The SAS xpt ADO.NET Data Provider enables user to easily connect to SAS xpt data from .NET applications. Rapidly create and deploy powerful .NET applications that integrate with SAS xpt (XPORT) files data.
SAS xpt
SAS xpt .NET Connectivity Features
- Connect to live SAS XPORT data, for real-time data access with the SAS XPORT ODBC Driver
- Full support for data aggregation and complex JOINs in SQL queries
- Generate table schema automatically based on existing SAS XPORT data or manually for greater control of the content you need
- Seamless integration with leading BI, reporting, and ETL tools and with custom applications via the SAS xpt Connector.
Target Service, API
The driver provides SQL access to SAS transport files (.xpt).
Schema, Data Model
Models XPT files as tables. FDA submission format support.
Key Objects
Variables and observations from transport files. Clinical trial data.
Operations
Read-only access to XPT data. No modifications. Metadata preserved.
Authentication
File system access. No authentication for file access.
See what you can do with SAS xpt ADO.NET provider
Use SAS xpt from SQL Server Analysis Service (SSAS) multi-dimensional cubes. Keep your analytical data modeling and access to any source including cloud and on-premises.
The SAS xpt ADO.NET Provider allows developers to build applications that connect to SAS xpt using familiar SQL and Entity Framework. Integrate SAS xpt to your mission -critical applications or create easy side-by-side applications.
You can connect from ADO.NET compliant low-code development tools:
You can connect SAS xpt from .NET-based reporting and analytics tools:
Standard ADO.NET Access to SASxpt
The SASxpt ADO.NET Provider offers the most natural way to access SAS xpt data from any .NET application. Simply use SASxpt Data Provider objects to connect and access data just as you would access any traditional database. You will be able to use the SASxpt Data Provider through Visual Studio Server Explorer, in code through familiar classes, and in data controls like DataGridView, GridView, DataSet, etc.
The CData ADO.NET Provider for SASxpt hides the complexity of accessing data and provides additional powerful security features, smart caching, batching, socket management, and more.
Working with DataAdapters, DataSets, DataTables, etc.
The SASxpt Data Provider has the same ADO.NET architecture as the native .NET data providers for SQL Server and OLEDB, including: SASxptConnection, SASxptCommand, SASxptDataAdapter, SASxptDataReader, SASxptDataSource, SASxptParameter, etc. Because of this you can now access SAS xpt data in an easy, familiar way.
For example:
using (SASxptConnection conn = new SASxptConnection("...")) {
string select = "SELECT * FROM SASxptData";
SASxptCommand cmd = new SASxptCommand(select, conn);
SASxptDataAdapter adapter = new SASxptDataAdapter(cmd);
using (adapter) {
DataTable table = new DataTable();
adapter.Fill(table);
...
}
}
ADO.NET Provider Performance
With traditional approaches to remote access, performance bottlenecks can spell disaster for applications. Regardless if an application is created for internal use, a commercial project, web, or mobile application, slow performance can rapidly lead to project failure. Accessing data from any remote source has the potential to create these problems. Common issues include:
- Network Connections - Slow network connections and latency issues are common in mobile applications.
- Service Delays - Delays due to service interruptions, resulting in server hardware or software updates.
- Large Data - Intentional or unintentional requests for large amounts of data.
- Disconnects - Complete loss of network connectivity.
The CData ADO.NET Provider for SASxpt solves these issues by supporting powerful smart caching technology that can greatly improve the performance and dramatically reduce application bottlenecks.
Smart Caching
Smart caching is a configurable option that works by storing queried data into a local database. Enabling smart caching creates a persistent local cache database that contains a replica of data retrieved from the remote source. The cache database is small, lightweight, blazing-fast, and it can be shared by multiple connections as persistent storage.
Caching with our ADO.NET Providers is highly configurable, including options for:
- Auto Cache - Maintain an automatic local cache of data on all requests. The provider will automatically load data into the cache database each time you execute a SELECT query. Each row returned by the query will be inserted or updated as necessary into the corresponding table in the cache database.
- Explicit Cache - Cache only on demand. Developers decide exactly what data gets stored in the cache and when it is updated. Explicit caching provides full control over the cache contents by using explicit execution of CACHE statements.
- No Cache - All requests access only live data and no local cache file is created.
This powerful caching functionality increases application performance and allows applications to disconnect and continue limited functioning without writing code for additional local storage and/or data serialization/deserialization.
More information about ADO.NET Provider caching and best caching practices is available in the included help files.
Visual Studio Integration & Server Explorer
Working with the new SASxpt ADO.NET Provider is easy. As a fully-managed .NET Data Provider, the SASxpt Data Provider integrates seamlessly with the Visual Studio development environment as well as any .NET application.
As an ADO.NET Data Provider, SASxpt ADO.NET Provider can be used to access and explore SAS XPORT data directly from the Visual Studio Server Explorer.
It's easy. As a standard ADO.NET adapter, developers can connect the Server Explorer to SASxpt ADO.NET Provider just like connecting to any standard database.
- Add a new Data Connection from the Server Explorer and select the SAS XPORT Data Source
- Configure the basic connection properties to access your SAS XPORT account data.
Explore all of the data available! SASxpt ADO.NET Provider makes it easy to access live SAS XPORT data from Visual Studio.
- After configuring the connection, explore the feeds, views, and services provided by the SAS XPORT Data Source.
- These constructs return live SAS XPORT data that developers can work with directly from within Visual Studio!
Developer Integration: Databind to SAS xpt
Connecting Web, Desktop, and Mobile .NET applications with SAS XPORT is just like working with SQL Server. It is even possible to integrate SASxpt ADO.NET Provider into applications without writing code.
Developers are free to access the SASxpt ADO.NET Provider in whatever way they like best. Either visually through the Visual Studio Winforms or Webforms designers, or directly through code.
- Developers can connect the SAS XPORT Data Source directly to form components by configuring the object's smart
tags.
- Add a new Data Connection from the Server Explorer and select the SAS XPORT Data Source. Then, select the
feed, view, or services you would like to connect the object to.
Done! It's just like connecting to SQL Server.
- Once the object is bound to the data source, applications can easily interact with SAS XPORT data with full
read/write (CRUD) support.
Popular ADO Videos:
