Server Mode with Entity Framework

• Dec 23, 2021
• 3 minutes to read

The PivotGridControl automatically operates in server mode if it is bound to the Entity Framework data source. This example demonstrates how to generate model and mapping information, and bind the Pivot Grid control to the data source with the Entity Framework.

Creating Data Classes

1. Add ADO.NET Entity Data Model to the project.

   

2. Create a model in the EF Designer based on an existing database. You can choose the model type, a database connection string, the objects to include in the model. The following image gallery shows the Entity Data Model Wizard:

   

   Select a model type,

   

   Select a connection string.

   

   Choose database tables and views.

   When you click Finish at the last Entity Data Model Wizard screen, the following warning appears:

   

   The created model looks as follows:

   

Important

After you create a data model, rebuild the solution.

Binding PivotGridControl to the EntityServerModeSource component

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

   

   Note

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

4. Specify the type of objects retrieved from a data source using the EntityServerModeSource.ElementType and EntityServerModeSource.KeyExpression properties.

   C#

   entityServerModeSource = new EntityServerModeSource
   {
       ElementType = typeof(EntityInvoice),
       KeyExpression = "OrderId"
   };
   

   VB.NET

   entityServerModeSource1.ElementType = GetType(EntityInvoice)
   entityServerModeSource1.KeyExpression = "OrderID"
   

5. Specify the queryable source with the EntityServerModeSource.QueryableSource property.

   C#

   NWEntities context = new NWEntities();
   entityServerModeSource.QueryableSource = context.EntityInvoices;
   

   VB.NET

   Dim context As New NWEntities()
   entityServerModeSource.QueryableSource = context.EntityInvoices
   

6. Bind the Pivot Grid control to the EntityServerModeSource component.

   C#

   pivotGridControl1.DataSource = entityServerModeSource;
   

   VB.NET

   pivotGridControl1.DataSource = entityServerModeSource
   

   The resulting code looks as follows:

   C#

   using DevExpress.Data.Linq;
   using DevExpress.XtraEditors;
   using System;
   
   namespace EntityFrameworkServerModeExample
   {
       public partial class Form1 : XtraForm
       {
           EntityServerModeSource entityServerModeSource;
           public Form1()
           {
               InitializeComponent();
               entityServerModeSource = new EntityServerModeSource
               {
                   ElementType = typeof(EntityInvoice),
                   KeyExpression = "OrderId"
               };
               NWEntities context = new NWEntities(
               //Enable query logging.
               context.Database.Log = Console.Write;
               entityServerModeSource.QueryableSource = context.EntityInvoices;
           }
   
           private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
           {
                   pivotGridControl1.DataSource = entityServerModeSource;
           }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports DevExpress.Data.Linq
   Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors
   Imports System
   
   Namespace EntityFrameworkServerModeExample
       Partial Public Class Form1
           Inherits XtraForm
   
           Private entityServerModeSource As EntityServerModeSource
   
           Public Sub New()
               InitializeComponent()
               entityServerModeSource = New EntityServerModeSource With {.ElementType = GetType(EntityInvoice), .KeyExpression = "OrderId"}
               Dim context As New NWEntities()
               ' Enable query logging.
               context.Database.Log = AddressOf Console.Write
               entityServerModeSource.QueryableSource = context.EntityInvoices
           End Sub
   
           Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
               pivotGridControl1.DataSource = entityServerModeSource
           End Sub
       End Class
   End Namespace
   

7. Run the project. The PivotGridControl works in server mode. You can see the generated SQL statements in the Visual Studio Output window.

Note

The complete sample project PivotGridControl and Entity Framework - a Server Mode Example is available in the DevExpress Examples repository..