SQL Server · Create

Register ARX in a DI container and inject it

Registering ARX in a dependency injection container (Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection, as in ASP.NET Core and worker services) and using it from an application service, in two scenarios: register, then use.

Set up for this page

Besides the sample itself, it uses SampleContext.cs (the dbContext every sample is given); SampleOutput.cs (Step and Show, which print); SampleCatalog.cs (the tables' ids, keys, lookups and display names), in the files below.

1 Register the schema catalog and the service (in ASP.NET Core: builder.Services)

Register the schema catalog and the service once, as singletons (in ASP.NET Core: builder.Services).

Already in scope: connectionString (string)

C#
var services = new ServiceCollection();

services.AddSingleton(SampleCatalog.Build());   // the schema catalog: table ids, keys and selection sets
services.AddSingleton(provider => new ArxMsSqlDbService(connectionString, provider.GetRequiredService<ArxSchemaCatalog>()));
services.AddSingleton<IArxBatchDataService>(provider => provider.GetRequiredService<ArxMsSqlDbService>());
services.AddScoped<CustomerOnboarding>();

return services.BuildServiceProvider();
Used above

Defined once in this sample.

private sealed class CustomerOnboarding
{
    private readonly ArxMsSqlDbService _service;

    public CustomerOnboarding(ArxMsSqlDbService service)
    {
        _service = service;
    }

    /// <summary>Creates an account and its primary contact together: both or neither.</summary>
    public async Task<ArxRecordId> SignUpAsync(string company, string accountNumber, string firstName, string lastName, string email)
    {
        ArxRecordId accountId = null!;

        await _service.RunBatchAsync(async batch =>
        {
            var account = new ArxEntity("account");
            account["name"] = company;
            account["account_number"] = accountNumber;
            account["status"] = new ArxSelectionSetValue("AccountStatus", "ACTIVE");
            accountId = await batch.CreateAsync(account);

            var contact = new ArxEntity("contact");
            contact["account_id"] = new ArxEntityReference("account", accountId);
            contact["first_name"] = firstName;
            contact["last_name"] = lastName;
            contact["email"] = email;
            await batch.CreateAsync(contact);
        });

        return accountId;
    }
}

Check it in the database

Note: Nothing is stored: this scenario only registers the catalog and the service.

2 Resolve the application service in a scope (in ASP.NET Core: one per request) and use it

Resolve the application service in a scope (in ASP.NET Core: one per request) and use it.

Already in scope: provider (ServiceProvider)

C#
using var scope = provider.CreateScope();
var onboarding = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<CustomerOnboarding>();

var accountId = await onboarding.SignUpAsync("Proseware Inc.", "ACC-30001", "Olivia", "Grant", "olivia.grant@proseware.example");

Console.WriteLine($"signed up account {accountId} with its primary contact");
Console.WriteLine($"same service instance everywhere: {ReferenceEquals(provider.GetRequiredService<ArxMsSqlDbService>(), provider.GetRequiredService<IArxBatchDataService>())}");
Used above

Defined once in this sample.

private sealed class CustomerOnboarding
{
    private readonly ArxMsSqlDbService _service;

    public CustomerOnboarding(ArxMsSqlDbService service)
    {
        _service = service;
    }

    /// <summary>Creates an account and its primary contact together: both or neither.</summary>
    public async Task<ArxRecordId> SignUpAsync(string company, string accountNumber, string firstName, string lastName, string email)
    {
        ArxRecordId accountId = null!;

        await _service.RunBatchAsync(async batch =>
        {
            var account = new ArxEntity("account");
            account["name"] = company;
            account["account_number"] = accountNumber;
            account["status"] = new ArxSelectionSetValue("AccountStatus", "ACTIVE");
            accountId = await batch.CreateAsync(account);

            var contact = new ArxEntity("contact");
            contact["account_id"] = new ArxEntityReference("account", accountId);
            contact["first_name"] = firstName;
            contact["last_name"] = lastName;
            contact["email"] = email;
            await batch.CreateAsync(contact);
        });

        return accountId;
    }
}

Check it in the database

SQL

Run it in any SQL tool connected to the database, after the code has run.

