How to: Bind a Dashboard to an Entity Framework Data Source

• Mar 31, 2018
• 3 minutes to read

To learn how to bind a dashboard to the Entity Framework data source using the Dashboard Designer, see Binding to EF Data Sources.

The following example demonstrates how to bind a dashboard to the SQLite database using Entity Framework 6.

In this example, the DashboardEFDataSource class is used to connect the dashboard to the Entity Framework data source.

Note

A complete sample project is available at https://github.com/DevExpress-Examples/how-to-bind-a-dashboard-to-an-entity-framework-data-source-at-runtime-t213415.

OrdersContext.vb

Imports System.Data.Entity
Imports System

Namespace Dashboard_EntityFramework

    Partial Public Class OrdersContext
        Inherits DbContext

        Public Sub New()
            MyBase.New("name=OrdersContext")
        End Sub
        Public Overridable Property Orders() As DbSet(Of Order)
    End Class

    Partial Public Class Order
        Public Property OrderID() As Long
        Public Property CustomerID() As String
        Public Property EmployeeID() As Long?
        Public Property OrderDate() As Date?
        Public Property RequiredDate() As Date?
        Public Property ShippedDate() As Date?
        Public Property ShipVia() As Long?
        Public Property Freight() As Decimal?
        Public Property ShipName() As String
        Public Property ShipAddress() As String
        Public Property ShipCity() As String
        Public Property ShipRegion() As String
        Public Property ShipPostalCode() As String
        Public Property ShipCountry() As String
    End Class
End Namespace

Form1.vb

Imports DevExpress.DashboardCommon
Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors
Imports DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework

Namespace Dashboard_EntityFramework
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits XtraForm

        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
            InitializeDashboard()
        End Sub

        Public Sub InitializeDashboard()
            Dim dashboard As New Dashboard()
            Dim efDataSource As New DashboardEFDataSource()
            efDataSource.ConnectionParameters = New EFConnectionParameters(GetType(OrdersContext))
            dashboard.DataSources.Add(efDataSource)

            Dim pivot As New PivotDashboardItem()
            pivot.DataMember = "Orders"
            pivot.DataSource = dashboard.DataSources(0)
            pivot.Rows.AddRange(New Dimension("ShipCountry"), New Dimension("ShipCity"))
            pivot.Columns.Add(New Dimension("OrderDate"))
            pivot.Values.Add(New Measure("Freight"))

            Dim chart As New ChartDashboardItem()
            chart.DataSource = dashboard.DataSources(0)
            chart.DataMember = "Orders"
            chart.Arguments.Add(New Dimension("OrderDate", DateTimeGroupInterval.Year))
            chart.Panes.Add(New ChartPane())
            Dim freightSeries As New SimpleSeries(SimpleSeriesType.Bar)
            freightSeries.Value = New Measure("Freight")
            chart.Panes(0).Series.Add(freightSeries)

            dashboard.Items.AddRange(pivot, chart)
            dashboardViewer1.Dashboard = dashboard
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

OrdersContext.cs

namespace Dashboard_EntityFramework {
    using System;
    using System.Data.Entity;

    public partial class OrdersContext : DbContext {
        public OrdersContext()
            : base("name=OrdersContext") {
        }
        public virtual DbSet<Order> Orders { get; set; }
    }

    public partial class Order {
        public long OrderID { get; set; }
        public string CustomerID { get; set; }
        public long? EmployeeID { get; set; }
        public DateTime? OrderDate { get; set; }
        public DateTime? RequiredDate { get; set; }
        public DateTime? ShippedDate { get; set; }
        public long? ShipVia { get; set; }
        public decimal? Freight { get; set; }
        public string ShipName { get; set; }
        public string ShipAddress { get; set; }
        public string ShipCity { get; set; }
        public string ShipRegion { get; set; }
        public string ShipPostalCode { get; set; }
        public string ShipCountry { get; set; }
    }
}

Form1.cs

using DevExpress.DashboardCommon;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors;
using DevExpress.DataAccess.EntityFramework;

namespace Dashboard_EntityFramework {
    public partial class Form1 : XtraForm {
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();
            InitializeDashboard();          
        }

        public void InitializeDashboard() {
            Dashboard dashboard = new Dashboard();
            DashboardEFDataSource efDataSource = new DashboardEFDataSource();
            efDataSource.ConnectionParameters =
                new EFConnectionParameters(typeof(OrdersContext));
            dashboard.DataSources.Add(efDataSource);

            PivotDashboardItem pivot = new PivotDashboardItem();
            pivot.DataMember = "Orders";
            pivot.DataSource = dashboard.DataSources[0];
            pivot.Rows.AddRange(new Dimension("ShipCountry"), new Dimension("ShipCity"));
            pivot.Columns.Add(new Dimension("OrderDate"));
            pivot.Values.Add(new Measure("Freight"));

            ChartDashboardItem chart = new ChartDashboardItem();
            chart.DataSource = dashboard.DataSources[0];
            chart.DataMember = "Orders";
            chart.Arguments.Add(new Dimension("OrderDate", DateTimeGroupInterval.Year));
            chart.Panes.Add(new ChartPane());
            SimpleSeries freightSeries = new SimpleSeries(SimpleSeriesType.Bar);
            freightSeries.Value = new Measure("Freight");
            chart.Panes[0].Series.Add(freightSeries);

            dashboard.Items.AddRange(pivot, chart);
            dashboardViewer1.Dashboard = dashboard;
        }
    }
}