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Data Sources Tutorial - use in C# / Razor Code

#1 Dynamic DataSources Tutorial

Use Dynamic DataSources in Visual Query

Requirements

2sxc 16

Resources

Dynamic DataSources Tutorial

DataSources are the magic backbone of 2sxc. They can get data, filter it, sort it, and more. In many cases you will simply use the DataSources provided by 2sxc and the EAV system, but you can do even more. Specifically:

You can create your own Dynamic DataSources in C# and use them in your code and in Visual Query. This is a bit more advanced, but very powerful. Common scenarios are DataSources which do things or retrieve data which the built-in DataSources don't do.
You can create compiled DataSources in C# and use them in your code and in Visual Query. This is much more advanced, and not demonstrated in these tutorials, since it would be hard to install them.

Custom Dynamic DataSources - Introduction

Here we'll give you a first taste of Custom Dynamic DataSources - a new feature in 2sxc 15.

This allows you to create DataSources directly in your App, without compiling to DLL or anything.

This is a 10-line super-simple example of a DataSource called Basic101. It will only return a single item with the answer to the meaning of life 😉. Afterwards we'll explain in more detail what's happening.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Custom Dynamic DataSources - Lists

The previous example just returned one item/entity. But of course you can also return a list of items. This is the more common case. Our sample basically will just return data it generated, but your code will usually get data from elsewhere and provide it as a list.

Return a list of items numbered 1...5 with random Guid identifier.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Custom Dynamic DataSources - Configuration

Often you will need a DataSource that accepts some kind of parameters (configuration). The code must have [Configuration] attributes on the properties that should be configurable. When calling GetSource(...) use options: new { ... } to set the values.

This simple example will get a DataSource from a file, and pass some configuration options. Specifically we'll give it the AmountOfItems and FavoriteColor.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Custom Dynamic DataSources - Process In-Data

DataSources be attached together. This means that you can create a DataSource which takes one or more DataSources as input.

This example has a DataSource which receives data from an <em>upstream</em> source. The upstream source is the list of all authors in this App. Our DataSource will then filter this list, and only keep the authors with an odd ID.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Multiple Lists/Streams

DataSources can have one or more streams.

The default stream is called Default so you don't need to specify it. In the following example, we have a second stream called Settings.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Get Data from Other DataSources

DataSources can also get other DataSources. For example, a DataSource could get data from the App directly to process them.

The Authors DataSource demonstrates how to get all App data and then filter it using an inner EntityTypeFilter DataSource.

⬇️ Result | Source ➡️

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Data Sources Tutorial - use in C# / Razor Code

#1 Dynamic DataSources Tutorial

Use Dynamic DataSources in Visual Query