Is it possible for EsDataSource to:

• Set TotalRowCount automatically?
• Provide a default sort expression when none is provided if (when AutoSorting="true")?
• Handle paging and sorting automatically based on the control that it is connected to?  E.g. if the control was set for Paging then it would esDataSource would automatically do paging, etc...

FYI, I provided a sample Telerik Grid that handles Paging, Sorting and Exporting Here.  Any feedback on ways to improve it would be appreciated.

Also, if anyone else has suggestions, please feel free to chime in ...

Support for Circular references would be great!  e.g. User - organization relationships.  Maybe this being addressed for hierarchical...

I have linked to this thread from our tracking system. I can't promise anything, but we will certainly consider them as we head into the home stretch for ES 2007.

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David Neal Parsons
www.entityspaces.net

Stupid2Rules:

Is it possible for EsDataSource to:

• Set TotalRowCount automatically?

This would be great. I hate having to build and issue a query twice (once to calculate the total number of rows and once to retrieve the data). It's a pain for all but the simplest of queries.

In my current project, I have to build fairly complex search queries to filter the results. Having to build and issue the SQL twice seems excessive.

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Leigh

ES Team - really sorry to see that it looks this didn't get into the release.

In particular, I'm thinking TotalRowCount is required for automatic functions and filtering to function properly.  Setting it manually once in the Page_Load means that it's incorrect once you add/delete.  BTW, I tried updating it in the esPostSelect - but to update the grid you have to rebind and rebind causes a re-select and you've got an infinite loop - until the application restarts:-).  Is there another way???

FYI - here's a post that shows an implimentation for IReportTotalRowCount (Paging & Sorting): http://forums.lhotka.net/forums/17220/ShowThread.aspx.  It's a different context but maybe it'll help perfect the esDataSource.

Further to the link in the prior post, it also notes that it's possible to recognize when paging is not being requested by looking at SelectObjectArgs.  And if I'm reading it correctly, a bit further down shows an example to deal with the 3 states (ASC, DESC, nothing) that Telerik uses (vs MS GridView) that I mentioned in an earlier post that was also ignored.  Below that it is a check for NULL sort expression.

This is some great information, we are definitely going to look at this, if we can make it even easier to use then we will. I think you might be onto something here, perhaps we can set the row count and detect paging and or sorting automatically.  Wow, that would make for an incredibly simple but sophisticated web page. Thanx for the input.

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Mike,

Have you given any more thought to automatically obtaining/setting the row count? Is this something we might see soon?

I'm using the esDataSource quite a lot in my current project, and having to set this manually is a pain (as I have some fairly complex queries that have to be issued twice).

Thanks
 

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Leigh

Yes, we are going to add this but the first release of ES2008 is a ways off, we're thinking the March or April time line.

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Thanks Mike - this will be Awesome!

 A couple of thoughts on setting TotalRowCount:

1. In order to set TotalRowCount autmatically, I suspect ES will need to:
1. FIRST strip any select statements out of the query
2. THEN add the <EntityQuery>.Select(<EntityQuery>.PrimaryKey.Count().As("TotalRowCount")); statement. 
   
   The reason is that if the query includes a join with another table and any of the columns from the other table are selected, you'll end up with a run-time error when you add the add the Select...Count statement.
   
2. The way I've worked around this for now is (see an example here):
1. I have a method which builds the query except for the Select statements
2. In the RadGrid1_DataBinding event handler, call the Build Query method, add the Select...().As("TotalRowCount")), Load() and set EsDataSource1.TotalRowCount = (int)<EntityQuery>.GetColumn("TotalRowCount");  This is the only place I set TotalRowCount (it's no longer in Page_Load).
3. In the EsDataSource1_esSelect event handler, call the Build Query method, add in the selects for whatever columns I need in the collection, and then assign the query to the (esDataSourceSelectEventArgs) e.Query.

BTW, the reason I asked for SelectCountMethod to be added in this post is as a backup in case you're not able to add support for setting TotalRowCount automatically.

Hi Mike,

I just wanted to check back to see:

1. Will "automatically setting the row count" will make it into the "first release of ES2008"?
2. If not, how about "SelectCountMethod"?
3. Did the post above (7701) made any sense?

Thanks,

Jeff.

Yes, we are addressing this. Scott is tackling this one, it will be in the ES2008 beta.

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Great, thanks.