Venkat

MindQ Sytems
ADO.NET

One problem with ADO is that it was originally created as a connected database
access object model. This means that developers primarily use a Recordset object while
connected to the data source. Microsoft modified the recordset to allow disconnected
access, but this solution did not work as well as if it had been designed as a disconnected
data access model from the beginning. The recordset object can contain only one result set.
This means we cannot relate result sets using a primary key / foreign key type of
relationship and we cannot relate result sets from different data sources.
With .NET, Microsoft developed an entirely new data model that uses the provider
wrapper technology but eliminates the old-style recordset object. That new data model is
ADO.NET.
ADO.NET still uses Connection and Command types, but it replaces the Recordset
with two data types- DataReader and DataSet objects.
The DataReader object provides connected data access. The DataSet, the core object
of ADO.NET is an in-memory cache of disconnected data.
ADO.NET is a set of classes that allow .NET based applications to read and update
information in databases and other data sources. You can access these classes through the
System.Data namespace provided by the .NET framework.
ADO.NET provides consistent access to a wide variety of data sources including
Microsoft SQL Server database, OLEDB compliant databases, non-relational sources such as
Microsoft Exchange Server and XML documents.

Benefits of ADO.NET:
ADO.NET provides many benefits to experienced developers including1. Similar Programming model to that of ADO
2. Designed for Disconnected DataADO.NET is designed for working with disconnected data in a multitier environment.
It uses XML as the format for transmitting disconnected data, which makes it easier to
communicate with client applications that are not based on windows.
3. Intrinsic to the .NET FrameworkBecause ADO.NET is intrinsic to the .NET Framework, you have all the advantages of
using the .NET framework, including ease of cross-language development.
4. Supports XMLADO and XML have previously been incompatible. ADO was based on relational data,
and XML is based on hierarchical data. ADO.NET brings together these two data access
techniques and allows you to integrate hierarchical and relational data, as well as alternate
between XML and relational programming models.

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MindQ Sytems

ADO.NET Architecture:

ADO.NET Class Structure:

We can divide the ADO.NET related classes into three groups.

.NET Provider Classes:

These classes interface with the database and provide some features for
manipulating the retrieved data. Each data provider will have a different set of
classes. For example, the SQL provider has sqlConnection, sqlCommand etc., we can
easily pass data between these classes and the consumer classes.

Data Consumer Classes:

We use these classes for manipulating data. They are independent of the data source
and we can manipulate data using these classes without an open connection to the
databases.

Other .NET Framework Classes:

These classes are related to data handling but are not part of the System.Data
namespace. For example, Data-Bound controls. These are part of the
System.Windows.Forms namespace. We can easily pass data between these classes
and Data Consumer Classes.

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.NET Data Providers:

In ADO.NET each particular type of data source has a .NET data provider. ADO.NET
is providing managed providers for accessing data sources. They are:

SQL Server .NET Provider:

System.Data.SqlClient.dll
Assembly
sqlConnection, sqlCommand, sqlDataReader, sqlTransaction, sqlParameter are
the classes under this namespace.

OLEDB .NET Provider:

This provider is used to access oracle, MS-Access and other data sources that
support the Microsoft OLEDB data component interface.
System.Data.OleDb.dll
Assembly
OleDbConnection, OleDbCommand, OleDbDataReader etc., are the classes.

ODBC .NET provider:

System.Data.Odbc.dll
Assembly
OdbcConnection, OdbcCommand, OdbcDataReader etc., are the classes.

ORACLE .NET Provider:

System.Data.OraClient.dll
Assembly
OraConnection, OraCommand, OraDataReader etc., classes.

.NET Provider Classes:

The provider classes for the SQL Server .NET Provider are derived from
System.Data.SqlClient namespace. All begin with sql keyword. The classes for the OLEDB
provider begin with OleDb etc., The classes for the OraClient provider begin with Ora and
the classes with ODBC provider begins with Odbc. The classes are:
xxxConnection Class:
The connection objects are the first objects that use and they are required before
using any of the other ADO.NET provider objects. They provide the basic connection to your
data source. If you are using a database that required a UserID and Password, or one on a
remote network server, the connection object takes care of the details of establishing the
connection and logging in.
Common Properties and methods of the Connection Class:
MemberName

Propter(p)/

Description

Method(m)
ConnectionString

Establishes the connection to the data source.

