Programatically viewing the data in a particular column

This is my first attempt to create a Vb.net class as well as my first attempt to programmatically view SQL retrieved data as opposed to using the built-in data controls...so be gentle.

My question is looking at the code below which I have already put together...how do I actually see what the data is in a particular column... One of my columns for example is the "Title" which contains the Page Title for Search Engine Optomization. I need to be able to read this value so I can assign it to the Page.

'First Do a Database Connection

IfNot Page.IsPostBackThen

'Start by determining the connection string value

Dim connStringAsString = _

ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("CMConnectionString").ConnectionString

'Create a SqlConnection instance

Using myConnectionAsNew SqlConnection(connString)

'Specify the SQL query

Const sqlAsString ="SELECT * FROM SEO where ParentType='Department' AND ParentLevel='0' "

'Create a SqlCommand instance

Dim myCommandAsNew SqlCommand(sql, myConnection)

'Get back a DataSet

Dim myDataSetAsNew DataSet

'Create a SqlDataAdapter instance

Dim myAdapterAsNew SqlDataAdapter(myCommand)

myAdapter.Fill(myDataSet,"SEO")

'Create a DataView

Dim myDataViewAsNew DataView

myDataView.Table = myDataSet.Tables("SEO")

'Ok...this is where I'm lost. Now how do I look up the value for the column "Title" in this Dataset

'Close the connection

myConnection.Close()

'End database connections

EndUsing

You can use the following line to get a datacolumn of a known column name or column number:
Dim myColumnValueAs DataColumn = myDataSet.Tables("SEO").Columns("Title")

To access other columns, simply replace the column name ("Title") with a respective column name

Alternatively you can use the following line to access the value inside the1st row of the coloumn
Dim strAsString =CStr(myDataSet.Tables("SEO").Rows(0).Item("Title"))

To access other rows, simply replace the row number (0) with a respective row number

Hope this helps you.

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I'm relatively new too.

Instead of writing the entire class as 'codeaholic' did (looks daunting), can I use the drag'n'drop methodology to place a SqlDataSource1 control onto an ASPX page and configure the datasource with an appropriate Select statement, (easy part) and then use less VB code to find the value of a column for a given record?

In other words, if I want to extract a single column of a record do I have to 'throw away' all those luxury features of design time

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i'm personally not familier with using data controls in my pages as im currently using either 2-tier or 3-tier application development, but it's possible to do what you want.
just create the data controls one-by-one till you get a datagrid or dataview object containing the values you wanted, then use code-behind to access the datagrid or dataview objects for your values.
or you could even directly bind your values to controls using the datasource property and other respective properties.
however it may get tedious when you need a large number of data objects to access different values in different tables.

i would also advise strongly against doing so as it would affect the performance of your pages due to unneeded controls needed to be complied and loaded.
and there's always the security issue.
there's always better ways to do it.
hope this helps you.

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AnjinG:

You can use the following line to get a datacolumn of a known column name or column number:
Dim myColumnValueAs DataColumn = myDataSet.Tables("SEO").Columns("Title")

Hmm, just getting around to trying this and it doesn't work. Using this code above. myColumnValue.toString is simply the word "Title". Its not actually extracting the value of the column Title but simply setting this to the name of the column...

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Hi,

you can try doing this to directly access the particular column value
you willl need to traverse the rows in the table

Dim i as integer

For i = 0To myDataSet.Tables("SEO").Rows.Count - 1

Dim vAsString = myDataSet.Tables("SEO").Rows(i).Item(columnIndex)

Next

|||Yeh, I just used the row syntax you indicated as the "second" possibility. Since there is only one row, we don't have to loop it. Thanks.