SELECT a.name, a.account_number, a.status, c.first_name, c.last_name, c.email
FROM account a
JOIN contact c ON c.account_id = a.id
WHERE a.account_number = 'ACC-30001';

Expect: 1 row, Proseware Inc. with Olivia Grant: both or neither.

Good to know

Register one ArxMsSqlDbService as a singleton: it holds no connection, so it is shared safely across requests; each call takes a connection from the SqlClient pool. Register the catalog once too. Inject ArxMsSqlDbService itself for Create; inject IArxBatchDataService where the code only needs batch scopes. Code that should not depend on the provider can take IArxDataService instead: see "Set the service up for production".

Run the complete sample

The code above comes from one program, built in a fresh project and run against the database. To run it yourself, here is every file and step.

The program, its files and how to run it

Run it locally

  1. .NET SDK: .NET SDK 10.0.100 or later 10.0.x (target net10.0).
  2. Create the project:
    Terminal
    dotnet new console -n ArxSample -f net10.0
    cd ArxSample
  3. Install the packages:
    Terminal
    dotnet add package ARX.SDK.SQL --version 1.0.0-rc.1
    dotnet add package Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection --version 8.0.1
  4. Database: a SQL Server 2022 (tested with 16.0.4225.2) database with the sample schema.
  5. Configuration: set ARX_SAMPLES_SQLSERVER to its connection string. Nothing is hard-coded.
  6. Source code: replace Program.cs and add the 4 other files below, with the file names shown.
  7. Run it:
    Terminal
    dotnet run
  8. Expected output: below.

The files

Program.cs

Runs the sample. Generated for this page; it reads the connection string from the environment.

using ArxSamples.MSSQL;
using ArxSamples.MSSQL.Operations.Create.AdvancedCases;

// The connection string comes from the environment, never from the code (see "Configure the connection").
var connectionString = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ARX_SAMPLES_SQLSERVER")
    ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Set the ARX_SAMPLES_SQLSERVER environment variable to your SQL Server connection string.");

await new Advanced1_DependencyInjection().RunAsync(new SampleContext(connectionString));
Advanced1_DependencyInjection.cs

The sample, as it is in the repository.

using ARX.SDK.SQL.Services;
using ARX.SDK.Services;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
using static ArxSamples.MSSQL.SampleOutput;

namespace ArxSamples.MSSQL.Operations.Create.AdvancedCases;

/// <summary>
/// Registering ARX in a dependency injection container (Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection, as in ASP.NET Core
/// and worker services) and using it from an application service, in two scenarios: register, then use.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// Register one ArxMsSqlDbService as a singleton: it holds no connection, so it is shared safely across requests; each call
/// takes a connection from the SqlClient pool. Register the catalog once too. Inject ArxMsSqlDbService itself for Create; inject
/// IArxBatchDataService where the code only needs batch scopes. Code that should not depend on the provider can take IArxDataService
/// instead: see "Set the service up for production".
/// </remarks>
public sealed class Advanced1_DependencyInjection : ISample
{
    public string Name => "create-advanced-1-dependency-injection";

    public string Title => "Register ARX in a DI container and inject it";

    public async Task RunAsync(SampleContext dbContext)
    {
        await using var provider = Scenario1_RegisterTheCatalogAndTheService(dbContext);

        await Scenario2_UseItFromAnApplicationServiceAsync(provider);
    }

    /// <summary>1. Register the schema catalog and the service once, as singletons (in ASP.NET Core: builder.Services).</summary>
    private static ServiceProvider Scenario1_RegisterTheCatalogAndTheService(SampleContext dbContext)
    {
        Step("1. Register the schema catalog and the service (in ASP.NET Core: builder.Services)");

        var services = new ServiceCollection();

        services.AddSingleton(SampleCatalog.Build());   // the schema catalog: table ids, keys and selection sets
        services.AddSingleton(provider => new ArxMsSqlDbService(dbContext.ConnectionString, provider.GetRequiredService<ArxSchemaCatalog>()));
        services.AddSingleton<IArxBatchDataService>(provider => provider.GetRequiredService<ArxMsSqlDbService>());
        services.AddScoped<CustomerOnboarding>();

