XML Web Services Sample3

XML Web Services

Sample Service 3

In this section we will build a more interesting Web service that returns a ADO .NET DataSet, containing the full set of records from a table. We will create our own database table and access the data from the table with this Web service. To Start, open Microsoft Access and create a new Database named Currency. Create a new table Table1 and add three columns named, Country Code, Country Name and Currency. Enter some values in the table and close it. Open Visual Studio .NET and select ASP .NET Web service from the projects type template. Drag a OleDb connection from the Data tab in the toolbox and using the properties window build a connection string that connects to the Currency database which we created. Switch to the code view and start writing the following code.

Imports System
Imports System.Web.Services
Imports System.Data.OleDb
'import this namespace as we are working with an OleDb source

<WebService(Namespace := "http://tempuri.org/")> _

Public Class Service1 Inherits System.Web.Services.WebService

#Region " Web Services Designer Generated Code "

#End Region

<WebMethod()> Public Function GetData() As DataSet
'WebMethod name is GetData,generate data set
Dim da as OleDbDataAdapter=new OleDbDataAdapter("Select * From Table1",_
OleDbConnection1)
'dataadapter
Dim ds As DataSet=new DataSet()
'declaring a new DataSet
da.Fill(ds, "Table1")
'filling dataadapter
Return ds
'returning dataset
End Function
End Class

Consuming the Service

Once you finish with coding the Web service we need to consume this service. To do that, open a new Windows Application and from the toolbox drag a DataGrid and a Button. Our intention here is to load the data from Table1 in the Currency database into the DataGrid when we click the Button. Now, add a Web reference to the Web service by selecting Reference->Add WebReference in the Solution Explorer Window. Enter the URL of the service in the address bar and click "Add Reference". That adds a reference to the Web Service. Now double-click on the Button and write the following code.

Public Class Form1 Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

#Region " Windows Form Designer generated code "

#End Region

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e_
As System.EventArgs)Handles Button1.Click
Dim myService As New localhost.Service1()
'an instance of the Web service
Dim ds1 As DataSet = myService.GetData
DataGrid1.DataSource = ds1.Tables("Table1")
'filling the datagrid with table
End Sub
End Class

Once you finish with the code, run the Windows Application and click on the Button. The data you entered in Table1 of the Currency database will be displayed in the datagrid. The difference, we are accessing the data with a Web service. The image below displays that.