I have a Microsoft Access 2010 database(*). Now, using Visual Studio 2010, I want to create a WPF application and add the database as a data source. The app will have a window with a frame that provides navigation through pages. No problem so far. But:
-What is the right way to set up the database in this scenario? Tables only? Or must everything go via queries? (VS2010 talks about views which I assume (?) are queries)
-Database data must be updatable and records can be added. Some relationships go through link tables (many-to-many) and there are nullable foreign key relationships. Must I take manual steps to make it work?
-While adding the data source VS2010 created an xsd from my Access database. I think the xsd might need further tweaking for the application to work the right way. What if I change my Access database design, I'd have to regenerate the xsd again as well. Is this right, and is it the way it is usually done? OR, should I let the original Access database go and give the application the capability to create new empty databases?
-How do you provide controls in a page to step through the records in a table? Is there a special database control?
-What is the way (WPF class?) to load records into the data context that displays in a page? (At this level it probably does not matter what type of data source it is.)
(*) A single user desktop database
This is not the exact answer to the question. But an alternative.
Is this a single-user database?
You can try this better and highly efficient combination:
SQLITE (DataBase)
DBLINQ (ORM)
LINQ(a .NET framework component for querying the db)
You should also take a look at ObservableCollection, DataBinding and DataGrid in WPF toolkit.
Related
I have a database online at Windows Azure. I want to connect to the database and show some tables in Microsoft Silverlight. I have created a Silverlight Application and published the website on Azure here!
How do I connect to my SQL Azure database in Silverlight?
The same way as connecting to any other database!
Personally, I use EntityFramework and create my own service. You can use EF and use RIA Services to create a lot of code for you though if you prefer.
Add an Entity Model to your project, create from existing db, point at your Azure Db, job done. Remember to add your existing IP to the Azure firewall while developing.
EDIT:
Try following this tutorial instead:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee707376(v=vs.91).aspx
BUT one thing to watch out for. When you come to the step to add a DomainService, if it hasn't picked up your context you will need to follow the steps listed here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2745294
... which are easy to follow. Delete the TT files and change the model code generation strategy from none to default.
One thing that you can do is create a WCF project, which will act as your Web Role in Azure.
Ideally, you may have 2-3 projects in your solution:
1) Silverlight Project (Presentation Layer)
2) WCF Project (Business Layer)
3) C# Class Project for your Sql Connections (Data Layer)
What you would be able to do is use C# .Net libraries for Sql to connect to your database. You may either execute stored procedures (Can pass in variables), which are cached in memory for faster long-term performance, or Sql queries in a string variable, to pull the exact information you want in custom queries. This would be returned to the WCF Project in which you would be able to perform any custom business-logic and you may begin to package your data into class objects. These objects may be passed back to Silverlight via a Service Reference, and you may use many familiar Silverlight tools to display your information.
The above recommendation may be a more more in-depth than that of the other recommendations, but in cases where you really need control over your data and need to apply business logic, this is a good way.
The easiest way in the world I know of to hook up a SQL Database to a Silverlight application is to use a Visual Studio LightSwitch project. There are ton's of posts on how to do this - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/lightswitch/ . Basically if you make a LightSwitch application (available in VS Professional SKUs and up), it gives you several screen templates to choose from which are all Silverlight (or HTML 5 if you choose). Then you can "attach" to an existing SQL Database such as SQL Azure just fine. And make browse or edit screens around the SQL data.
You can optionally model your own SQL Database and then "publish" it out to SQL Azure.
You can do all of this without writing any code too and provides some good basic functionality.
HTH - Matt
I want to integrate a local database into Windows Phone 7 project. The DB should be allready filled with values from manual input.
Therefore I use a wizard to create a local Database in WPF.
I can create tables, set their values and fill in them, but I could not find the way how to refere columns from different tables.
Is it possible using UI wizard in Visual Studio or only possible by coding the datacontext?
It is possible what you ask and the easiest way to do it is Linq to Sql.
Database Management in Mango
There is an easier way to do it but i think ms doesn't support that, you create a new windows WPF project and there you add a LinQ to SQL database model there you can create your database and then just copy it to your wp7 project and include it in the solution.
Then you will have to comment out or delete the two constructors which are not supported by the WP7 and your are ready to use your database.
The two constructors to comment out use System.Data.IDbConnection connection
This solution is explained in detail in Corrado's Blog
Our IT manager is asking my help on deciding on which would be the best to save the data. Is it in sharepoint or sql server.
On my side I don't know much about saving data on sharepoint server, how does it work, how fast, how secured, etc. I even have a doubt if sharepoint is capable of complex database design. As far as I know, sharepoint is not a database server that's why I have this doubts.
So obviously I would say Sql Server would be my prefered storage and also because Sql server is known to me for a long time already. Considering my 3 weeks exposure on sharepoint vs. 7 years on Sql Server. I don't have the enough experience to witness the strength of Sharepoint for me to decide on what to do. So to be fair on sharepoint I would like to ask you guys out there who are more experienced on this.