Provider specific.

ConnectionTimeOut

Specifies the length of time(in sec) to attempt to

connect

State

Get the state of the connection Connected,

Connecting, notConnected.

Provider

Used by oledb connection object to specify which

oledb provider will be sued to communicate

Data Source/server

Server name

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Initial catalog

Userid

Password

Interated Securith

Whether a connection is a secure connection

Open

Attempts to open the connection object based on

the connection string.

Close

Closes the connection to the data source

BeginTransaction

Begins a database transaction.

Ex:

Name of the database

sqlConnection Con=new SqlConnection();

//using SQL Data Provider with Windows Authentication

Con.ConnectionString=Integrated Security=true;data source=(local);initial
catalog=university

//using SQL Data Provider with SQL Server Authentication

Con.ConnectionString=Integrated Security=true;data source=(local);initial
catalog=university;uid=sqlclass;pwd=sql

//using OleDb Data Provider

Con.ConnectionString=provider=sqloledb;data source=(local);intitial
catalog=university;uid=;pwd=;
Con.Open();

//using Oracle
OleDbConnection oleCon=new OleDbConnection();
OleCon.ConnectionString=provider=msdaora.1;userid=; pwd=;
OleCon.open()

XXXCommand Class:
You can use the ADO.NET command object to execute commands and optionally, to return
data from a data source.
Steps in using Command object:
1.

create a command object.

2.

Use the CommandType property to specify the type of command to be executed.

CommandType.StoredProcedure
CommandType.Text
CommandType.Table

3.

Use CommandText property and specify the command to be executed in case of Text
type and name of the object in case of stored procedure or table name.

4.

Use one of the Execute menthod to execute the command.

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Executing Commands:
You can execute a command within a valid and open connection. The command object
provides 3 methods that you can use to execute commands.
ExecuteReader():
Use this method when the query will return a stream of data such as a Select Statement
returning a set of records. This method returns the records in a DataReader object.
ExecuteScalar():
Use this method when the query will return a singleton value. For example, a select statement
returning an aggregate value. It executes the query and returns the first column of the first row in the
result set, ignoring any other data that is returned.
ExecuteNonQuery():
Use this method when the query will not return a result;ex: insert statement.
Ex:
sqlCommand cmd=new sqlCommand();
cmd.CommandType=CommandType.Text;
cmd.CommandText=select * from emp;
sqlDataReader dr;
dr=cmd.ExecuteReader();

DataReader Class:
DataReader object is used to create a read-only, forward-only stream of data. This is an
efficient method for accessing data that you only need to read through code. You can improve the app
performance by using this object. Because, it holds only a single row at a time in memory instead of
caching the entire set of records.

Reading Data:
You can instantiate the DataReader object by using the ExecuteReader method of command
object. After you create the DataReader, you can call the Read method to obtain data in the rows.
You can access the columns by name, ordinal number or native type in conjunction with ordinal
number.
Ex: While dr.Read()
{
-----}
You must ensure that you sued the Close method of the DataReader object before accessing
any output or return parameter from a StoredProcedure.

Retrieving Data:
Assume that dr is the DataReader, then we can use any one of the following ways to retrieve the
data.
dr.Item[0];
dr[0];
dr[Empid];
dr.GetString[0];

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Using Command Object with Stored Procedure:

I.

Create a Command object

sqlCommand cmd=new sqlCommand();

II.

Set the CommandType property of command object to stored proecure.

cmd.CommandType=CommandType.StoredProcedure;

III.

Specify the procedure name in CommandText property.

cmd.CommandText=spGetEmployee;

IV.

Use the sqlParameter class to create a parameter object depending on the type and direction
of the parameter in the procedure
sqlParameter param1=new sqlParameter(@eid,sqlDbType.int);
param1.Direction=ParameterDirection.Input;

V.

Set the value of the parameter;

Param1.Value=Convert.ToInt32(txtEmpid.Text);

VI.

Add the parameter to the parameter Collection.

cmd.Parameters.Add(param1);

VII.

