Channel 9 Forums - Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/Dev/App_Themes/C9/images/feedimage.png Channel 9 Forums - Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums Channel 9 keeps you up to date with the latest news and behind the scenes info from Microsoft that developers love to keep up with. From LINQ to SilverLight – Watch videos and hear about all the cool technologies coming and the people behind them. http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums en Mon, 20 May 2013 00:35:33 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 00:35:33 GMT Rev9 18 -18 -1 Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? If I have a single piece of information that can change, but where only one will ever be needed, where do I store it? Do I create a database table that will only hold one row? Is there a better way?

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/261873#261873 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:27:42 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/261873#261873 Sven Groot 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? umm,... configuration file? App.config or Web.config can do the job, I think. Or, you can use plain file and have it watched by using FileSystemWatcher. Or,... registry?

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/fbdef995da704522abfc9dfa00c27e9b#fbdef995da704522abfc9dfa00c27e9b Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:37:55 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/fbdef995da704522abfc9dfa00c27e9b#fbdef995da704522abfc9dfa00c27e9b punkouter 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/punkouter/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Like punkouter said, a configuration file is a good option. If you want to store it in your database, you can also do that. I developed a basic layout for our database system that contains some default tables, views, stored procedures and functions that we apply to each of our databases. Before designing a new database, we first run a SQL script that creates these objects. One of the default tables is _ExtendedProperties, which is used to store single pieces of information. It has 2 fields: Key (NVARCHAR(MAX)) and Value (NVARCHAR(MAX)) and it's basically a dictionary. Of course it only contains string values, but that's usually OK. It is not used very often, but it is handy for cases like yours, where you want to store loose values.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/31b05f62a32643e7b2fa9dfa00c27f2f#31b05f62a32643e7b2fa9dfa00c27f2f Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:35:49 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/31b05f62a32643e7b2fa9dfa00c27f2f#31b05f62a32643e7b2fa9dfa00c27f2f Tommy Carlier 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/TommyCarlier/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Just to be a little more specific, it's just some text displayed on a single page of a website that the site owners will be able to change via the admin interface (it's actually two pieces of text: the version as the user input it and the html formatted version).

That rules out web.config because I don't want to change that from code (has some nasty side-effects like resetting the application). I could use a flat file though. Such an ExtendedProperties table might be an idea, but the only thing it'd hold for the foreseeable future would be that piece of text.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/dea39bddfc2542db87269dfa00c27fa9#dea39bddfc2542db87269dfa00c27fa9 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:11:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/dea39bddfc2542db87269dfa00c27fa9#dea39bddfc2542db87269dfa00c27fa9 Sven Groot 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Why not create an object of this textual data, and serialize/deserialize it to an xml file? You could be messy and save it in 'viewstate' or a 'session' object, I'd stick with .xml, it's the .NET way.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/93267ce4a79b453f93569dfa00c2803f#93267ce4a79b453f93569dfa00c2803f Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:27:15 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/93267ce4a79b453f93569dfa00c2803f#93267ce4a79b453f93569dfa00c2803f Vesuvius 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/vesuvius/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Even if it holds just 1 record, it's not a waste. Most of our databases usually have only 1 record in _ExtendedProperties. The main advantage (for us) is uniformity. We have this basic database layout, we have a .NET library for data access, which has a Database-class, which has methods like GetExtendedProperty and SetExtendedProperty that makes it really easy to store and retrieve single pieces of data from .NET code.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/45434759315d4d61b7329dfa00c280b9#45434759315d4d61b7329dfa00c280b9 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:28:41 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/45434759315d4d61b7329dfa00c280b9#45434759315d4d61b7329dfa00c280b9 Tommy Carlier 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/TommyCarlier/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Another consideration I'd say is to think about 'data packaging' splitting data up can be a nightmare for keeping applications portable and scalable.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/31e3c33d2c8644be8c339dfa00c2812f#31e3c33d2c8644be8c339dfa00c2812f Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:46:06 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/31e3c33d2c8644be8c339dfa00c2812f#31e3c33d2c8644be8c339dfa00c2812f stevo_ 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/stevo_/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? My approach would be to stick only the original version as the user entered it in a flat file, and stick the HTML-encodified version in the Application object.

