Question

A database exists with two tables

• Data_t : DataID Primary Key that is
  Identity 1,1. Also has another field
  ‘LEFT’ TINYINT
• Data_Link_t : DataID PK and FK where
  DataID MUST exist in Data_t. Also has another field ‘RIGHT’ SMALLINT

Coming from a microsoft access environment into C# and sql server I’m looking for a good method of importing a record into this relationship.

The record contains information that belongs on both sides of this join (Possibly inserting/updating upwards 5000 records at once). Bonus to process the entire batch in some kind of LINQ list type command but even if this is done record by record the key goal is that BOTH sides of this record should be processed in the same step.

There are countless approaches and I’m looking at too many to determine which way I should go so I thought faster to ask the general public. Is LINQ an option for inserting/updating a big list like this with LINQ to SQL? Should I go record by record? What approach should I use to add a record to normalized tables that when joined create the full record?

Answer 1

Sounds like a case where I’d write a small stored proc and call that from C# – e.g. as a function on my Linq-to-SQL data context object.

Something like:

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.InsertData(@Left TINYINT, @Right SMALLINT)
AS BEGIN
   DECLARE @DataID INT

   INSERT INTO dbo.Data_t(Left) VALUES(@Left)

   SELECT @DataID = SCOPE_IDENTITY();

   INSERT INTO dbo.Data_Link_T(DataID, Right) VALUES(@DataID, @Right)
END

If you import that into your data context, you could call this something like:

using(YourDataContext ctx = new YourDataContext)
{
   foreach(YourObjectType obj in YourListOfObjects)
   {
      ctx.InsertData(obj.Left, obj.Right)
   }
}

and let the stored proc handle all the rest (all the details, like determining and using the IDENTITY from the first table in the second one) for you.