443.  Oracle Applications Using ADO.NET and C#

Rev 2.0

 

Oracle is a robust and powerful data storage engine that provides services on all levels of an application infrastructure – combining programmer-definable objects and tools, data manipulation tools that are capable of retrieving data from a host of data sources and storing those data in a database, and the capability to automate tasks and run them under developer control. 

 

This comprehensive course is designed to provide programmers an introduction to database programming using Oracle as the database and Microsoft .NET as the programming environment. It will work with either Oracle 9i or 10g, including the free Oracle 10g Express Edition. The course is current to .NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005. It consists of two three-day courses that are also available separately. When combined, they can be run in a five-day timeframe.

 

In the first module (Course 173), programmers will be exposed to database layout and design and actual database programming with the PL/SQL language to create database objects. They will be introduced to various database objects such as SQL Stored Procedures, Functions, Views, Triggers, and much more.

 

In the second module (Course 413C2), the course shifts from database programming techniques to application programming techniques communicating with databases using the.NET framework.  Programmers will be introduced to ADO.NET, an application-programming interface that allows developers the ability to communicate with many different data sources. Using the various ADO.NET objects, such as Data Readers, Data Adapters, and Data Sets, programmers will learn how to communicate between a database and their applications written in C#. The integration of ADO.NET with XML is discussed and data binding is covered. The course concludes with coverage of data access layers, and students will implement a three-tier application as the culmination of their case-study work in Part 2 of the course.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

·         Gain an understanding of conceptual database design techniques

·         Acquire a working knowledge of database objects and how to implement them using Oracle 9i or 10g.

·         Understand the architecture and main classes of ADO.NET

·         Gain fluency in programming ADO.NET using C#

·         Gain a thorough understanding of the use of disconnected DataSets for building highly scalable applications

·         Acquire a working knowledge of the tight coupling of XML with ADO.NET

·         Implement both Windows Forms and ASP.NET Web Forms front-ends to database applications.

 

Course Duration:  5 days.

 

Prerequisites:  The student should have been exposed to developing applications and have a working knowledge of.NET Framework fundamentals, including building simple Windows Forms and Web Forms applications.  The student should also have been exposed to relational databases of some sort.

 

Module 1: Oracle Fundamentals

 

1.      Introduction to Oracle

What is Oracle?

What is the Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM)?

Database objects and a high overview of their function

How data are stored in an Oracle9i database

 

2.      Relational Database Basics and Design

Conceptual Design Phase

OLAP vs. OLTP databases

Relational Databases

Normalization

Case Study: Deriving a relational database design from a scenario

 

3.      Programming SQL Statements

The Oracle SQL and PL/SQL Languages

Permissions and Database Roles

DDL Statements

DCL Statements

DML Statements

Join Statements

Aggregate Functions and Group By Clause

Case Study:  Retrieving information from a database

 

4.      Implementing Oracle Objects

Database

Tables

Constraints

Stored Procedures

Functions

Views

Triggers

Case Study:  Implementing Oracle Objects

 

5.      Indexes and Storage Types

Table Storage Types:  Heap; Index-Organized; Clustered; Partitioned)

Index Storage Types: B-Tree; Functional; IOT; Bitmap; Partitioned)

Case Study - Implementing Indexes on Tables

 

6.      Transactions and Locks within Oracle 9i

Transaction Blocks

Implicit Transactions

Case Study:  Implementing Transactions

Locks

Case Study - Examining Locking Issues

 

7.      Oracle PL/SQL and User-Defined Objects

PL/SQL Constructs:  Anonymous Blocks; Procedures; Functions; Packages

PL/SQL Objects

Creating and Using Cursors

 

8.      Oracle and XML Integration

XML and Oracle

Retrieving XML Documents

Writing XML

 

Appendix A. Acme Computer Case Study

 

Appendix B. Learning Resources

 

Module 2: ADO.NET Using Oracle and C#

           

1.      Database Application Basics

Data Modeling

Performance Considerations

Conceptual Design and the Data Layer

APIs

 

2.      ADO.NET Fundamentals

ADO.NET Overview

.NET Data Providers

Connections

Error Handling

DataReaders

IDataReader

IDataRecord

Type-Safe Accessors

Null Columns

 

3.      ADO.NET Commands

IDbCommand

Command Objects

Creating Commands

Executing Commands

Parameterized Queries

Command Types

Using Stored Procedures

Using Oracle REF CURSOR

 

4.      Data Sets and Disconnected Access

DataSet

DataAdapter

Command Objects

DataTable

DataColumn

DataRow

Row States and Versions

Accept or Reject Changes

DataTable Events

Updating a Database from a DataSet

Command Builders

Filtering DataTables

 

5.      XML and ADO.NET

Strong Coupling Between ADO.NET and XML

Rendering XML from a DataSet

Controlling XML Output

Reading XML into a DataSet

XML Schema and DataSets

Typed DataSets

Synchronizing DataSets and XML

XML Serialization

 

6.      Data Binding

DataView

Data Binding in Windows Forms

Simple Data Binding

DataGrid Binding

Master Detail Binding

Data Binding in Web Forms

 

7.      Creating and Using a Data Access Layer

Three-Tier Applications

Creating a Data Access Layer

Implementing the Business Logic

Creating the User Interface

 

Appendix A. Acme Computer Case Study

 

Appendix B. Learning Resources

System Requirements

 

Course exercises require Visual Studio 2005, the Oracle Data Provider for .NET (ODP.NET), and Oracle 9i or 10g (Express Edition is OK).  See the appropriate course Setup Guide for details.

 

A good minimal hardware profile for this course would have a Pentium 1 GHz or equivalent CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and at least 5 GB of free disk space for operating system, tools installation, and courseware.