Also, of course, in the Application_OnLoad event, I would read the file, HTML-encode it, and stick the result in the Application object.

On the other hand, if I had any suspicion that I would get a call that "I accidentally changed the text and I want to put it back to what it was", I would use a wiki-style data record (so that changes were kept in perpetuity.)

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/54cc986d85874690941c9dfa00c2816c#54cc986d85874690941c9dfa00c2816c Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:07:10 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/54cc986d85874690941c9dfa00c2816c#54cc986d85874690941c9dfa00c2816c Matthew van Eerde 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Matthew van Eerde/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information?
Sven Groot wrote:
Just to be a little more specific, it's just some text displayed on a single page of a website that the site owners will be able to change via the admin interface (it's actually two pieces of text: the version as the user input it and the html formatted version).

That rules out web.config because I don't want to change that from code (has some nasty side-effects like resetting the application). I could use a flat file though. Such an ExtendedProperties table might be an idea, but the only thing it'd hold for the foreseeable future would be that piece of text.


database is the way to go sven.

you can use the ProfileProvider you can use the SetPropertyValues to insert any kind of properties you want the user to have. the data then will get serialized into a field in the profile table in the database and you dont even have to create a table for the text. you can even extend the profile provider to match your needs.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/67d76f7f4ed14b4db9b49dfa00c28203#67d76f7f4ed14b4db9b49dfa00c28203 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:20:41 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/67d76f7f4ed14b4db9b49dfa00c28203#67d76f7f4ed14b4db9b49dfa00c28203 punkouter 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/punkouter/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? This is the problem with programming. So may different ways to do the same thing (how many ways to skin a cat?). Most of them are right, some are ineloquent.

We are all vying for our technique but most of the suggestions are right.
Just do what feels right (Oh I meant the application object [Matt], been a year since I did any ASP.NET).

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/74eca56bdcee4e75b9169dfa00c28280#74eca56bdcee4e75b9169dfa00c28280 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:39:15 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/74eca56bdcee4e75b9169dfa00c28280#74eca56bdcee4e75b9169dfa00c28280 Vesuvius 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/vesuvius/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information?
punkouter wrote:

Sven Groot wrote:
Just to be a little more specific, it's just some text displayed on a single page of a website that the site owners will be able to change via the admin interface (it's actually two pieces of text: the version as the user input it and the html formatted version).

That rules out web.config because I don't want to change that from code (has some nasty side-effects like resetting the application). I could use a flat file though. Such an ExtendedProperties table might be an idea, but the only thing it'd hold for the foreseeable future would be that piece of text.


database is the way to go sven.

you can use the ProfileProvider you can use the SetPropertyValues to insert any kind of properties you want the user to have. the data then will get serialized into a field in the profile table in the database and you dont even have to create a table for the text. you can even extend the profile provider to match your needs.

There are no profiles or users or whatever, so that'd be complete overkill as I'd need to set up the whole ASP.NET profile stuff in the database just to get that working.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/b16664cd785d4c47a6549dfa00c2830b#b16664cd785d4c47a6549dfa00c2830b Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:43:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/b16664cd785d4c47a6549dfa00c2830b#b16664cd785d4c47a6549dfa00c2830b Sven Groot 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Linq to XML in the App_Data folder.
You will hardly believe how fast it is. Smiley

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/3c965dd703274bce9bf29dfa00c28385#3c965dd703274bce9bf29dfa00c28385 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:03:11 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/3c965dd703274bce9bf29dfa00c28385#3c965dd703274bce9bf29dfa00c28385 Mark Wisecarver 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/wisemx/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information?
wisemx wrote:
Linq to XML in the App_Data folder.
You will hardly believe how fast it is. Smiley

