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Cannot Use DbContext.Query inside a transaction

I am using EF6 to query a backend database. User can customize a temporary table and query the data from the temporary table. I am using
DataTable result = context.Query(queryStatement);
to get the result and it has been working fine.
Now the query is needed among a serious of other sqlcommand and a transaction is needed. So I have
public static DataTable GetData()
{
using (MyDbContext context = new MyDbContext())
using (DbContextTransaction tran = context.Database.BeginTransaction())
{
try
{
int rowAffected = context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(
"UPDATE [MyDb].dbo.[TableLocks] SET RefCount = RefCount + 1 WHERE TableName = 'TESTTABLE1'");
if (rowAffected != 1)
throw new Exception("Cannot find 'TestTable1'");
//The following line will raise an exception
DataTable result = context.Query("SELECT TOP 100 * FROM [MyDb].dbo.[TestTable1]");
//This line will work if I change it to
//context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand("SELECT TOP 100 * FROM [MyDb].dbo.[TestTable1]");
//but I don't know how to get the result out of it.
context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(
"UPDATE [MyDb].dbo.[TableLocks] SET RefCount = RefCount - 1 WHERE TableName = 'TestTable1'");
tran.Commit();
return result;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
tran.Rollback();
throw (ex);
}
}
}
But this throws an exception while executing context.Query
ExecuteReader requires the command to have a transaction when the connection
assigned to the command is in a pending local transaction. The Transaction
property of the command has not been initialized.
And when I read this article: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/ef/ef6/saving/transactions
It says:
Entity Framework does not wrap queries in a transaction.
Is it the reason cause this issue?
How can I use context.Query() inside a transaction?
What else I can use?
I tried all other method, none of them work - because the return datatype cannot be predicted before hand.
I just realized that, the Query method is defined in MyDbContext!
public DataTable Query(string sqlQuery)
{
DbProviderFactory dbFactory = DbProviderFactories.GetFactory(Database.Connection);
using (var cmd = dbFactory.CreateCommand())
{
cmd.Connection = Database.Connection;
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text;
cmd.CommandText = sqlQuery;
using (DbDataAdapter adapter = dbFactory.CreateDataAdapter())
{
adapter.SelectCommand = cmd;
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
adapter.Fill(dt);
return dt;
}
}
}

May be you are missing this section -
you are free to execute database operations either directly on the
SqlConnection itself, or on the DbContext. All such operations are
executed within one transaction. You take responsibility for
committing or rolling back the transaction and for calling Dispose()
on it, as well as for closing and disposing the database connection
And then this codebase -
using (var conn = new SqlConnection("..."))
{
conn.Open();
using (var sqlTxn =
conn.BeginTransaction(System.Data.IsolationLevel.Snapshot))
{
try
{
var sqlCommand = new SqlCommand();
sqlCommand.Connection = conn;
sqlCommand.Transaction = sqlTxn;
sqlCommand.CommandText =
#"UPDATE Blogs SET Rating = 5" +
" WHERE Name LIKE '%Entity Framework%'";
sqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery();
using (var context =
new BloggingContext(conn, contextOwnsConnection: false))
{
context.Database.UseTransaction(sqlTxn);
var query = context.Posts.Where(p => p.Blog.Rating >= 5);
foreach (var post in query)
{
post.Title += "[Cool Blog]";
}
context.SaveChanges();
}
sqlTxn.Commit();
}
catch (Exception)
{
sqlTxn.Rollback();
}
}
}
Specially this one -
context.Database.UseTransaction(sqlTxn);

Sorry guys, as mentioned above, I thought the Query method is from EF, but I examined the code and found it is actually coded by another developer, defined in class MyDbContext. Since this class is generated by EF, and I never think somebody have added a method.
It is
public DataTable Query(string sqlQuery)
{
DbProviderFactory dbFactory = DbProviderFactories.GetFactory(Database.Connection);
using (var cmd = dbFactory.CreateCommand())
{
cmd.Connection = Database.Connection;
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.Text;
cmd.CommandText = sqlQuery;
//And I added this line, then problem solved.
if (Database.CurrentTransaction != null)
cmd.Transaction = Database.CurrentTransaction.UnderlyingTransaction;
using (DbDataAdapter adapter = dbFactory.CreateDataAdapter())
{
adapter.SelectCommand = cmd;
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
adapter.Fill(dt);
return dt;
}
}
}

SQL query result assertion

I have put together the following method:
public static ArrayList DbQueryToArry()
{
string SqlCString = "connString";
SqlConnection connection = null;
ArrayList valuesList = new ArrayList();
connection = new SqlConnection(SqlCString);
connection.Open();
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT", connection);
SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
{
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader[0]));
}
return valuesList;
}
I'd like to be able to run an assertion like this one:
var a = DbQueryToArry();
Assert.IsTrue(a.Contains("some value"));
Given reader [0]
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader[0]));
I only get the first column (CLIENTINFO) into the array and not the second (ACCOUNT_Purpose). How should I modify the code to get both ?
In addition, the returned values could be either a String or Int so would my current code version should be handling both ?
Thanks in advance.

