Retrieving and Modifying Data in ADO.NET

A primary function of any database application is connecting to a data source and retrieving the data that it contains. The .NET Framework data providers of ADO.NET serve as a bridge between an application and a data source, allowing you to execute commands as well as to retrieve data by using a DataReader or a DataAdapter. A key function of any database application is the ability to update the data that is stored in the database. In ADO.NET, updating data involves using the DataAdapter and DataSet, and Command objects; and it may also involve using transactions.

In This Section

Connecting to a Data Source
Describes how to establish a connection to a data source and how to work with connection events.

Connection Strings
Contains topics describing various aspects of using connection strings, including connection string keywords, security info, and storing and retrieving them.

Connection Pooling
Describes connection pooling for the .NET Framework data providers.

Commands and Parameters
Contains topics describing how to create commands and command builders, configure parameters, and how to execute commands to retrieve and modify data.

DataAdapters and DataReaders
Contains topics describing DataReaders, DataAdapters, parameters, handling DataAdapter events and performing batch operations.

Transactions and Concurrency
Contains topics describing how to perform local transactions, distributed transactions, and work with optimistic concurrency.

Retrieving Identity or Autonumber Values
Provides an example of mapping the values generated for an identity column in a SQL Server table or for an Autonumber field in a Microsoft Access table, to a column of an inserted row in a table. Discusses merging identity values in a DataTable.

Retrieving Binary Data
Describes how to retrieve binary data or large data structures using CommandBehavior.SequentialAccess to modify the default behavior of a DataReader.

Modifying Data with Stored Procedures
Describes how to use stored procedure input parameters and output parameters to insert a row in a database, returning a new identity value.

Retrieving Database Schema Information
Describes how to obtain available databases or catalogs, tables and views in a database, constraints that exist for tables, and other schema information from a data source.

DbProviderFactories
Describes the provider factory model and demonstrates how to use the base classes in the System.Data.Common namespace.

Data Tracing in ADO.NET
Describes how ADO.NET provides built-in data tracing functionality.

Performance Counters
Describes performance counters available for SqlClient and OracleClient.

Asynchronous Programming
Describes ADO.NET support for asynchronous programming.

SqlClient Streaming Support
Discusses how to write applications that stream data from SQL Server without having it fully loaded in memory.

See also