        /* ===========================================================
         * [DIRECT QUERY CHECK]
         * -----------------------------------------------------------
         * -- Nothing is stored: this scenario only registers the catalog and the service.
         * ===========================================================
         */

        return services.BuildServiceProvider();
    }

    /// <summary>2. Resolve the application service in a scope (in ASP.NET Core: one per request) and use it.</summary>
    private static async Task Scenario2_UseItFromAnApplicationServiceAsync(ServiceProvider provider)
    {
        Step("2. Resolve the application service in a scope (in ASP.NET Core: one per request) and use it");

        using var scope = provider.CreateScope();
        var onboarding = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<CustomerOnboarding>();

        var accountId = await onboarding.SignUpAsync("Proseware Inc.", "ACC-30001", "Olivia", "Grant", "olivia.grant@proseware.example");

        Show($"signed up account {accountId} with its primary contact");
        Show($"same service instance everywhere: {ReferenceEquals(provider.GetRequiredService<ArxMsSqlDbService>(), provider.GetRequiredService<IArxBatchDataService>())}");

        /* ===========================================================
         * [DIRECT QUERY CHECK]
         * -----------------------------------------------------------
         * SELECT a.name, a.account_number, a.status, c.first_name, c.last_name, c.email
         * FROM account a
         * JOIN contact c ON c.account_id = a.id
         * WHERE a.account_number = 'ACC-30001';
         * -- Expect: 1 row, Proseware Inc. with Olivia Grant: both or neither.
         * ===========================================================
         */
    }

    /// <summary>An application service, as it would sit in your own code. ARX comes in through its constructor.</summary>
    private sealed class CustomerOnboarding
    {
        private readonly ArxMsSqlDbService _service;

        public CustomerOnboarding(ArxMsSqlDbService service)
        {
            _service = service;
        }

        /// <summary>Creates an account and its primary contact together: both or neither.</summary>
        public async Task<ArxRecordId> SignUpAsync(string company, string accountNumber, string firstName, string lastName, string email)
        {
            ArxRecordId accountId = null!;

            await _service.RunBatchAsync(async batch =>
            {
                var account = new ArxEntity("account");
                account["name"] = company;
                account["account_number"] = accountNumber;
                account["status"] = new ArxSelectionSetValue("AccountStatus", "ACTIVE");
                accountId = await batch.CreateAsync(account);

                var contact = new ArxEntity("contact");
                contact["account_id"] = new ArxEntityReference("account", accountId);
                contact["first_name"] = firstName;
                contact["last_name"] = lastName;
                contact["email"] = email;
                await batch.CreateAsync(contact);
            });

            return accountId;
        }
    }
}
SampleContext.cs

What every sample is given: the connection string (and the ISample interface the samples implement).

namespace ArxSamples.MSSQL;

/// <summary>One documentation sample: a scenario a real application has, shown end to end.</summary>
public interface ISample
{
    /// <summary>The name to run it alone: <c>dotnet run -- &lt;name&gt;</c>.</summary>
    string Name { get; }

