Re: Java vs .NET was: RPGIII compiler vs Visual Basic

> date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 09:39:39 -0400
> from: Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx>
> subject: Re: Java vs .NET was: RPGIII compiler vs Visual Basic
> 
> The advantage of using sql server in .net code is you get better
> dataset functionality.  As I understand it, to change from sqlserver
> to mysql in .NET code you have to actually change your code - use the
> MySqlCommand class in place of the SqlCommand class.  You can code
> initially using the generic whatever classes, but you lose some data
> set functionality.

A DataSet is a DataSet is a DataSet.  All the Managed Providers can
return a DataSet (using DataAdapter.Fill()) or you can read through with
a DataReader.  From a .NET perspective, what is easier using SQLServer
are the tools built into VS.NET.  

Yes, to use the MySQL Managed Provider, or any others, you have to
specify which one you wish to use.  JDBC has this as well in that you
have to specify which driver you want to use.  The difference is that in
JDBC the driver is a string: in .NET you have to actually code for the
particular class.

To get over this hurdle, I wrote an interface called IDBAccess.  I then
implemented a wrapper class for each Database type that implements the
IDBAccess methods and properties.  In each of these classes I handle
whatever vagaries there might be:  using Integrated Security in
SqlServer, handling the different Exception properites that are reported
by each type, etc.  To cap it all off, I then wrote a DBAccessManager
class that wraps all of these wrappers.  Now when I want to create a
database connection, it looks something like this:

DBAccessManager db = new DBAccessManager(
        SWallTech.DB.DatabaseTypes.iSeriesDB2 ,
        datasource , 
        database ,
        userID , 
        password ,
        securityType );

The first parameter is an Enumeration that lists all the database types
supported by the wrapper.  In the case of iHOC, the user confgiures his
connections and all this data is stored.  Then when they want to connect
to a particular database, the just select that configuration.

This way, I don't have to code for the particular classes, just the
interface.

Joel Cochran
http://www.rpgnext.com