Overview

In this lesson we are going to review Wayfast Datasets. A dataset allows us to connect a page with a data source like a database or an API.

Initially all the Project’s information come from the Database through Stored Procedures (SP) and it’s available to be displayed by Controls or Grids. These controls that every page has linked will interact directly with our Project’s database. But this is not the only relationship that we can establish with the DB information, we can apply logic through Actions (as example using Buttons) that allow us to generate changes in our DB like Insert, Update, Delete but it can be as complex as the requirement needs.

To depict how it works we will show you and example that include calling a database store procedure for retrieving information and displaying it in a Wayfast Application.      Let’s review how we can make this interaction possible in Wayfast.

Preconditions

We have 3 important preconditions before start working with Datasets.

1. We need to connect the project with an existing or new database. You can find more details about in another lessons where we attached or created databases.

2. We need to create a table or identify the table where we are going to get the data to display using the Dataset

3. We need to create an object in this database, for example, an Stored Procedure to link the table and interact with Dataset information.

How to create a Stored Procedure in DB and link to Dataset?

A Stored Procedure is an object that we can define and then relate it to the Project. This needs to be created in DB using SQL.

First connect to the DB created for the Project and click “New Query”. Then create the Stored Procedure with the following syntax:

CREATE TABLE HWD_Roles (
Name  nvarchar(50),
Role  nvarchar(50),
Email nvarchar(50),
)
GO

CREATE PROCEDURE spHWD_Roles_Get
AS
  BEGIN
    SELECT * FROM HWD_Roles with(nolock)
  END
GO

This is a simple statement where we indicate 3 input parameters “Name”, “Role” and “Email”. In next steps, these parameters are going to be used in Wayfast to connect with Controls. 

Now we can go back to Wayfast and synchronize the stored procedure in the environment. If the project is newly created and connected to a database, there’s no need to synchronize both objects. Dataset will retrieve all the objects associated between both entities automatically.

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A popup is displayed, click on “Synchronize” button. Now the stored procedure created in database will be available to connect with dataset.

How to create a new Dataset?

Go to “Project Pages” at top menu. Select any of the pages available in the project. Then click on “New Dataset” button

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After completing this details, click on “Accept” button to save the dataset. Now Stored Procedure can be quickly referenced from other controls in this page.

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Now that we have the information available from DB and connected to the Project, we need to make it visible in the Application’s UI.

How to connect the new Dataset with a “Grid Column” control?

Let’s create an example using grid columns linked to the new dataset. Table on database refers to . It’s important to complete the “Field” value with the same parameter created in Stored Procedure. In this example, we are going to use “Name”, “Role” and “Email” . We need to create 3 controls related to this 3 columnsat “Field” that matches with the stored procedure previously added to database.

Turn to the page where we are going to include this object. Under the “Controls” section, choose the “Grid Column” option. Click on “New” button

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Let’s review how this interaction is displayed on the preview. This is an easy way to check how the interface is representing the information available in our Project DB.

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All the information in the table is now available in the page. In the following lesson, we are going to analyze how we can insert values on the table using “Actions” feature.

Recap

We learnt about the importance of Datasets to interact with database and how the Store Procedure is needed for this purpose. We explained how some type of controls are specifically created to show the information from the Dataset to make it available at the moment we open the pageIn the first part, we learnt how Pages interact with database by creating Datasets. Then we made a first approach using SQL to create a simple Stored Procedure that was linked to Dataset. In the second part, we explained how the Controls under pages can display in different ways the information available on database, assigning the place and source. In the next lessons, we will learn how to connect the Controls with Actions that user will have in pages to make the application more dynamic.