Unfortunately I don't have .Net 3.5 on that server. Sad

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/fa55db94668e4d1c92959dfa00c283ca#fa55db94668e4d1c92959dfa00c283ca Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:03:02 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/fa55db94668e4d1c92959dfa00c283ca#fa55db94668e4d1c92959dfa00c283ca Sven Groot 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? If it's just some text, the simplest solution would probably be to use a simple text-file. Putting it in App_Data is probably a good idea. And File.ReadAllText(path) and File.WriteAllText(path, text) make it very easy to read and write the text.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/cae2d399f70d4a7caa2e9dfa00c28467#cae2d399f70d4a7caa2e9dfa00c28467 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:41:18 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/cae2d399f70d4a7caa2e9dfa00c28467#cae2d399f70d4a7caa2e9dfa00c28467 Tommy Carlier 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/TommyCarlier/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? I'm exploring this scenario:

web.config

<configuration>
    <appSettings file="external.config">
       <add key="[required key]" value="[value]" />
    </appSettings>
</configuration>


external.config

<appSettings>
    <add key="[changeable key]" value="[changeable value] />
</appSettings>


Then have a function where the user can OVERWRITE external.config. Probably won't work for all setups, but it won't require a DB.

But if I had a DB, I'd go w/ that.

Also, I'm seeing that changing external.config doesn't trigger an app restart if you were to change web.config.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/b5f1d0cdc1864fd58a899dfa00c284f9#b5f1d0cdc1864fd58a899dfa00c284f9 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:49:25 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/b5f1d0cdc1864fd58a899dfa00c284f9#b5f1d0cdc1864fd58a899dfa00c284f9 Minh 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Minh/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Wow, I just recently ran into that question. I was trying to have a little announcement appear on the main page of a site, letting the admins control what the text would be. I didn't want to create an entire table just to store that info, nor did I want to bother with text.

In the end, I just used an Application object. But if that's not good for some reason, I too would like some advice on better methods.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/5d80c847eb524146a3ee9dfa00c28536#5d80c847eb524146a3ee9dfa00c28536 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:27:58 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/5d80c847eb524146a3ee9dfa00c28536#5d80c847eb524146a3ee9dfa00c28536 mVPstar 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/mVPstar/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? Disclaimer: didn't read the whole thread but want to answer to Sven's original question.

I usally store this stuff into the database (single row) if it is the same for ALL users who use the system - independent on which PC they sign in. Otherwise it's going directly to the config file.

For ASP.NET I usually use the config file too because it's also the same for all the visitors.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/34447cdaf13a4581a52c9dfa00c285ba#34447cdaf13a4581a52c9dfa00c285ba Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:25:05 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/34447cdaf13a4581a52c9dfa00c285ba#34447cdaf13a4581a52c9dfa00c285ba Christian Liensberger 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/littleguru/Discussions/RSS Tech Off - Where do you store single pieces of information? In the past I've had to do some things like this for small client sites. I wanted to give them the ability to change "the front page paragraph", "the about us column", and "our slogans on different pages."

Of course I wouldn't learn of this until things were pretty much finished being developed, so I went with a simple two-column table:

location
text

Examples:

frontPageParagraph | Hello World
aboutUsColumn | Hello World Again
totalMembers | 2878
websiteCreatedDate | 2008-01-01

That way I could simply "SELECT text FROM oneLiners WHERE location = 'frontPageParagraph'".

Again, probably not very elegant, but it worked. Like a previous niner said too, any solution of this type won't give you history, so you could simply toss in an isActive field of type bool, and rather than updating the text field, just insert a new record and give it the exclusive isActive value of True.

Then it's merely "SELECT text FROM oneLiners WHERE (location = 'frontPageParagraph') AND (isActive = true)"

Take it with a grain of salt Smiley

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/87db9c0bbf3a49ab97069dfa00c2864c#87db9c0bbf3a49ab97069dfa00c2864c Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:29:59 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/261873-Where-do-you-store-single-pieces-of-information/87db9c0bbf3a49ab97069dfa00c2864c#87db9c0bbf3a49ab97069dfa00c2864c jsampsonPC 18 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/jsampsonPC/Discussions/RSS