Data Access QuickStart

The Data Access QuickStart application demonstrates some of the key features of the Data Access Application Block. It demonstrates these features by using a set of walkthroughs, which are implementations of the situations discussed in Key Scenarios. The walkthroughs illustrate the following:

• Using a DataSet to retrieve multiple rows of data
• Using a DbDataReader to retrieve multiple rows of data
• Retrieving multiple rows of data as XML
• Executing a command and accessing results in output parameters
• Executing a command and accessing a single-item result
• Performing multiple updates within a transaction
• Using a DataSet to update a database

This QuickStart is configured to run against a SQL Server database instance. The supplied SQL script creates the required SQL database on the local computer.

The QuickStart has the following features:

• The scenarios are independent of each other, so you can view them in any order. Each scenario contains all of the data access code necessary to complete the scenario.
• The code that accesses the database is contained in its own class, separate from the QuickStart form. While this class is not meant to be a true data layer, its separation illustrates that data access code should be independent of the user interface code.
• A top-level handler catches any exceptions that occur during any of the scenarios. The handler displays a dialog box that shows the exception message(s) and a reminder to run the setup script, SetupQuickStartsDB.bat, before running the QuickStart.
• Each button in the left-side pane of the QuickStart interface corresponds to one of the scenarios discussed in Key Scenarios. Clicking the View Walkthrough button displays the appropriate Help file. The Quit button stops the application.

System Requirements

To build and run this QuickStart, you need the following:

• Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, or Windows Server 2003 operating system
• Microsoft .NET Framework, version 2.0
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 development system
• A database server running SQL Server 7.0 or later

The QuickStart source code is installed along with the Data Access Application Block. However, before using the application, first run SetupQuickStartsDB.bat, which is located in the root directory of the Data Access QuickStarts. This batch file assumes a local SQL Server with an instance name of (local)\SQLEXPRESS. It creates a SQL Server database named EntLibQuickStarts. If you want to use a different SQL Server instance or a different server, you must manually update the scripts. The script assumes the following settings.

Server: (local)\SQLEXPRESS 
Authentication: integrated 

Building and Running the QuickStart

The QuickStart ships as source code, which means you must compile it before running it. You use Visual Studio to build the QuickStart.

To build the Data Access QuickStart

1. Ensure the Enterprise Library Source Code has been installed
2. Open the Enterprise Library Source Code folder from Windows Explorer, or from the Start Menu shortcut: on the taskbar, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft patterns and practices, point to Enterprise Library 3.1 – May 2007 and select Enterprise Library 3.1 Source Folder.
3. Open the QuickStarts folder, then Data, then CS (for C#) or VB (for Visual Basic .NET)
4. Double-click the DataAccessQuickStart.sln icon.
5. Visual Studio opens, displaying the solution file. On the menu, click Build.
6. Click Rebuild Solution. By default, this is a debug build.
7. Press F5 to run the QuickStart.

QuickStart Configuration

The walkthroughs in the Data Access QuickStart are shipped with a defined configuration, which is included in the App.config file. This file is located in the same folder as the QuickStart project file and has the following settings:

• The database type is SQL Server.
• The name of the server is (local)\SQLEXPRESS.
• The name of the database is EntLibQuickStarts.
• The name of the connection string is DataAccessQuickStart.
• The Integrated Security setting is SSPI.

To change or view these settings, use the Enterprise Library Configuration Console to open the App.config file in the directory that contains the QuickStart project file. The App.config file contains the configuration data.

Each time you build the code, Visual Studio copies the App.config file to the output directory for the project (the same directory where the QuickStart executable is created), and renames it to DataAccessQuickStart.exe.config.

This means that if you want to use the configuration console to change any of the configuration settings—such as the expiration cycle—and you are planning to rebuild the solution, you must change the settings by opening the App.config file located in the QuickStart source directory. You can use the configuration console to open the DataAccessQuickStart.exe.config file and change the application configuration. However, these changes will be overwritten during the next successful build.