How to: Bind ASP.NET MVC Dashboard to an Object Data Source using a Custom Fill Service

• Aug 01, 2019
• 5 minutes to read

This example shows how to bind the ASP.NET MVC Dashboard extension to the Object Data Source and supply it with data using a custom fill service by implementing a IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService interface.

You can use the custom fill service (IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService to get access to the DashboardObjectDataSource data (data fields used in a dashboard, the filter expression, parameters and their actual values) and use it in the current data query.

The IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService is executed if you use typeof() to specify the ObjectDataSource.DataSource property.

In this example, the ObjectDataSourceFillParameters.DataFields parameter is used to load data only for required fields.

Note

A complete sample project is available at https://github.com/DevExpress-Examples/aspnet-mvc-dashboard-how-to-provide-data-for-objectdatasource-using-a-fill-service-t583015.

HomeController.cs

using System.Web.Mvc;

namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService.Controllers
{
    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
        // GET: Home
        public ActionResult Index()
        {
            return View();
        }
    }
}

DashboardConfig.cs

using DevExpress.DashboardCommon;
using DevExpress.DashboardWeb;
using DevExpress.DashboardWeb.Mvc;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;
using System.Threading;
using System.Web.Routing;

public class DashboardConfig {
    public static void RegisterService(RouteCollection routes) {
        routes.MapDashboardRoute();

        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetDashboardStorage(new DashboardFileStorage(@"~/App_Data/"));
        var dataSourceStorage = new DataSourceInMemoryStorage();
        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetDataSourceStorage(dataSourceStorage);
        DashboardObjectDataSource objDataSource = new DashboardObjectDataSource("Object Data Source", typeof(SalesPersonData));
        objDataSource.DataSource = typeof(SalesPersonData);
        dataSourceStorage.RegisterDataSource("objDataSource", objDataSource.SaveToXml());

        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetObjectDataSourceCustomFillService(new CustomObjectDataSourceCustomFillService());
    }
}

public class SalesPersonData {
    public string SalesPerson { get; set; }
    public int Quantity { get; set; }
}

public class CustomObjectDataSourceCustomFillService : IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService {
    public object GetData(DashboardObjectDataSource dataSource, ObjectDataSourceFillParameters fillParameters) {
        if (fillParameters.DataFields == null || fillParameters.DataFields.Length == 0) {
            return null;
        }

        List<SalesPersonData> data = DataGenerator.CreateSourceData();

        DataTable table = new DataTable();
        foreach(string field in fillParameters.DataFields) {
            table.Columns.Add(field);
        }
        for (int i = 0; i < data.Count; i++) {
            object[] row = new object[fillParameters.DataFields.Length];
            for (int j = 0; j < fillParameters.DataFields.Length; j++) {
                row[j] = GetPropertyValue(data[i], fillParameters.DataFields[j]);
            }
            table.Rows.Add(row);
        }
        return table.DefaultView;
    }
    object GetPropertyValue(SalesPersonData obj, string propName) {
        return propName == "SalesPerson" ? (object)obj.SalesPerson : (object)obj.Quantity;
    }
}

public static class DataGenerator {
    public static List<SalesPersonData> CreateSourceData() {
        List<SalesPersonData> data = new List<SalesPersonData>();
        string[] salesPersons = { "Andrew Fuller", "Michael Suyama",
                                    "Robert King", "Nancy Davolio",
                                    "Margaret Peacock", "Laura Callahan",
                                    "Steven Buchanan", "Janet Leverling" };

        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            SalesPersonData record = new SalesPersonData();
            int seed = (int)DateTime.Now.Ticks & 0x0000FFFF;
            record.SalesPerson = salesPersons[new Random(seed).Next(0, salesPersons.Length)];
            record.Quantity = new Random(seed).Next(0, 100);
            data.Add(record);
            Thread.Sleep(3);
        }
        return data;
    }
}

Global.asax.cs

using System;
using System.Web.Http;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.Routing;

namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService {
    // Note: For instructions on enabling IIS6 or IIS7 classic mode, 
    // visit http://go.microsoft.com/?LinkId=9394801

    public class MvcApplication : System.Web.HttpApplication {
        protected void Application_Start() {
            DashboardConfig.RegisterService(RouteTable.Routes);
            AreaRegistration.RegisterAllAreas();

            GlobalConfiguration.Configure(WebApiConfig.Register);
            FilterConfig.RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilters.Filters);
            RouteConfig.RegisterRoutes(RouteTable.Routes);

            ModelBinders.Binders.DefaultBinder = new DevExpress.Web.Mvc.DevExpressEditorsBinder();

            DevExpress.Web.ASPxWebControl.CallbackError += Application_Error;
        }

        protected void Application_Error(object sender, EventArgs e) {
            Exception exception = System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Server.GetLastError();
            //TODO: Handle Exception
        }
    }
}

RouteConfig.cs

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.Routing;

namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService {
    public class RouteConfig {
        public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes) {
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.ashx/{*pathInfo}");

            routes.MapRoute(
                name: "Default", // Route name
                url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}", // URL with parameters
                defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional } // Parameter defaults
            );
        }
    }
}

FilterConfig.cs

using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;

namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService {
    public class FilterConfig {
        public static void RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilterCollection filters) {
            filters.Add(new HandleErrorAttribute());
        }
    }
}

