection can be replaced to SqlCommand and SqlConnection. (thanks #Abe Miessler comment)

Here is an example swiped from MSDN:
public void InsertRow(string connectionString, string insertSQL)
{
using (OdbcConnection connection =
new OdbcConnection(connectionString))
{
// The insertSQL string contains a SQL statement that
// inserts a new row in the source table.
OdbcCommand command = new OdbcCommand(insertSQL, connection);
// Open the connection and execute the insert command.
try
{
connection.Open();
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
// The connection is automatically closed when the
// code exits the using block.
}
}
If you want to read records in a DB, look at this example:
public static void ReadData(string connectionString)
{
string queryString = "SELECT DISTINCT CustomerID FROM Orders";
using (OdbcConnection connection = new OdbcConnection(connectionString))
{
OdbcCommand command = new OdbcCommand(queryString, connection);
connection.Open();
// Execute the DataReader and access the data.
OdbcDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
{
Console.WriteLine("CustomerID={0}", reader[0]);
}
// Call Close when done reading.
reader.Close();
}
}
FYI i am just copy/pasting these directly from MSDN. I highly recommend reading over their documentation and looking at their examples if you are just getting started.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.data.odbc.odbcdatareader.aspx

Here is a blog post getting you started with MySql and C#.
http://blog.bobcravens.com/2010/06/the-repository-pattern-with-linq-to-fluent-nhibernate-and-mysql/
Hope that gets you started.
Bob

C# Sync MS Access database to sql server

I am trying to set up a synchronization routine in C# to send data from a ms access database to a sql server. MS Access is not my choice it's just the way it is.
I am able to query the MS Access database and get OleDbDataReader record set. I could potentially read each individual record and insert it onto SQL Server but it seems so wasteful.
Is there a better way to do this. I know I could do it in MS Access linking to sql server and perform the update easy but this is for end users and I don't want them messing with access.
EDIT:
Just looking at SqlBulkCopy I think that may be the answer if I get my results into DataRow[]

I found a solution in .NET that I am very happy with. It allows me to give the access to the sync routine to any user within my program. It involves the SQLBulkCopy class.
private static void BulkCopyAccessToSQLServer
(CommandType commandType, string sql, string destinationTable)
{
using (DataTable dt = new DataTable())
{
using (OleDbConnection conn = new OleDbConnection(Settings.Default.CurriculumConnectionString))
using (OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand(sql, conn))
using (OleDbDataAdapter adapter = new OleDbDataAdapter(cmd))
{
cmd.CommandType = commandType;
cmd.Connection.Open();
adapter.SelectCommand.CommandTimeout = 240;
adapter.Fill(dt);
adapter.Dispose();
}
using (SqlConnection conn2 = new SqlConnection(Settings.Default.qlsdat_extensionsConnectionString))
{
conn2.Open();
using (SqlBulkCopy copy = new SqlBulkCopy(conn2))
{
copy.DestinationTableName = destinationTable;
copy.BatchSize = 1000;
copy.BulkCopyTimeout = 240;
copy.WriteToServer(dt);
copy.NotifyAfter = 1000;
}
}
}
}
Basically this puts the data from MS Access into a DataTable it then uses the second connection conn2 and the SqlBulkCopy class to send the data from this DataTable to the SQL Server. It's probably not the best code but should give anyone reading this the idea.

You should harness the power of SET based queries over RBAR efforts.
Look into a SSIS solution to synchronize the data and then schedule the package to run at regular intervals using SQL Server Agent.
You can call an SSIS package from the command line so you can effectively do it from MS Access or from C#.
Also, the SQL Server, the MS Access DB and the SSIS package do not have to be on the same machine. As long as your calling program can see the SSIS package, and the package can connect to the SQL Server and the MS Access DB, you can transfer data from one place to another.
It sounds like what you are doing is ETL. There are several tools that are built to do this and to me, there is little reason to reinvent the functionality. You have SQL Server, therefore you have SSIS. It has a ton of tools for automated transformations, cleanups, lookups, etc. that you can use out of the box.
Unless this is a real cut-and-dry data load and there is absolutely no scope for the complexity of the upload to increase later on (yeah, right!) I would go with a tried and tested ETL tool.

If SQL Server Integration Services isn't an option, you could write out to a temporary text file the data that you read from Access and then call bcp.exe to load it to the database.

I have done something like this before.
I used
OleDbConnection aConnection = new OleDbConnection(String.Format("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source={0}", fileName));
aConnection.Open();
to open the access db. Then
OleDbCommand aCommand = new OleDbCommand(String.Format("select * from {0}", accessTable), aConnection);
OleDbDataReader aReader = aCommand.ExecuteReader();
to execute the read from the table. Then
int fieldCount = aReader.FieldCount;
to get the field count
while (aReader.Read())
to loop the records and
object[] values = new object[fieldCount];
aReader.GetValues(values);
to retrieve the values.

There are several ways to sync but it can give a problem when you change a field name in sql server or add a new column or delete. The best option would be:
Create connections for sql server and oledb.
Write custom query to fetch record from one connection and save it to another.
Before executing make sure to program in a way that you update all table definitions.
In my case this helped in a way because the load on sql server became down.

can you not transfer Access file to the server and delete it once sync is complete?
You can create windows service for that..