ORM Solution for MS .NET which supports MSSQL, MySQL and Oracle databases

1. EasyData
Developer Friendly Object-Relational
Mapping Tool for Microsoft .NET
Hasitha Guruge
2008/MCS/021

2. Introduction
What is “EasyData”?
• “EasyData” is an open source, developer
friendly Object-relational mapping tool for
Microsoft .NET which has been developed
based on C#.NET language. It enables
developers to use it with databases such
as MS SQL, MySQL and Oracle.
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3. Objectives
Primary Objectives
✓ 1 Develop an object-relational mapping tool with basic functionalities
✓ 2 Support for Microsoft .NET Web/Windows Applications
✓ 3 Ability to use inheritance and polymorphism and create hierarchies between entities
✓ 4 Handle relationships such as 1-1, 1-n, n-1 and n-n
✓ 5 Support for transaction based data operations
6 Support for Aggregations and SQL Grouping
Secondary Objectives
✓ 1 Support for multiple Databases (MS SQL, MySQL, Oracle)
2 Has its own Query Language (OQL)
✓ 3 Support for Data Binding of components in .NET
✓ 4 Easy configuration and relatively low learning curve
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4. DAL & ORM
Core concepts behind the project
• In Applications Data Access Layer is the
layer which deals with data.
• Object-Relational Mapping is one way to
automate this DAL by reducing redundant
work and higher risk of errors.
• ORM Tools create a bidirectional link
between relational database and objects in
an application.

5. Related Projects
Major tools based for the project
- Open Source
NHibernate - Complex Configuration
- Huge Learning Curve
- Mapped via XMLs
- Multiple Database Support
- Open Source
Fluent - Extension to NHibernate
NHibernate - Mapped without XMLs / Separate Mapping Layer
- Complex Configuration
- Huge Learning Curve
- Open Source
- Use Active Record Design Pattern
Castle Project
- Based on NHibernate
ActiveRecord - Mapped without XMLs via same Entity Object
- Since it is based on NHibernate, same disadvantages exist here as well
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6. Related Projects
Microsoft or Private Projects
LINQ to SQL
LINQ to SQL and ADO.NET Entity Framework
Only with .NET Framework 3.5 or have their own limitations such as lack of
1 higher. DBML file provides the
mapping functionality. support for MySQL and no support for the
lower versions such as Framework 1.1, 2.0
likewise.
ADO.NET Entity Framework
nHydrate was a private project till Sep, 2009
Only with .NET Framework 3.5 or
2 higher. Uses Active Record pattern.
and built on .NET Framework 3.5 to work
exclusively with MS SQL Server.
nHydrate Studied related work and extracted the
important features to incorporate with
EasyData.
Uses Active Record Pattern in core
3 of DAL. Since it was a private
project it is not so popular.
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7. ER Diagram to perform testing

8. EasyData Design
Component Diagram – with extended features

9. Implementation
Implementation Process
With
Extended
R & D Existing Features
Tools
With Basic
Features
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10. How It Looks Like
Sample Insert Method with Testing
[Test]
public void SimpleCreateTest()
{
using (EasySession easySession = new EasySession())
{
///[Test Create] - without relationship
ProductCategory productCategory = new ProductCategory();
int resultCount = productCategory.Count(easySession);
Assert.AreEqual(4, resultCount);
productCategory.Name = "Test Category";
productCategory.Rowguid = Guid.NewGuid();
productCategory.ModifiedDate = DateTime.Now;
productCategory.Save(easySession);
resultCount = productCategory.Count(easySession);
Assert.AreEqual(5, resultCount);
}
}
This is a sample code to tests the Save() functionality. The “ProductCategory” is a sample table that has many Sub
Categories under that. The “easySession” responsible for the database connection and the transaction of the record
insert. All executions within one session is handled under the same transaction. Simply create an instance of the
object and assign values to the instance and simply call Save() function.
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11. EasyData Hierarchy
How the components interact with each other?
Code Behind Files public class ProductCategory
Code Behind Files
(aspx.cs or aspx.vb) { public class ProductCategory
Code Behind Files
(aspx.cs or aspx.vb) } { public class ProductCategory Configuration File
(aspx.cs or aspx.vb) } {
}
public abstract class EasyDataBase<T> public class EasySession : IDisposable
{ {
…………. ………….
……………. …………….
} }
Object Query Classes
public class EasySave<T> public class EasyUpdate<T> public class EasyDelete<T> public class EasySelect<T>
{ { { {
…………. …………. …………. ………….
……………. ……………. ……………. …………….
} } } }
DB Specific Library
- MS SQL
Custom Attributes
- MySQL Database
- Oracle

12. Scope of the Project
Initial Scope
Conduct a literature survey on existing and popular ORM tools which are used in .NET Framework and understand
1 their architectures , basic operations and features
Implement a mapping tool with basic features such as CRUD operations with the support of relationships among
2 tables/entity objects
Enhance the tool with new effective and flexible features as a separate R & D task
3
Test the tool using a sample common database or generated data from another mapping tool
4
Release the functional tool as a beta version to use with the developments of target users’
5
Conduct a survey to collect and identify developer needs and feedbacks
6
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13. Scope of the Project
Deviations from the Initial
Unable to go through the all features and functionalities of all popular tools due to their complexity and time
1 constraints
Unable to build in-built functionalities to support all aggregation and grouping functions due to the time constraints
2
R & D Phase was dragged more than expected, due to the complexity and huge learning curves of existing tools
3
Unable to deliver the beta version on time and let it be tested by the target users, currently it is available for the
4 target users for testing
The final survey is not conducted, since the developments were delayed and release of the beta version without
5
enough time to perform the testing by target users
Unable to complete the OQL (Object Query Language) and its functionalities and is currently available as a basic
6
version towards that
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14. Conclusion
The final result
The beta version of the implemented tool is
available on
http://www.future-needs.net/easydata
Since it is an open source tool the windows
binaries as well as the source is available online.
A survey to collect developers’ expectations and
experience with another popular tools is provided
before download of the tool.
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15. Future Enhancements
Steps towards a stable & rich tool
Implement object query language (OQL) as it is in an integrated query language (LINQ)
1
Implement more in-built functionalities to provide more flexibility in data selection
2
Build a standalone tool or integrated tools to generate entity class files with mapping related details by reading the
3
database tables and relationships
Optimize the auto generated queries and the process of building queries to improve the performance of the tools
4
Implement a parameterized way to call functions which contains strongly typed variables for the different database
5
types instead of implementing the same method repetitively by checking the database type
Implement a good library for different query languages which contains keywords, reserved words and special
6
scenarios for those languages to handle scenarios such as following SELECT TOP example.
SELECT * FROM parts WHERE name = 'gearbox' LIMIT 1; -- MySQL or PostgreSQL
SELECT * FROM parts WHERE name = 'gearbox' AND rownum < 2; -- Oracle
SELECT TOP 1 * FROM parts WHERE name = 'gearbox'; -- Microsoft SQL Server
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16. THANK YOU!
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