FilterConfig.vb

Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Mvc

Namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService
    Public Class FilterConfig
        Public Shared Sub RegisterGlobalFilters(ByVal filters As GlobalFilterCollection)
            filters.Add(New HandleErrorAttribute())
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

HomeController.vb

Imports System.Web.Mvc

Namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService.Controllers
    Public Class HomeController
        Inherits Controller

        ' GET: Home
        Public Function Index() As ActionResult
            Return View()
        End Function
    End Class
End Namespace

Global.asax.vb

Imports System
Imports System.Web.Http
Imports System.Web.Mvc
Imports System.Web.Routing

Namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService
    ' Note: For instructions on enabling IIS6 or IIS7 classic mode, 
    ' visit http://go.microsoft.com/?LinkId=9394801

    Public Class MvcApplication
        Inherits System.Web.HttpApplication

        Protected Sub Application_Start()
            DashboardConfig.RegisterService(RouteTable.Routes)
            AreaRegistration.RegisterAllAreas()

            GlobalConfiguration.Configure(AddressOf WebApiConfig.Register)
            FilterConfig.RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilters.Filters)
            RouteConfig.RegisterRoutes(RouteTable.Routes)

            ModelBinders.Binders.DefaultBinder = New DevExpress.Web.Mvc.DevExpressEditorsBinder()

            AddHandler DevExpress.Web.ASPxWebControl.CallbackError, AddressOf Application_Error
        End Sub

        Protected Sub Application_Error(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            Dim exception As Exception = System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Server.GetLastError()
            'TODO: Handle Exception
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

DashboardConfig.vb

Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Web.Routing
Imports DevExpress.DashboardCommon
Imports DevExpress.DashboardWeb
Imports DevExpress.DashboardWeb.Mvc

Public Class DashboardConfig
    Public Shared Sub RegisterService(ByVal routes As RouteCollection)
        routes.MapDashboardRoute()

        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetDashboardStorage(New DashboardFileStorage("~/App_Data/"))
        Dim dataSourceStorage = New DataSourceInMemoryStorage()
        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetDataSourceStorage(dataSourceStorage)
        Dim objDataSource As New DashboardObjectDataSource("Object Data Source", GetType(SalesPersonData))
        objDataSource.DataSource = GetType(SalesPersonData)
        dataSourceStorage.RegisterDataSource("objDataSource", objDataSource.SaveToXml())

        DashboardConfigurator.Default.SetObjectDataSourceCustomFillService(New CustomObjectDataSourceCustomFillService())
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class SalesPersonData
    Public Property SalesPerson() As String
    Public Property Quantity() As Integer
End Class

Public Class CustomObjectDataSourceCustomFillService
    Implements IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService

    Public Function GetData(ByVal dataSource As DashboardObjectDataSource, ByVal fillParameters As ObjectDataSourceFillParameters) As Object _
        Implements IObjectDataSourceCustomFillService.GetData
        If fillParameters.DataFields Is Nothing OrElse fillParameters.DataFields.Length = 0 Then
            Return Nothing
        End If

        Dim data As List(Of SalesPersonData) = DataGenerator.CreateSourceData()

        Dim table As New DataTable()
        For Each field As String In fillParameters.DataFields
            table.Columns.Add(field)
        Next field
        For i As Integer = 0 To data.Count - 1
            Dim row(fillParameters.DataFields.Length - 1) As Object
            For j As Integer = 0 To fillParameters.DataFields.Length - 1
                row(j) = GetPropertyValue(data(i), fillParameters.DataFields(j))
            Next j
            table.Rows.Add(row)
        Next i
        Return table.DefaultView
    End Function
    Private Function GetPropertyValue(ByVal obj As SalesPersonData, ByVal propName As String) As Object
        Return If(propName = "SalesPerson", DirectCast(obj.SalesPerson, Object), DirectCast(obj.Quantity, Object))
    End Function
End Class

Public NotInheritable Class DataGenerator

    Private Sub New()
    End Sub

    Public Shared Function CreateSourceData() As List(Of SalesPersonData)
        Dim data As New List(Of SalesPersonData)()
        Dim salesPersons() As String = {"Andrew Fuller", "Michael Suyama",
                                            "Robert King", "Nancy Davolio",
                                            "Margaret Peacock", "Laura Callahan",
                                            "Steven Buchanan", "Janet Leverling"}

        For i As Integer = 0 To 99
            Dim record As New SalesPersonData()
            Dim seed As Long = CLng(Date.Now.Ticks) And &HFFFF
            record.SalesPerson = salesPersons((New Random(seed)).Next(0, salesPersons.Length))
            record.Quantity = (New Random(seed)).Next(0, 100)
            data.Add(record)
            Thread.Sleep(3)
        Next i
        Return data
    End Function
End Class

RouteConfig.vb

Imports System.Web.Mvc
Imports System.Web.Routing

Namespace MVCxDashboard_CustomFillService
    Public Class RouteConfig
        Public Shared Sub RegisterRoutes(ByVal routes As RouteCollection)
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}")
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.ashx/{*pathInfo}")

            routes.MapRoute(name:="Default", url:="{controller}/{action}/{id}", defaults:=New With {
                Key .controller = "Home",
                Key .action = "Index",
                Key .id = UrlParameter.Optional
            })
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace