Server Mode with LINQ to SQL

• Oct 26, 2022
• 3 minutes to read

The PivotGridControl automatically operates in server mode if it is bound to the LINQ to SQL data source. This example shows how to use LINQ to SQL in the Pivot Grid application.

Creating Data Classes

1. Add LINQ to SQL Classes to the project.

   

2. Data classes can then be created and edited in an Object Relational Designer (O/R Designer). An O/R Designer provides a visual design surface for creating LINQ to SQL entity classes and relationships based on objects in a database. To learn more, see the Microsoft LINQ to SQL article.

   You can create and map entity classes to tables and views by dragging database tables and views from Server Explorer onto the O/R Designer.

   

   Save your changes, close the O/R Designer, and rebuild the solution.

Binding a Pivot Grid Control to the LinqServerModeSource component

3. Drag the LinqServerModeSource component and drop it onto the Form.

   

   Note

   Alternatively, you can create the LinqServerModeSource in code at runtime.

4. Specify the type of objects retrieved from a data source with the LinqServerModeSource.ElementType and LinqServerModeSource.KeyExpression properties:

   C#

   linqServerModeSource1.ElementType = typeof(Invoice);
   linqServerModeSource1.KeyExpression = "OrderID";
   

   VB.NET

   linqServerModeSource1.ElementType = GetType(Invoice)
   linqServerModeSource1.KeyExpression = "OrderID"
   

5. Specify the queryable source using the LinqServerModeSource.QueryableSource property:

   C#

   linqServerModeSource1.QueryableSource = dc.Invoices;
   

   VB.NET

   linqServerModeSource1.QueryableSource = dc.Invoices
   

6. Bind the Pivot Grid control to the LinqServerModeSource component:

   C#

   pivotGridControl1.DataSource = linqServerModeSource1;
   

   VB.NET

   pivotGridControl1.DataSource = linqServerModeSource1
   

   The resulting code looks as follows:

   C#

   using DevExpress.Data.Linq;
   using DevExpress.XtraEditors;
   using System;
   
   namespace LinqToSqlServerModeExample
   {
       public partial class Form1 : DevExpress.XtraEditors.XtraForm
       {
           LinqServerModeSource linqServerModeSource1;
           bool serverMode = false;
           public Form1()
           {
               InitializeComponent();
               // Create LINQ Server Mode data source.
               linqServerModeSource1 = new LinqServerModeSource
               {
                   ElementType = typeof(Invoice),
                   KeyExpression = "OrderID"
               };
               // Create the data context and enable query logging.
               NWindDataContext dc = new NWindDataContext { Log = Console.Out };
               //
               // Specify the queryable source that provides data items.
               linqServerModeSource1.QueryableSource = dc.Invoices;
           }
   
           private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
           {
               pivotGridControl1.DataSource = linqServerModeSource1;
           }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports DevExpress.Data.Linq
   Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors
   
   Namespace LinqToSqlServerModeExample
       Partial Public Class Form1
           Inherits DevExpress.XtraEditors.XtraForm
   
           Private linqServerModeSource1 As LinqServerModeSource
   
           Public Sub New()
               InitializeComponent()
               ' Create LINQ Server Mode data source.
               linqServerModeSource1 = New LinqServerModeSource With {.ElementType = GetType(Invoice), .KeyExpression = "OrderID"}
               ' Create the data context and enable query logging.
               Dim dc As NWindDataContext = New NWindDataContext With {.Log = Console.Out}
               ' Specify the queryable source that provides data items.
               linqServerModeSource1.QueryableSource = dc.Invoices
           End Sub
   
           Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
               pivotGridControl1.DataSource = linqServerModeSource1
           End Sub
       End Class
   End Namespace
   

7. Run the project. The PivotGridControl works in server mode because it is bound to the LINQ-to-SQL data source. You can see the generated SQL statements in the Visual Studio Output window.

Note

The complete sample project Pivot Grid LINQ to SQL Server Mode Example is available in the DevExpress Examples repository.