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MySQL values as Dynamic Inputs using C#

I am trying to create a set of dynamic inputs for fields such as "username" and "password" for a c# application I am writing. Basically, I want to be able and store my username, password, and any other variable I might need to a MySQL database, and have the program call the variables out of that database, rather than hard code them into the program (like they are now). I am finding a lot of information using Connector/Net to modify things on the MySQL end from the C# code, but nothing that really seems like it will apply to what I am trying to do. Anyone have any links or tutorials that might be useful for this sort of thing?

kaufmed

Is your question how to connect with MySQL from .NET, or how to structure the tables to hold your dynamic values (and subsequently retrieve such values).

gbtpgh

ASKER

Its how to retrieve and use the values in my code.

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kaufmed

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gbtpgh

ASKER

Ok, so, if I have it correct I would substitute "username" and "password" for the values "key" and "value" in that example right? And if that is the case, how would I then be able to integrate them into my later code where I need them, such as in a line like:

private string username = "";
private string password = "";

Also, I did a console.writeline just to verify the information I was getting in keyValues, and I'm assuming something was off here, because what I got was:
System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Collections.Generic.KeyValuePair`2[System.String,System.String]]

kaufmed

If I understand the setup you are going for, then no. I got the impression that you were wanting to store key/value pairs in your database, in one table.

e.g.

Key          Value
============ =================
username     jdoe
password     my_secret_phrase
server_name  localhost
start_time   08:00

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Then to set username and password in code you would do something like (assuming my previous suggestion is implemented):

// keyValues now contains settings from DB
KeyValuePair<string, string> userpair = keyValues.Find(kv => kv.Key == "username");
string username = userpair.Value;
KeyValuePair<string, string> passpair = keyValues.Find(kv => kv.Key == "password");
string password = passpair.Value;

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I used lambda syntax (kv => ...) as a shortcut for the Find method. You could easily loop over the list of items and compare keys until you found the username pair.

What we're doing above is looking through each key/value pair that was stored in the table (what I showed at the beginning of this post). My previous post dealt with pulling in these key/value pairs into the .NET side of things. Now, you have each pair in a list, and you can search that list to find the pair you are interested in (username and password in the example above).

As far as you printing of the values, you saw what you did because by default a Console.WriteLine will print an object using the default ToString implementation for a class, which will print its fully-qualified type name (e.g. the "System.Collections.Generic.List..." stuff you saw output). You need to print out the Value member of each key/value pair that you want to view.

e.g.

KeyValuePair<string, string> passpair = keyValues.Find(kv => kv.Key == "password");

Console.WriteLine(passpair.Value);

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gbtpgh

ASKER

Thanks much man! That was exactly what I needed. Worked perfectly!