Chapter 9: ASP.NET and SQL Server
Chapter 9: and SQL Server
This chapter will look at the process of connecting to and interacting with databases
from applications. Database operations have simplified substantially in .Net
2.0 and 3.x. However, conceptually, it is now arguably harder to understand what is
going on, even though much less code is needed. So after briefly introduced SQL
Server Express (which is the preferred database in this module) we will run over the 'old'
method - which, in principle, is still more or less the way you interact with databases in
environments other than .Net 2.0, 3.x and newer technology like Rails or LINQ
(Language Integrated Query). We are doing this to make it clearer what is actually going
on - though in practice you would obviously use the newer and more convenient
technologies that are becoming increasingly available.
9.1. SQL Server Express
The database used in this example is SQL Server Express, which is installed by default
when you install Visual Studio 2005 Pro. So unless you explicitly chose not to install it,
then you have it and it's probably running - managing to interact with it is another matter
however. You may have chosen to install the full version of SQL Server 2005. If so,
much of what follows still applies, with minor differences in detail. It is possible to use
other databases, but SQL Server is the natural companion of applications.
There are potential support/compatibility issues if you choose something else.
9.1.1. Administrator Access
Although it is no longer necessary to be an administrator to create web
applications in Visual Studio, it is to create SQL Server databases (including express
ones). This is strictly a bit of a simplification - and it is certainly possible to interact with
databases without admin access. However, that's of no help if you cannot create one in
the first place. Fortunately, there is an alternative - you can create a database file which
1
for our purposes acts exactly like a database. You can of course also choose to do this
even if you are an administrator on the machine you are using. This decision to some
extent influences how you interact with SQL Server. More on this in the next section.
9.2. Tools for SQL Server Databases
You have three main choices for interacting with SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server
Express.
?
?
?
Use Visual Studio. This is the most obvious choice since you probably have it already however, it may not be the most convenient for everyone. (Though it's your only
straightforward choice if you are going to use a database file.)
Use the command line tool. You get a tool called sqlcmd which works from the
command line. This may not be to everyone's taste but (a) you will already have it and (b)
you can straightforwardly script the creation of databases.
Use a graphical tool. Other than Visual Studio, there are a number of graphical tools
available for interacting with SQL Server - the most obvious choice being Microsoft's free
SQL Server Management Studio Express This can also conveniently use scripts but you
will have to download and install it.
We will explain the use of all of these tools below, but will concentrate on the first option
(since that seems to be what 90% of people use for the simple databases required in
this module).
9.2.1. Visual Studio
To use Visual Studio to create databases you need to open the server explorer window click the tab next to the one for toolbox in the lower left corner:
Fig.1. Server Explorer
All the interesting stuff is at the top:
2
Fig.2. Server Explorer - the Useful Bit
In the figure, we have expanded data connections to reveal a couple of databases (the
dbo entries) and a couple of database files (the mdf entries). One of the database files
has been further expanded to show table detail.
Right click on data connections and choose add connection.., then select SQL Server.
You will see a window looking like this:
3
Fig.3. New Data Connection
As it stands, this expects a connection to an existing database - and not the creation of
a new database file. So click 'change' and select database file.
4
Fig.4. New Database File
Then type in the name you want to use - it will ask if you want to create the file and
(obviously) you do.
To create a table, expand your new file and right click on table - choose 'Add New Table'
and you'll get something like this:
Fig.5. Table Entry Dialogue
You can create new columns, select the types - there's a list of built-in ones which you
can modify as needed, and set column characteristics - like primary keys (right click to
get a contextual menu).
5
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- sql tutorialspoint
- connect to sql server when system administrators are
- pymssql documentation
- common client so ware formats of ms sql server
- sql server using the sqlcmd command line utility
- application server scripting guide
- sql tutorial
- 05 9780672330568 8 19 10 3 26 pm page 103 chapter
- erdc itl sr 19 17 setting up a local database from an
- table of contents ulisboa
Related searches
- sql server data classification
- sql server data classification tool
- sql server data types
- azure sql server hyperscale
- sql server 2016 string functions
- sql server connection strings
- sql server localhost connection string
- sample sql server connection string
- sql server trusted connection string
- sql server trusted connection true
- sql server connection string trusted connection
- chapter 9 chapter review answers