Connect to Act CRM Data from Blazor Apps

Blazor is a framework for developing modern, client-side web UIs using .NET technology. Instead of coding in JavaScript, developers can use the familiar C# language and .NET libraries to build app UIs.

The CData ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM can be used with standard ADO.NET interfaces, such as LINQ and Entity Framework, to interact with live Act CRM data. Since Blazor supports .NET Core, developers can use CData ADO.NET Providers in Blazor apps. In this article, we will guide you to build a simple Blazor app that talks to Act CRM using standard SQL queries.

Install the CData ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM

CData ADO.NET Providers allow users to access Act CRM just like they would access SQL Server, using simple SQL queries.

Install the Act CRM ADO.NET Data Provider from the CData website or from NuGet. Search NuGet for "Act CRM ADO.NET Data Provider."

Create a Act CRM-Connected Blazor App

Start by creating a Blazor project that references the CData ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM

1. Create a Blazor project on Visual Studio.

2. From the Solution Explorer, right click Dependencies, then click Add Project Reference.
3. In the Reference Manager, click the Browse button, and choose the .dll file of the installed ADO.NET Provider (e.g. System.Data.CData.ActCRM.dll, typically located at C:\Program Files\CData\CData ADO.NET Provider for Act CRM\lib etstandard2.0).

SELECT Act CRM Data from the Blazor App

1. Open the Index.razor file from the Project page.
2. In a ActCRMConnection object, set the connection string:

   The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Act! user credentials. In addition to the authentication values, see the following:

   • Connecting to Act! Premium

     In addition to the authentication values, the URL to Act! is also required; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/.

     Additionally, you must specify the ActDatabase you will connect to. This is found by going to the About Act! Premium menu of your account, at the top right of the page, in the ? menu. Use the Database Name in the window that appears.

   • Connecting to Act! Premium Cloud

     To connect to your Act! Premium Cloud account, you also need to specify the ActCloudName property. This property is found in the URL address of the Cloud account; for example https://eup1-iis-04.eu.hosted.act.com/ActCloudName/.

   Note that retrieving ActCRM metadata can be expensive. It is advised that you set the CacheMetadata property to store the metadata locally.

   For example: URL=https://myActCRMserver.com;User=myUser;Password=myPassword;ActDatabase=MyDB;

3. The code below creates a simple Blazor app for displaying Act CRM data, using standard SQL to query Act CRM just like SQL Server.

         @page "/"
         @using System.Data;
         @using System.Data.CData.ActCRM;
         
         <h1>Hello, world!</h1>
         
         Welcome to your Data app.
         
         <div class="row">
             <div class="col-12">
         
                 @using (ActCRMConnection connection = new ActCRMConnection(
                   "URL=https://myActCRMserver.com;User=myUser;Password=myPassword;ActDatabase=MyDB;"))
                 {
                     var sql = "SELECT ActivityDisplayName, Subject FROM Activities";
                     var results = new DataTable();
         
                     ActCRMDataAdapter dataAdapter = new ActCRMDataAdapter(sql, connection);
                     dataAdapter.Fill(results);
         
                     <table class="table table-bordered">
                         <thead class="thead-light">
                             <tr>
                                 @foreach (DataColumn item in results.Rows[0].Table.Columns)
                                 {
                                     <th scope="col">@item.ColumnName</th>
                                 }
                             </tr>
                         </thead>
                         <tbody>
                             @foreach (DataRow row in results.Rows)
                             {
                                 <tr>
                                     @foreach (var column in row.ItemArray)
                                     {
                                         <td>@column.ToString()</td>
                                     }
                                 </tr>
                             }
                         </tbody>
                     </table>
                 }
             </div>
         </div>
       

4. Rebuild and run the project. The ADO.NET Provider renders Act CRM data as an HTML table in the Blazor app.

   At this point, you have a Act CRM-connected Blazor app, capable of working with live Act CRM data just like you would work with a SQL Server instance. Download a free, 30-day trial and start working with live Act CRM data in your Blazor apps today.