If we switch from obsolete ArrayList to something like IEnumerable<T>:
public static IEnumerable<IDataRecord> DbQueryToArray(string sql) {
if (null == sql)
throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(sql));
//TODO: do not hardcode connetcion string but read it (say, from Settings)
string SqlCString = "connString";
//DONE: Wrap IDisposable into using
using (SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection(SqlCString)) {
connection.Open();
//DONE: Wrap IDisposable into using
using (SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(sql, connection)) {
//DONE: Wrap IDisposable into using
using (SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader()) {
while (reader.Read()) {
yield return reader as IDataRecord;
}
}
}
}
}
then you can use Linq in order to query the result:
var a = DbQueryToArray("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT");
Assert.IsTrue(a.Any(record =>
Convert.ToString(record["CLIENTNO"]) == "some value"));
Assert.IsTrue(a.Any(record =>
Convert.ToString(record["ACCOUNT_Purpose"]) == "some other value"));
If you don't want execute query several times, you can materialize the results:
var a = DbQueryToArray("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT")
.ToList();
Assert.IsTrue(a.Any(record => Convert.ToString(record[0]) == "some value"));
Assert.IsTrue(a.Any(record => Convert.ToString(record[1]) == "some other value"));
Finally (see comments below), if we want to test if any field in any record has the value:
var a = DbQueryToArray("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT")
.SelectMany(line => {
// Flatten the cursor into IEnumerable<String>
string[] result = new string[line.FieldCount];
for (int i = 0; i < result.Length; ++i)
result[i] = Convert.ToString(line[i]);
return result;
});
a.Any(item => item == "some value");

It is because you only read the first value of the reader. Reader.Read() read each row one by one and Convert.ToString(reader[0])) means that you want to read the first column as string.

That's cause you are getting only the first column. You can do something like below by specifying the column name
while (reader.Read())
{
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader["CLIENTNO"]));
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader["ACCOUNT_Purpose"]));
}
Moreover, since you are converting all the columns to string; I would suggest to use a strongly typed collection like List<string> rather then ArrayList valuesList = new ArrayList();

The other answers are good, However some concerns
Lets stop using ArrayList, and use a List<T> instead
Lets use a using statement where you can
Note : I have used a ValueTuple to return more than 1 field
Example
public static List<(string clientNo, string account)> DbQueryToArray()
{
const string SqlCString = "connString";
var valuesList = new List<(string clientNo, string account)>();
using (var connection = new SqlConnection(SqlCString))
{
connection.Open();
using (var command = new SqlCommand("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT", connection))
{
var reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
valuesList.Add(((string)reader[0],(string)reader[1]) );
}
}
return valuesList;
}
Usage
var results = DbQueryToArray();
Assert.IsTrue(results.Any(x => x.clientNo == someValue || x.account == someValue));

best practice is to check first if the reader has rows
reader.HasRows
then close the reader and the connection
your code should look like this:
public static ArrayList DbQueryToArry()
{
string SqlCString = "connString";
SqlConnection connection = null;
ArrayList valuesList = new ArrayList();
connection = new SqlConnection(SqlCString);
using (connection)
{
connection.Open();
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand("Select CLIENTNO, ACCOUNT_Purpose from audit.ACCOUNTS_AUDIT", connection);
SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
if (reader.HasRows)
{
while (reader.Read())
{
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader[0]));
valuesList.Add(Convert.ToString(reader[1])); // add to valuelist
}
}
reader.Close(); // close reader
} //dispose connection
return valuesList;
}

Use DataTable and SqlDataAdapter to get query result in form of table. Something like this:
string connString = #"your connection string here";
string query = "select * from table";
DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connString);
SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(query, conn);
conn.Open();
// create data adapter
SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd);
// this will query your database and return the result to your datatable
da.Fill(dataTable);
conn.Close();
da.Dispose();
Then you can use dataTable object to see if particular values exist.

How to use C# connect to mysql and get json data?

As mentioned above:
I'm using C# to connect to a MySQL database and I want to read JSON data type.
I use the method MySqlCommand.ExecuteReader:
using (MySqlConnection sconn = new MySqlConnection(sqlConnectString))
{
sconn.Open();
String sql_Command = #"SELECT `id` FROM orders.jsontest;";
using (MySqlCommand scmd = new MySqlCommand(sql_Command, sconn))
{
**MySqlDataReader sdr = scmd.ExecuteReader();** // fatal error
DataTable datatable = new DataTable();
// ...
}
}
Can it be that I cannot use ExecuteReader here?