    /// <summary>One line on what it shows.</summary>
    string Title { get; }

    Task RunAsync(SampleContext dbContext);
}

/// <summary>
/// What a sample is given. Every sample gets the connection string; the application's service and catalog
/// (SampleContext.Application.cs) and the plain SqlClient read-back helper (SampleContext.Direct.cs) live in their own
/// files, so a sample needs only the files it uses.
/// </summary>
public sealed partial class SampleContext
{
    public SampleContext(string connectionString)
    {
        ConnectionString = connectionString;
    }

    public string ConnectionString { get; }
}
SampleOutput.cs

How the samples print: Step for each scenario, Show for what it did, ShowError for an error caught on purpose.

using ARX.SDK;

namespace ArxSamples.MSSQL;

/// <summary>How the samples print: a numbered step for each scenario, then what it did.</summary>
public static class SampleOutput
{
    /// <summary>The start of a scenario: <c>Step("1. By the id Create returned")</c>.</summary>
    public static void Step(string text) => Console.WriteLine($"  > {text}");

    /// <summary>What the scenario did.</summary>
    public static void Show(string text) => Console.WriteLine($"      {text}");

    /// <summary>An ARX error the scenario caught on purpose.</summary>
    public static void ShowError(ArxException exception)
        => Console.WriteLine($"      caught {exception.GetType().Name}: {exception.Message}");
}
SampleCatalog.cs

The application's schema catalog: every table's id column and keys, and its selection sets.

using ARX.SDK.Services;
using System.Text.Json;
using System.Text.Json.Serialization;

namespace ArxSamples.MSSQL;

/// <summary>An account's industry. Stored in account.industry (smallint) as the enum's number.</summary>
public enum Industry : short
{
    Retail = 1,
    Manufacturing = 2,
    Healthcare = 3,
    Finance = 4,
    Technology = 5
}

/// <summary>
/// The application's schema catalog: every table's id column and keys, and every picklist (selection set),
/// defined once.
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// <para>
/// <b>Ids.</b> Every table the application writes is declared with its one id column: its name, its .NET type, and
/// whether the database generates it (<c>ArxIdColumn.Generated</c>: identity, sequence, default) or the caller supplies
/// it (<c>ArxIdColumn.Supplied</c>: a natural id, a client-generated Guid). A table with no id column, such as a log or a
/// table identified by several columns together, is declared <c>ArxIdColumn.NoIdColumn</c>. ARX never reads ids from
/// the database: the developer knows the schema, and an undeclared table is refused (ARX1016).
/// </para>
/// <para>
/// <b>Keys.</b> Optional business keys: one or more columns whose values identify a record, such as an account number,
/// or a region and a SKU together. Create doesn't use them (the database's unique constraints do the enforcing); Update
/// and Delete will be able to find rows by them. <c>ValidateSchemaAsync</c> checks ids and keys against the database
/// when you ask it to.
/// </para>
/// <para>
/// <b>Selection sets.</b> /// A selection set (picklist, option set) is a column that only accepts a fixed list of codes, each with a display
/// text: an account's status (ACTIVE, ON_HOLD, CLOSED), a contact's preferred channel (E, P, S). The catalog tells ARX,
/// for each set:
/// </para>
/// <list type="bullet">
/// <item><b>Name</b>: what an <see cref="ArxSelectionSetValue"/> refers to, for example <c>new ArxSelectionSetValue("AccountStatus", "ON_HOLD")</c>.</item>
/// <item><b>Kind</b>: what the codes are, matching the column: Integer, String, Character, Boolean, Decimal or Guid.
/// (SQL Server has no enum types: a fixed list of text values is a String set, and a CHECK can guard the column.)</item>
/// <item><b>Multiplicity</b>: Single (one code), or several codes stored as bit flags (Flags), a delimited string
/// (Delimited) or a JSON array (Json). SQL Server has no array columns.</item>
/// <item><b>Options</b>: each code with its display text and order. A retired option (<c>IsActive: false</c>) stays
/// readable in old rows, but can't be written any more.</item>
/// </list>
/// <para>
/// Build the catalog once at startup and give it to the service: <c>new ArxMsSqlDbService(connectionString, SampleCatalog.Build())</c>.
/// ARX checks every <see cref="ArxSelectionSetValue"/> against it in memory, before any SQL is sent, and stores the code
/// itself in the column: no lookup table, no extra query. A plain value (a string or number that isn't an
/// ArxSelectionSetValue) isn't checked.
/// </para>
/// <para>
/// The catalog is plain code, so the options can come from wherever you keep them: written out here, taken from a .NET
/// enum (<c>AddEnum</c>), loaded from JSON (<see cref="SetsJson"/> and <see cref="FromJson"/> below), or loaded at
/// startup from your own option table and passed to <c>new ArxSelectionSetDefinition(name, kind, options)</c>. ARX
/// never reads option tables or files itself.
/// </para>
/// </remarks>
public static class SampleCatalog
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Selection sets kept as JSON, as an application might keep them in a file, a settings store or a database column.
    /// Here the JSON is in the class itself; in an application, read it from wherever you keep it
    /// (<c>File.ReadAllText("selection-sets.json")</c>, configuration, an HTTP call) and pass it to <see cref="FromJson"/>.
    /// "multiplicity" and "active" are optional (Single and true).
    /// </summary>
    public const string SetsJson = """
        [
          {
            "name": "LeadSource",
            "kind": "String",
            "options": [
              { "value": "WEB",       "text": "Website",    "order": 0 },
              { "value": "REFERRAL",  "text": "Referral",   "order": 1 },
              { "value": "EVENT",     "text": "Trade show", "order": 2 },
              { "value": "COLD_CALL", "text": "Cold call",  "order": 3, "active": false }
            ]
          },
          {
            "name": "ContactRating",
            "kind": "Integer",
            "multiplicity": "Single",
            "options": [
              { "value": 1, "text": "Poor" },
              { "value": 2, "text": "Fair" },
              { "value": 3, "text": "Good" },
              { "value": 4, "text": "Very good" },
              { "value": 5, "text": "Excellent" }
            ]
          }
        ]
        """;

