I have a stored procedure in SQL Server that returns different structures based on the parameters.
In other words, it might return a result set with three fields, or 15, and the column names are going to be different.
How can I display these results in a WinForm app?
I currently use the Entity Framework for accessing data, but obviously that is not going to work in this situation.
The data will be readonly, ie, no need to edit. Just need to display it.
I am guessing that I need to skip EF and just call the SP directly, and populate a DataGridView with autocolumns.
Greg
Since you're retrieving a dynamic data structure you'll need to make your grid columns dynamic too. What I would do is, after retrieving the result set successfully, to clear the Columns collection and recreate them from scratch every time you called the SP and the data needs to be refreshed on-screen. Do not use AutoGenerateColumns, as they provide little chance to customize the look of them, instead define each and every column yourself so that you can choose what to display and how.
This is the best answer I found: How to use a DataAdapter with stored procedure and parameter
In short, use a DataAdapter and a DataTable. Even with AutoGenerateColumns, the column headers look great and it works no matter the table structure that comes back.
Greg
Related
I have a SSRS report with 20 different datasets with some calculated columns in each.
I want to take few fields from all data sets including some calculated columns and insert them into a SQL table.
I want to do this for each month so that I can see the trends during a period. Is there any way to do that with out editing the data sets?
Can I refer the fields that I need by referring to Textbox4 and insert them into a SQL table? What is the easy way to do without touching data sets?
There is most likely alot better solution than using SSRS to update a SQL database. I am not proposing this as the best solution but rather a way to achieve what was asked.
You could create a dataset that runs a stored procedure you can pass the data as parameters to. The Sproc would do the insert into your chosen table and you can pass in the parameters from your original dataset however you see fit. You could even setup a second report with the Stored procedure Dataset that you can call on command by having an action event on an item to call the report. (I had a subreport embedded in a column of a tablix configured so it would only update with values from that row for instance).
To clarify:
Create a subreport that accepts the data you want to insert as a parameter for each column
Instead of adding a normal Dataset, have it call a stored procedure that inserts as you require
Add the subreport to your main report to be called once its run and configure the required parameters to be passed through.
There will be better, more efficient, cleaner ways to do this, but I found the above to work for my purposes since I was limited by time and resources. But I would still recommend you seek other solutions if possible.
For the life of me, I haven't been able to find this anywhere (other than solutions that exclude using the tableAdapter....
I have a simple setup. I have a datagridview. I have a tableadapter that is bound to the datagridview. This all works marvelously, but brings in the entire table. On the tableadapter itself, I have created a query called "nonServers" which returns the data I want.
So my question is, how can i bind the results of the tableadapter's QUERY to the datagridview, rather than the full results? When I try to add the query, it adds a button up top to trigger the query (as it's meant to do). But this is not what I want - i want the initial value to be the results of the query only.
any help appreciated, i reckon it's probably embarassingly simple
You're under some misconceptions. Firstly, your grid is not bound to a table adapter. The adapter is just a means to move data back and forth between the database and the application. The data is stored in the application a DataTable that is part of a DataSet. That's what your grid is bound to.
The default query for each table adapter is a SELECT * with no WHERE clause, so all columns and all rows. The table adapter has two methods - Fill and GetData - that execute that query. Fill will populate an existing DataTable, which will probably be part of a DataSet, while GetData creates and returns a new, standalone DataTable.
When you add a new query with a WHERE clause to filter, you are prompted to name the new methods that will execute that query. They are named FillBy and GetDataBy by default and you're supposed to append a meaningful suffix to that, e.g. if you were to filter by a ParentId column then you'd name the methods FillByParentId and GetDataByParentId. I'm not sure what exactly your query looks like but you might go with FillWithNonServers and GetDataWithNonSevers.
If you drag a table from the Data Sources window onto your form then that will add a bunch of controls and components by default and it will also generate some code, including a call to the Fill method of the appropriate table adapter to the Load event handler. In your case, you simply have to change that Fill call to a call to your new method and it will then invoke your custom query instead of the default.
