How do I connect to a database and loop over a recordset in C#?

Question

What\'s the simplest way to connect and query a database for a set of records in C#?

Answer 1

If you are querying a SQL Server database (Version 7 and up) you should replace the OleDb classes with corresponding classes in the System.Data.SqlClient namespace (SqlConnection, SqlCommand and SqlDataReader) as those classes have been optimized to work with SQL Server.

Another thing to note is that you should 'never' select all as this might lead to unexpected results later on if you add or remove columns to this table.

Answer 2

This is an alternative way (DataReader is faster than this one):

string s = "";
SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection("Server=192.168.1.1;Database=master;Connect Timeout=30;User ID=foobar;Password=raboof;");
SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter("SELECT TOP 5 name, dbid FROM sysdatabases", conn);
DataTable dt = new DataTable();

da.Fill(dt);

for (int i = 0; i < dt.Rows.Count; i++)
{
    s += dt.Rows[i]["name"].ToString() + " -- " + dt.Rows[i]["dbid"].ToString() + "\n";
}

MessageBox.Show(s);

Answer 3

Charge the libraries

using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;

This is the connection:

public static MySqlConnection obtenerconexion()
{
    string server = "Server";
    string database = "Name_Database";
    string Uid = "User";
    string pwd = "Password";
    MySqlConnection conect = new MySqlConnection("server = " + server + ";" + "database =" + database + ";" + "Uid =" + Uid + ";" + "pwd=" + pwd + ";");

    try
    {
        conect.Open();
        return conect;
    }
    catch (Exception)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Error. Ask the administrator", "An error has occurred while trying to connect to the system", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
        return conect;
    }
}

Answer 4

@Goyuix -- that's excellent for something written from memory. tested it here -- found the connection wasn't opened. Otherwise very nice.

using System.Data.OleDb;
...

using (OleDbConnection conn = new OleDbConnection())
{
    conn.ConnectionString = "Provider=sqloledb;Data Source=yourServername\\yourInstance;Initial Catalog=databaseName;Integrated Security=SSPI;";

    using (OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand())
    {
        conn.Open();
        cmd.Connection = conn;
        cmd.CommandText = "Select * from yourTable";

        using (OleDbDataReader dr = cmd.ExecuteReader())
        {
            while (dr.Read())
            {
                Console.WriteLine(dr["columnName"]);
            }
        }
    }
}

Answer 5

That's definitely a good way to do it. But you if you happen to be using a database that supports LINQ to SQL, it can be a lot more fun. It can look something like this:

MyDB db = new MyDB("Data Source=...");
var q = from db.MyTable
        select c;
foreach (var c in q)
  Console.WriteLine(c.MyField.ToString());

Answer 6

Very roughly and from memory since I don't have code on this laptop:

using (OleDBConnection conn = new OleDbConnection())
{
  conn.ConnectionString = "Whatever connection string";

  using (OleDbCommand cmd = new OleDbCommand())
  {
    cmd.Connection = conn;
    cmd.CommandText = "Select * from CoolTable";

    using (OleDbDataReader dr = cmd.ExecuteReader())
    {
      while (dr.Read())
      {
        // do something like Console.WriteLine(dr["column name"] as String);
      }
    }
  }
}