I know this question is old, but just in case you do not yet have a solution to your problem or anyone else encounters a similar problem, the following code should work for you:
private IEnumerable<int> GetIds()
{
using (MySqlConnection connection = new MySqlConnection(connectionString))
{
connection.Open();
string commandText = #"SELECT id FROM jsontest"; // Assuming that `orders` is your database, then you do not need to specify it here.
using (MySqlCommand command = new MySqlCommand(commandText, connection))
{
MySqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
{
yield return reader.GetInt32(0);
}
}
}
}
Now what you should pay attention to is this line
while (reader.Read())
which fetches results from the jsontest table as long as the MySqlDataReader can still read valid results and this line
yield return reader.GetInt32(0);
which instructs the reader to get and return each record of the fetched table one at a time as an Int32 (int). You need to change this if your tables column type is not INT.
Since you selected just one column (i.e. "SELECT id"), the parameter is 0, because your fetched resul table consists of one column only.
Additionally, in your code you seem to want to get the results as a DataTable; if so, you should use MySqlDataAdapter instead of the MySqlDataReader as follows:
DataTable resultTable = new DataTable("ResultTable");
MySqlDataAdapter adapter = new MySqlDataAdapter(command);
adapter.Fill(table);

Correct your sql command
String sql_Command = #"SELECT id FROM orders.jsontest";

Return values from SQL Server to C# convert ToArray?

I am working on an assignment at the moment, trying to get values from a SQL Server database and storing them in an array. My connection is fine, but I am having trouble putting the returned values into an array.
Here is what I've got, have changed it a bit since I asked the question:
public int Bay;
int temp;
[DataContract]
public Garage()
{
List<Garage> Bays = new List<Garage>();
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection("Data Source=fastapps04.qut.edu.au;Initial Catalog=*******;User ID=******;Password=******");
connection.Open();
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand("SELECT Bay FROM Garage", connection);
SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
{
temp = reader.GetOrdinal("Bay");
Bays.Add(temp);
}
Bays.ToArray();
reader.Close();
connection.Close();
}
Getting the error at
Bays.Add(temp)

Each call to reader.Read() will advance the reader to the next row of your result set. You seem to have assumed that you can get all rows into your array from a single read.
If you change your code so that you just add temp to your array on each iteration of the while loop you should find that it works.
I'd type the code, but I'm on my phone. :)

Change the Bays to a List<int>, and return either a list or call .ToArray() on the list. Also, use Using statements with connections and commands.
List<int> Bays = new List<int>();
using(SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection("connString"))
{
connection.Open();
using (SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand("SELECT Bay FROM Garage",
connection))
{
using (SqlDataReader reader= command.ExecuteReader())
{
while (reader.Read())
{
Bays.Add(reader.GetInt32(reader.GetOrdinal("Bay")));
}
}
}
}
.....

Little modification need to be done in your code in order to get the desired result needed by you.
public Garage()
{
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection("Data Source=fastapps04.qut.edu.au;Initial Catalog=*******;User ID=******;Password=******");
connection.Open();
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand("SELECT Bay FROM Garage", connection);
SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
List<Garage> listBays =new List<Garage>();
while (reader.Read())
{
temp = reader.GetInt32(reader.GetOrdinal("Bay"));
listBays.Add(temp);
}
Garage[] Bays=listBays.ToArray();
reader.Close();
connection.Close();
}

SqlDataReader to read into List<string>

I am writing a method in C# to query a SQL Server Express database from a WCF service. I have to use ADO.NET to do this (then rewrite it with LINQ later on).
The method takes two strings (fname, lname) then returns a "Health Insurance NO" attribute from the matching record. I want to read this into a list (there are some other attribs to retrieve as well).
The current code returns an empty list. Where am I going wrong?
public List<string> GetPatientInfo(string fname, string lname)
{
string connString = "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=C:\\Users\\xxxx\\Documents\\Visual Studio 2010\\Projects\\ADOWebApp\\ADOWebApp\\App_Data\\ADODatabase.mdf;Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True";
SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connString);
string sqlquery = "SELECT Patient.* FROM Patient WHERE ([First Name] = '"+fname+"') AND ([Last Name] = '"+lname+"')";
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(sqlquery, conn);
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
List<string> result = new List<string>();
using (conn)
{
conn.Open();
using (SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader())
{
while (reader != null && reader.Read())
{
dt.Load(reader);
result.Add(Convert.ToString(reader["Health Insurance NO"]));
}
}
}
return result;
}

You are trying to load a DataTable via DataTable.Load >in a loop<. You just need that once. You're also using reader.Read() in the loop. SqlDataReader.Read() advances the reader to the next record without to consume it. If you're going to use DataTable.Load you don't need to read the reader first. So you just have to remove the loop completely to load the table.
But since you want to return a list you don't need the DataTable at all, just loop the reader:
List<string> result = new List<string>();
using (conn)
{
conn.Open();
using (SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader())
{
while(reader.Read())
{
result.Add(Convert.ToString(reader["Health Insurance NO"]));
}
}
}
Apart from that, you are open for sql-injection without sql-parameters.

I would do it this way:
conn.Open();
using (SqlDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader())
{
dt.Load(reader);
}
foreach (var row in dt.AsEnumerable())
{
result.Add(row["Health Insurance NO"].ToString());
}