What I am currently looking to do is use our existing UI to select a number of columns from various tables (yes, multiple tables) and pass them into a BIRT report as parameters. From there, I am planning on building a query that will dynamically replace the columns into the query and pull the results automatically. I'll have to hide columns with no value passed to them as well. I also expect I'll have to setup the query to be a little heavy handed and already know all of the logical connections in the database (e.g. connect the proper tables, etc).
My question is this the best way to manage a dynamic column/table in a dataset? or is there a better way to manage this method? I'v seen some online information about the "ad-hoc" BIRT report designer that lets non-programmers create reports, but I am not looking for other people to actually build the report, just generate one using an existing template with interchangeable columns.
I think the easiest way is to firstly build a report with all columns that you need.
Then apply some logic on the visibility of the column. You can use the parameters there as well.
Select your table, select a column, open the properties window and take a look at the visibility tab there. Just add some logic that results in a true or false.
If you are using a crosstab to display the information, you could use the filter options to include or exclude columns.
Yes, this will load data that is not used, but you need to build realy big reports for performance becomming a real issue.
If you try to add this logic in the actual dataset, you have to make the query and fetch script dynamic and then you still have the problem with the visualisation of the columns. I think you'll end up using the visibility script anyway (to show/hide the colums on the report), so might just start from there and have a working report fast.
I have a table with about 30 fields. I current have several stored procedures which access either a (aggregated) view of this table or the table itself. For many of these SPs I would like to assure that the returned records have all the same fields with the same column names. Is there a way to do this where I don't have to change 20 stored procs if I do need to change the output.
My way around it thus far is to provide clients with lists of ID which they then call SP's that return the data however this seems to be slow compared with getting the data in one shot. I have also considered using the formatting stored procs with a cursor from inside the search stored procs but was unsure if that would really buy me a whole lot.
The typical way to define a standardised and consistent data access method across multiple stored procedures in SQL Server to use Views.
Now your problem description seems to suggest that you are already using Views in order to manage your data access. If you are indeed unable to use Views for a specific reason, perhaps you can clarify the nature of your problem further for us.
I am going to design a report using SSRS 2005. Is it possible to have the selection of dataset done dynamically?
Let's say I am going to have two tables, where the first one is the summary and the second is the detail data. One of my parameters (with values Summary and Detail) will determine which version of the report is to be displayed. Can I have two different datasets, and while clicking the view report button in parameter view dialog (or before) set which dataset which will be used?
You can use the single data set by using switch statement some thing like this:
You can type this in data tab but the results can be seen only in preview tab, but not the data tab like regular queries.
=Switch(Parameters!ToDecide.Value = "Summary",
"Your query for Summary",
Parameters!ToDecide.Value = "Detail",
"Your query for Detail")
Make sure you don't have any excess spaces with in the query(not more than one space where needed)
Both the queries should return the values required by the Table in Layout.
You'll probably have to have 2 pairs of table contained in, say, a rectangle, and hide the unused one (at the container level). Or use subreports.
If you find a way to switch datasets, then you'll have to make sure that all columns are the same as well as making sure that any functions using the DataSet as a scope parameter are changed too... which makes me think it just isn't supported.
You might want to try using a single dataset and having a summary and detail data region (table, list, etc.) in the report, one of which is visible and one of which is not. In this scenario, the dataset is only evaluated once and you are still meet your requirement.
Hope this helps,
Bill
It would be easier to create and maintain if you have two separate tables and hide one or the other depending on the choice made.
I haven't tried this, but I think another possibility would be to use three reports: a container, a summary subreport, and a detail subreport. Switch between the subreports according to the choice.
There is a performance gotcha to the first implementation though. SSRS will try to fill every DataSet in the report when it loads, even ones that are not used in the report's output or by other DataSets or expressions. In other words, just because you're displaying the summary report, doesn't mean that you're not asking the database to fill out your detail data as well.
There is a workaround that can improve the performance a bit, but will still end up with a trip to the server. The hack is to set a flag parameter to determine whether or not the query should actually return any real results or if it should just return the columns you want.
You may try adding condition that depends on a cetain parameter to execute. Then from there, You may use different data set. Assuming that you'll use it on separate hidden tablix.