    public static ArxSchemaCatalog Build()
    {
        var builder = ArxSchemaCatalog.Create()

            // ---------- tables: id column and keys ----------
            // Generated bigint ids (IDENTITY): the database fills them in. The keys are the unique columns that also
            // identify a record.
            .Table("account", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id")).Key("account", "account_number")
            .Table("contact", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id")).Key("contact", "email")

            // Retrieve: a contact's account_id reads back as a reference to its account, named by the account's
            // name; a contact is named by its first and last names.
            .Lookup("contact", "account_id", "account")
            .DisplayName("account", "name")
            .DisplayName("contact", new[] { "first_name", "last_name" }, " ")

            .Table("product_category", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id")).Key("product_category", "name")
            .Table("product", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id")).Key("product", "sku")
            .Table("sales_order", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id")).Key("sales_order", "order_number")
            .Table("order_line", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id"))
            .Table("data_type_showcase", ArxIdColumn.Generated<long>("id"))

            // A natural id: the caller gives the ISO country code.
            .Table("country", ArxIdColumn.Supplied<string>("code"))

            // A generated uuid id (DEFAULT gen_random_uuid()).
            .Table("device", ArxIdColumn.Generated<Guid>("id")).Key("device", "serial_number")

            // No id column: a price is identified by its region and SKU together, a compound key.
            .Table("price_list", ArxIdColumn.NoIdColumn).Key("price_list", "region", "sku")

            // No primary key at all: the same action can be logged twice.
            .Table("activity_log", ArxIdColumn.NoIdColumn)

            // A partitioned table without an id: a visit is a fact, never updated (Retrieve Advanced8).
            .Table("web_visit", ArxIdColumn.NoIdColumn)

            // ---------- selection sets ----------

            // From a .NET enum: the set is named after the enum ("Industry"), the codes are its numbers (Retail = 1, …),
            // the display texts are its member names. Column: account.industry smallint.
            .AddEnum<Industry>()

