Base connection library (VB.NET/C#)

This repository is for base classes used for connecting to both SQL-Server, MS-Access and Oracle databases using several classes for both easily creating connections along with a generalized method to detect runtime exceptions.

This code may not suit every developer's need and also may seem like overkill to the novice developer. The intent is to have a base class that can be used in any project in one or more Visual Studio solutions. Although the code is VB.NET, the base library can be used with C# also.

Getting started

• Add the class project KarenBase to your Visual Studio solution, rename the project if so desired.
• Add a reference to KarenBase to your Windows forms project.
• Set DatabaseServer to your server e.g. KARENS-PC or for SQL-Server Express .\SQLEXPRESS
• Set DefaultCatalog to the targeted database in the server above.
• Follow the example in the project SampleSqlConnection for SQL-Server. MS-Access example to follow.

Test projects

See the following repository which focuses more on using this library with C# but does have a VB.NET project for SQL-Server.

Requires

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 or higher.

Tips

• IsSuccessFul from the base exception class allow a type to be returned from a function such as a List(Of T) or DataTable without the need to be concerned with if there had been a runtime exception as after the method calls and before using the return item check IsSuccessFul.

Imports SampleSqlConnection.Classes

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub testConnectionButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) _
        Handles testConnectionButton.Click

        Dim ops As New DataOperations
        ops.ReadAllCustomersIntoDataTable()

        If ops.IsSuccessFul Then
            ' use the return type
        Else
            ' don't use the return type
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

Simple example for Oracle

Public Class DataOperations
    Inherits OracleConnection

    Public Sub New()
        DataServer = "MyOracleDB"
        UserId = "myUsername"
        Password = "myPassword"
    End Sub
End Class

New edition Started work on a generic connection open test class named ConnectionClasses, more to follow.

Imports BaseConnectionLibrary.ConnectionClasses

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub sqlServerExistsButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) _
        Handles sqlServerExistsButton.Click

        Dim mockedConnectionString =
                "Data Source=KARENS-PC;" &
                "Initial Catalog=NorthWindAzure3;" &
                "Integrated Security=True"
        Dim ops As New ConnectionValidator
        Dim result = ops.OpenTest(Providers.SQLClient, mockedConnectionString)
        If result Then
            MessageBox.Show("Connection opened successfully")
        Else
            If ops.HasException Then
                MessageBox.Show(
                    $"Failed opening connection{Environment.NewLine}{ops.LastExceptionMessage}")
            End If
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

For a C# version of this library see the following repository.

NuGet package

PM> Install-Package BaseConnectionLibrary -Version 1.0.0