Column description in database

Question

Can anyone tell me how I can get column description in Access and SQL Server 2000 databeses with ado.net in vb.net. For Access database I'll try with GetOleDbSchemaTable() but with no good results. JPC

mr_bart_simpson · Answer

I tried the same but did not find any possiblity directly with ado.net. But for SQL Server 2000 I found the following SQL Statement: SELECT * FROM ::fn_listextendedproperty (NULL, 'user', 'dbo', 'table', '[TABLENAME]', 'column', default) where name = 'MS_Description' For further details just have a look in the online-help for the function. Bart Simpson

tsuman_in · Answer

Have you tried using a dataset and getting extended properties after the OleDbAdapter has left it's entrails? There's usually a lot of garbage that gets pumped into a dataset. No need to fear, MS says that the dataset gets faster with every hit. has something to do with caching the schema. Yeah right, caching...just like them to cache the dataset schema and not give us cachedependencies on anything other than a file...

tsuman_in · Answer

I would try looking at the DataColumn. System.Data.DataColumn.ExtendedProperties should get you any additional data if you're using a dataset. I don't see any properties on a datareader for descriptions.

r_chakra · Answer

There is an article on this , in the homepage of http://www.dotnetjunkies.com . However, it works well for SQL serevr, but not well for Oracle.

Column description in database

Answers (4)