ListBox With Data From Many Tables



This article shows transferring of data from one type of Data Source to another type of Data Source.

Aim: To add ListBox items with values from multiple tables or views.

Problem:

During my Academic Project (The Event Management System) there is a situation where I needed to display the Supplier's Names from multiple Tables (such as Caterer, Manpower, and Advertisement etc.). Right now I have completed my Academic year, but after extensive efforts and guidance from many people I succeed to achieve the intended goal in a simple manner.

Some weeks ago I placed this question in the Mind Cracker Network. Here I tried to present the sample for the same portion of the code.

This article contains the simplest way to do it.

Solution:

Requirements:

  • One ListBox Control to display data.
  • One Command Button to Perform associated actions
  • Here I take Northwind Database as Sample Database

Justification:
  1. First we have to make some declarations as follows.

    SqlConnection Conn =new SqlConnection("Data Source=.\\SqlExpress; "
                                                  + "Initial Catalog=Northwind; Integrated security=True");
              SqlDataReader rdr;
              SqlCommand cmd;

                //The target is very simple, we just have to
                //execute simple SELECT statements with Data Reader using Command Object

  2. After the declarations, execute the SELECT statement; then add each item from the Data Reader to the ListBox. To identify data from each table you can add a TABLE name as ListBox item at the beginning of the data being displayed.

    private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                Conn.Open();
     
                //Supplier
                listBox1.Items.Add("-----Suppliers----");
                cmd = new SqlCommand("Select TOP(5) ContactName As PersonName from Suppliers", Conn);
                rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader();

                while (rdr.Read())
                {
                         listBox1.Items.Add(rdr.GetValue(0).ToString());
                }
                rdr.Close();

                //Customers
                listBox1.Items.Add("-----Customers----");
                cmd = new SqlCommand("Select TOP(5) ContactName As PersonName from Customers", Conn);
                rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader();
     
                while (rdr.Read())
                {
                        listBox1.Items.Add(rdr.GetValue(0).ToString());
                }
                rdr.Close();
     
                            .
                            .          
                            .
                            .
                                        .          
            }
     

  3. Figure 1 shows the intended result:

    ListBox.gif

    Figure 1

Summary:

In this article, we have seen the ListBox operation with multiple data sources in C# Programming.
 

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