8.8.5. Using EDM to create Entity Framework based applications
Now that a Microsoft Entity Data Model has been created for the Northwind database, Entity Framework applications can be created to make use of it.
Entity Frameworks based ADO.NET Data Service
An ADO.Net Data Service for the MySQL tables can be created using the Entity Data Model created in the Creating EDM in Visual Studio 2008 section .
-
Open the
VirtuosoDataService
project created in the Creating EDM in Visual Studio 2008 section .
-
Select the Project -> Add New Item menu option.
Figure 8.420. VirtuosoDataService
-
The
Add New Item
dialog will appear. Choose the
ADO.NET Data Service template
. Give it the name
Virtuoso.svc
, and click
Add
to create the ADO.Net Data Service.
Figure 8.421. Add New Item
-
In the newly created
Virtuoso.svc.cs
Data Service file, add the data source class name of
VirtuosoEntities
(note this is the name set in the Creating EDM in Visual Studio 2008 section) as the
DataService
name. Enable the access to the Data Service by adding the entry
config.SetEntitySetAccessRule("*", EntitySetRights.All);
in the
InitializeService
method.
// C# using System; using System.Web; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.ServiceModel.Web; using System.Linq; using System.Data.Services; namespace SimpleDataService { public class Northwind: DataService<VirtuosoDemoEntities> { public static void InitializeService(IDataServiceConfiguration config) { config.SetEntitySetAccessRule("*", EntitySetRights.All); } } }
Figure 8.422. Virtuoso.svc.cs
-
To test the Data Service, simply hit
Ctrl+F5
within Visual Studio. This will start the development web server, run the Data Services server inside and load a Web browser page displaying the list of available tables/entities for the mysql Northwind database catalog.
Figure 8.423. Data Service test
-
To access a specific entity instance like the Customers table ALFKI record, use this convention: http://host/vdir/Virtuoso.svc/Customers('ALFKI') .
Figure 8.424. Customers
Notes:
-
Important
- To view
Atom
(the default format returned by an ADO.NET Data Service) in Internet Explorer, you must first ensure that
Feed Reading View
is turned
off
. This can be done on the
Content tab
of
Tools in Internet Options
.
-
If a Data Services entity instance URI page fails to load you can turn
Verbose
errors on by adding
config.UseVerboseErrors = true;
in the
virtuoso.svc.cs InitializeService
method to obtain more detailed information from the server as to why the page failed to load:
public static void InitializeService(IDataServiceConfiguration config) { config.UseVerboseErrors = true; config.SetEntitySetAccessRule("*", EntitySetRights.All); }
Visual Studio Windows DataGrid Form Application
This section details the steps required to create a simple Visual Studio 2008 Windows Form application, with associated DataGridView control for displaying data in selected tables from the target database.
-
Launch the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 IDE.
Figure 8.425. Visual Studio 2008 SP1 IDE
-
Create a Web Application project by going to the File menu in Visual Studio and choosing New Project .
Figure 8.426. Web Application
-
When the New Project window appears, choose either
Visual Basic or Visual C# as your programming language.
-
Within the language category, click on Windows and select Windows Form Application from the right-hand panel.
-
Choose a name for the project, for example VirtWindowsFormApplication , and click OK .
Figure 8.427. Web Application
-
In the Toolbox , expand Data Controls , and drag the DataGridView control onto the form.
Figure 8.428. Toolbox
-
Click on the little arrow in the top right of the DataGridView control. This loads the DataGridView Task menu.
Figure 8.429. DataGridView Task
-
Click on the Choose Data Source list box.
Figure 8.430. Choose Data Source
-
Click on the Add Project Data Source link to connect to a data source.
Figure 8.431. Add Project Data Source
-
In the Data Source Configuration Wizard dialog Choose Data Source Type page select the Database data source type and click Next .
Figure 8.432. Data Source Type
-
In the Data Source Configuration Wizard dialog Choose your Data Connection page, select the New Connection button
Figure 8.433. Data Source Configuration Wizard
-
In the Choose Data Source dialog, select the OpenLink Virtuoso Data Source from the list and click Continue .
Figure 8.434. Data Source
-
In the Add Connection dialog, specify the hostname, portno, username and password for the target Virtuoso Server and check the Save Password check box.
Figure 8.435. Connection Properties
-
Select the Select Database From List radio button and choose the mysql database from the drop down list.
Figure 8.436. Add connection
-
Press the Test Connection dialog to verify that the database is accessible.
Figure 8.437. Test Connection
-
Click OK to add the connection.
Figure 8.438. Test Connection
-
Leave the default connect string namemysqlConnectionString and click Next .
Figure 8.439. mysqlConnectionString
-
From the list of available tables returned for the mysql database, select the Shippers table to be associated with the DataGridView control.
Figure 8.440. mysql database
-
The columns names of the select table will be displayed in the DataGridView.
Figure 8.441. DataGridView
-
Resize the Form and DataGridView to allow all columns to be visible, if possible.
Figure 8.442. Resize the Form and DataGridView
-
To test the application, simply hit Ctrl+F5 within Visual Studio or select Start Debugging from the Debug menu.
Figure 8.443. Start Debugging
-
The data from the Shippers table will be displayed in the DataGrid .
Figure 8.444. DataGrid
The task is now complete.