My questions:
1.) Does sharepoint have the ability to store data?
2.) If sharepoint can store data, what are the pros and cons?
3.) Can it cover a complex design such as relational database design like sql server does?
4.) If you where to develop a sharepoint project, would you choose sql server as the backend?
Thanks in advance!
It obviously depends on the application, and complexity of it, who the client or audience is, and how you want to deploy it.
Here are my answers to your questions:
1. Yes
2. Pros:
It provides a UI for updating data.
Cons:
Creating relational structures will be complicated.
Think custom lookup lists, associated with other custom lists.
3. Yes, but I wouldn't try it.
4. SQL Server, but this depends on the project and
isn't an entirely technical decision.
Personally, I think given your skillset, you should use SQL Server, if your manager has said it's up to you.
SharePoint itself is built on top SQL Server and ASP.NET.
Yes. You can create a custom list (basically similar to table structure), you can store document along with its metadata. You can store web pages if you are using it as your publishing (CMS) platform.
It's not supposed be a relational engine like SQL Server. Pro: versioning, workflow, for most cases, UI is there to support data input / editing. Con: Limitation of the UI w/ large amount of data.
To some degree you can relate one list to another field in a different list / document metadata.
See what I said before point 1.
SharePoint offers its own database layer built on top of SQL Server.
A complex object model is provided, and the SQL language API not available.
Acsess is by API, REST, and UI List Webparts with views; NOT SQL and the database is not accessible except through interfaces.
Deep inside data stored in Entity-Attribute-Value triples (specifically: site, web, list, item, state, field, value) such that each value goes into its own record. This is strickly non-tablular.
Maintains a dynamic end-user populated Metadata dictionary.
As a non-relational layer above a DB is offers inheritance, multi-type list, hierarchies, taxonomies, versioning, check in/out and other advanced features missing from a relational model.
Documents may be attached to a list.
Extensive use of GUIDS for identifiers, but this causes problems when moving partial related data between systems.
No referential integrity.
No joining of database tables or lists.
Filtering is more limited than in SQL.
No concept of a schema.
Parts of SharePoint break when restoring from a backup or when published to a separate site.
Rolling new features and data from development to production is problematic and sometimes breaks.
Hope this helps.
Sharepoint is obviously not a Database Server but somehow it works on some ways.
1.)Yes
2.)You can but not as complicated as Sql Server does.
Pros: It's the interfaces the gives sharepoint the edge, UI grants the user a friendlier way of inputting data.
Cons:Just like what I've said complicated database design is not easy to do.
3.) 100% Yes
4.) I would prefer Sharepoint if the application doesn't need complex design on data. Definitely Sql Server for enterprise type of application.
I'm working on a database heavy project, where the Microsoft SQL databases are very mature (16 or more years-old mature), and an old product uses VB6 and ADO to generate sql which interacts with the database. I've been given the task of porting/re-writing the ancient version with a new .NET version.
I'd love to use LINQ-to-* to ensure easy maintainability, but having tried for the last several weeks I feel like LINQ-to-SQL isn't flexible enough, LINQ-to-Entities has too much overhead, and LINQ-to-Datasets is pointless since I would be just as happy using Ado.Net.
The program operates on two databases at once: one is a database with a very consistent schema containing meta-data, and the other a database which has a varying schema, is tightly coupled to the meta-database, and dictates what information from the meta-database you are interested in at any given time. Furthermore, I need non-LINQ information from both databases (such as system-stored procedures, and system-tables).
Is there any way to use LINQ intelligently here? I'd love the static typing, but if I can't have it I don't want to force my square app into a round framework.
Just an FYI, you can get access system tables (and sys stored procs too?) using LINQ. Here is how:
Create a connection to the server you want.
Right-click the server and choose Change View > Object Type.
You should now see System Tables and User Tables. You should see sysjobs there, and you can easily drag it onto a .dbml surface.
Above was stolen from this post.
The best answer seems to be to use ADO.NET completely. I have the option of using Linq-to-Sql over the metabase and ADO.NET for any other database access, but that would make the code feel too inconsistent for me.
In mySql Workbench there's a possibility to "sync" the model with the DB and vice versa. Is there a function like this in EF? I've added som entities and I'd like it to get reflected in the DB. Do I really have to regenerate the entire DB and loose data?
Thanks
Sadly there is no easy way AFAIK to do this today.
One way to handle this is to generate the DDL and then cut and paste the new sections into SQL Server Management Studio and run them there. If you want to maintain scripts for each release of the database you'll need to take an approach like this too.
See also: Database migrations for Entity Framework 4
PS The EF Power Pack: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ff830362.aspx may help. It says "The second useful feature related to model-first the ability to update an existing database and synchronize the model with it. This allows you to make changes to the model that can be deployed to the database without data loss."
if you are using the VS2010 then in Select your edmx designer ( designer showing tables) and right click it will show the update model option.