Using the GenericDataSource With Data Bound Controls

The GenericDataSource may be used just as the other ASP.NET DataSource controls: just register the control assembly, add the control in the ASP.NET mark-up and implement the proper Event Handlers:

• ExecuteSelect
• ExecuteInsert
• ExecuteUpdate
• ExecuteDelete

Register the Control Assembly

<%@ Register Assembly="GenericDataSourceControl" Namespace="GenericDataSourceControl" TagPrefix="cc1" %>

Add the GenericDataSource Control in ASP.NET Mark-up

Additionally, register the control Event Handlers from the Mark-up, though this may be done more easily from the OnInit event.

<cc1:GenericDataSource ID="GenericDataSource1" runat="server"
  OnExecuteSelect="GenericDataSource1_ExecuteSelect"
  OnExecuteInsert="GenericDataSource1_ExecuteInsert"
  OnExecuteUpdate="GenericDataSource1_ExecuteUpdate"
  OnExecuteDelete="GenericDataSource1_ExecuteDelete">
</cc1:GenericDataSource>

Setup the "DataSourceID" property for the data bound control

<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" DataSourceID="GenericDataSource1" AllowSorting="True" AllowPaging="true" DataKeyNames="TaskID" PageSize="4">
...
<asp:GridView>

Implement the Event Handlers

The following examples may be found in the supporting SampleWeb website. Check the website.

{
...
protected void GenericDataSource1_ExecuteSelect(object sender, GenericSelectArgs e)
{
   //Retrieve the result for the SELECT
   var theResult = ...

   //Just setup the DataSource; in this case the GenericDataSource will perform Auto Sort and Auto Paging
   e.SetData ( theResult );

   //to setup an already sorted and paged data, just use the ... e.SetPageData (thePageResult, totalRowCount);
}

protected void GenericDataSource1_ExecuteInsert(object sender, GenericDataArgs e)
{
	//create the new Entity object
	var newItem = new T()
	{
		ID = Guid.NewGuid(),
                ....
	};

	//Fill the new created object with the Insert input parameters
	e.FillDataItem(newItem);

	//Add the new Entity and submit the changes back to the database
	...

      //you may also call var dataItem = e.GetDataItem<T>(); and this will return a new T dataItem, having the values from the Insert operation.
}

protected void GenericDataSource1_ExecuteUpdate(object sender, GenericUpdateArgs e)
{
    //Get the ID Entity key value; this value must be set on the GridView.DataKeyNames
    var id = (Guid)e.Keys["ID"];

    //Get the Entity object from the database
    var item = ...

    //Just setup the Task with the updated values from the user input
    e.FillDataItem(item);
    
   //or just retrieve the updated entity:
   var updated = e.GetDataItem<T>();

    //submit the change back to the database:
    ...
}

void GenericDataSource1_ExecuteDelete(object sender, GenericKeyDataArgs e)
{
    //Get the ID key; this value must be set on the GridView.DataKeyNames
    var id = (Guid)e.Keys["ID"];

    //retrieve the entity by Key and delete it, or just call a Delete method with the entity Key.
    ...
}

...
}

That's it!