            // Written out: String codes with display texts, single choice. Column: account.status varchar(10).
            .Add("AccountStatus", ArxSelectionSetKind.String, ("ACTIVE", "Active"), ("ON_HOLD", "On hold"), ("CLOSED", "Closed"))

            // Multiple choice, stored as delimited text ("ENTERPRISE,PUBLIC"). RESELLER is retired: rows that have it still
            // read back, but new writes can't use it. Column: account.segments nvarchar(200).
            .Add(new ArxSelectionSetDefinition("CustomerSegment", ArxSelectionSetKind.String, new[]
            {
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("SMB", "Small business", 0),
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("ENTERPRISE", "Enterprise", 1),
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("PUBLIC", "Public sector", 2),
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("RESELLER", "Reseller", 3, IsActive: false)
            }, ArxSelectionSetMultiplicity.Delimited))

            // Single-character codes. Column: contact.preferred_channel char(1).
            .Add("ContactChannel", ArxSelectionSetKind.Character, ('E', "Email"), ('P', "Phone"), ('S', "Text message"))

            // A fixed list of text values the column's CHECK also guards (SQL Server has no enum types).
            // Column: data_type_showcase.mood nvarchar(10).
            .Add(new ArxSelectionSetDefinition("Mood", ArxSelectionSetKind.String, new[]
            {
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("happy", "Happy", 0),
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("neutral", "Neutral", 1),
                new ArxSelectionSetOption("sad", "Sad", 2)
            }));

        // Loaded from JSON: LeadSource (contact.lead_source text) and ContactRating (contact.rating smallint).
        foreach (var set in FromJson(SetsJson))
        {
            builder.Add(set);
        }

        return builder.Build();
    }

    /// <summary>Reads selection set definitions from JSON (the shape of <see cref="SetsJson"/>).</summary>
    public static IEnumerable<ArxSelectionSetDefinition> FromJson(string json)
    {
        var options = new JsonSerializerOptions
        {
            PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
            Converters = { new JsonStringEnumConverter() }   // "String", "Integer", "Array", … as names
        };

        var sets = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<List<JsonSet>>(json, options)
            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("The selection set JSON is empty.");

        foreach (var set in sets)
        {
            yield return new ArxSelectionSetDefinition(
                set.Name,
                set.Kind,
                set.Options.Select(x => new ArxSelectionSetOption(Code(x.Value, set.Kind), x.Text, x.Order, x.Active)),
                set.Multiplicity,
                set.DatabaseTypeName);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>A JSON value as a code of the set's kind: JSON has no char, Guid or 64-bit integer of its own.</summary>
    private static object Code(JsonElement value, ArxSelectionSetKind kind) => kind switch
    {
        ArxSelectionSetKind.Integer => value.GetInt64(),
        ArxSelectionSetKind.Decimal => value.GetDecimal(),
        ArxSelectionSetKind.Boolean => value.GetBoolean(),
        ArxSelectionSetKind.Guid => value.GetGuid(),
        ArxSelectionSetKind.Character => value.GetString()![0],
        _ => value.GetString()!   // String and DatabaseEnum
    };

    private sealed record JsonSet(
        string Name,
        ArxSelectionSetKind Kind,
        List<JsonOption> Options,
        ArxSelectionSetMultiplicity Multiplicity = ArxSelectionSetMultiplicity.Single,
        string? DatabaseTypeName = null);

    private sealed record JsonOption(JsonElement Value, string Text, int Order = 0, bool Active = true);
}

Expected output

What dotnet run printed when the sample was verified, on a freshly created sample schema. Ids differ when the tables already hold rows.

Output
  > 1. Register the schema catalog and the service (in ASP.NET Core: builder.Services)
  > 2. Resolve the application service in a scope (in ASP.NET Core: one per request) and use it
      signed up account 1 with its primary contact
      same service instance everywhere: True