Execute the command object;

dr=cmd.ExectueReader();

DataSet
DataSets are the primary objects that you will work with when accessing disconnected sets of
data. They are similar in concept to groups of ADO disconnected recordsets, but in ADO.Net there are
many enhancements including the ability to relate tables together.
DisConnected Data in RDO and ADO:
RDO and ADO introduced the concept of disconnected data. This was implemented so that you
could retrieve a set of records, disconnected from the data source, and work with the data locally. You
could reconnect and submit your changes to the database. The recordsets were marshaled between
the tiers as COM objects, requiring that both the server and client computer could handle COM
Components
Disconnected Data in ADO.NET:
ADO.Net is a designed for use in the internet world, where as COM may not be supported by
all tiers, and may not be transmitted through fire walls. ADO.Net uses XML as its transmission format.
This is a text based format. It avoids the problems associated with the transmission of COM objects
and ensuring true cross-platform interoperability.
ADO.Net provides you with a new object for the caching of data on the client computer. This
object is known as DataSet. This subject is automatically disconnected from the datasource but
maintain the ability to later update the source based on changes made at the client.
DataSet acts like in-memory database for the client application by maintaining collection of
tables belonging to different data sources in the form of XML Storage.
Dataset is always disconnected and the information will be filled into the dataset.

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MindQ Sytems

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The DataSet can be used in different ways to retrieve data.

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Creating DataSets:
Syntax:
DataSet ds=new DataSet();

(or)

DataSet ds=new DataSet(Table1);

Populating DataSets:
You can use the DataAdapter objects Fill method to access data stored in the datasource,
and store the data in DataTables within a DataSet in your application.
Syn:

DataAdapter1.Fill(DataSetName,TableName)

Ex:

da.Fill(ds,Table1);

DataAdapter:
You can use the DataAdapter to exchange data between a data source and a DataSet. You can
use it to retrieve appropriate data and insert it into DataTable objects within a DataSet and to update
changes from the DataSet back to the datasource.
Creating a DataAdapter:
Ex: sqlDataAdapter da=new sqlDataAdapter(Select * from table1,con)
Fill method is used to populate the dataset with datasource information.
Update method is used to save the changes from dataset back to the datasource.

The Fill method will perform the following tasks:

It will establish the connection to the database server

It sends the Select Statement to the database server for execution

It creates a table in the dataset and gets the information from database server using implicitly
DataReader
It will closes the connection.

Updating Data in DataSet:

After you have created a DataSet of DataTables, you might want to add, update and delete
data. Any changes you make to the data are stored in memory and later used to apply changes to the
data source.

Adding Rows:
1.

Instantiate a DataRow object by using NewRow method tof the DataTable

2.

Populate the columns with data.

3.

Call the Add method of the DataRows collection, passing the DataRow object.

Editing Rows:
1.

Call the BeginEdit method of the row

2.

Change the data in the Columns

3.

Call EndEdit or CancelEdit to accept or reject changes

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Deleting Data:
Use either of the following methods to delete a row.

Remove
Call the Remove method of the DataRow collection. This permanently removes the row
from the dataset

Delete
Call the Delete method of the DataRow object. This only makes the row for deletion in
the dataset and calling reject changes will undo the deletion.

Confirming Changes:
To update the DataSet, you use the appropriate method to edit the table and then you call
AcceptChanges or RejectChanges for the individual rows or for the entire table.
You can discover whether any changes have been made to a row since AcceptChanges was
last called by querying its RowState property. It contains the following values.
Enumeration

Desc

Value

UnChanged

No changes have been made

Added

The row has been added to the

table

Modified

Something in the row has been

changed

16

Deleted

The row has been deleted by

the delete method

Detached

The row has been deleted with

Remove method or row has
been created, but the add
method has not been called

Updating Data at the Source:

After you have updated the tables in your dataset, you will want to replicate those changes to
the underlying data source. To do this, you use the Update method of the DataAdatper object.
The Update method like fill method takes two parameters.
1.

The Dataset in which the changes have been made

2.

The name of the table in which changes are made.

This method determines the changes to the data and execute appropriate SQL
Command against the source data.

Automatically Generating Changes:

If your datatable is generated from only one table in the datasource, you can use the
commandBuilder
object
to
automatically
create
the
InsertCommand,
DeleteCommand,
UpdateCommand properties
Ex:
sqlCommandBuilder cb=new sqlCommandBuilder(da);
da.Update(ds,table1);