Rapidly Develop Azure Data Catalog-Driven Apps with Active Query Builder



Leverage the Active Query Builder SQL interface builder and the ease of .NET data access to create data-driven WinForms and ASP.NET apps.

Write standard .NET to expose Azure Data Catalog data through an SQL interface: Active Query Builder helps developers write SQL interfaces; the CData ODBC Driver for Azure Data Catalog enables standards-based access to Azure Data Catalog. This integration uses the Microsoft ADO.NET Provider for ODBC as a bridge between the ODBC Driver and the Active Query Builder objects to build a visual SQL composer.

Connect to Azure Data Catalog as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

You can optionally set the following to read the different catalog data returned from Azure Data Catalog.

    CatalogName: Set this to the CatalogName associated with your Azure Data Catalog. To get your Catalog name, navigate to your Azure Portal home page > Data Catalog > Catalog Name

Connect Using OAuth Authentication

You must use OAuth to authenticate with Azure Data Catalog. OAuth requires the authenticating user to interact with Azure Data Catalog using the browser. For more information, refer to the OAuth section in the help documentation.

Use SQL to Interact with Azure Data Catalog

Follow the steps below to create a WinForms visual query builder.

  1. Open Active Query Builder for .NET WinForms.
  2. In the new Windows Forms project go to the "File" menu and click "Connect..."
  3. Under Database Connections, click "Add..."
  4. Set your desired Connection Name (e.g. CData Azure Data Catalog), set Connection Type to "ODBC" and locate your previously configured DSN in the "User/System" DSN dropdown.
  5. Click "OK" to save the new connection.
  6. Back in the Database Connection wizard, select the newly created connection and click "OK."
  7. Click "File" > "New Query" to create a QueryBuilder

You can now build queries visually: Double-click a table in the Columns Pane Area and an entity/relationship diagram is displayed in the Query Building Area. Columns that you select in the diagram are added to the query.

Ready to get started?

Download a free trial of the Azure Data Catalog ODBC Driver to get started:

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Azure Data Catalog Icon Azure Data Catalog ODBC Driver

The Azure Data Catalog ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live data from Azure Data Catalog, directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.

Access Azure Data Catalog data like you would a database - read, write, and update Azure Data Catalog Schemas, Tables, etc. through a standard ODBC Driver interface.