DataBind Charts to JD Edwards Data

DataBinding facilitates two-way interaction with data through UI controls. Using the CData ADO.NET Provider for JD Edwards streamlines the process of binding JD Edwards data to Windows Forms and Web controls within Visual Studio. In this article, we will demonstrate using wizards to establish a binding between JD Edwards data and a chart that dynamically updates. Additionally, the code walk-through section will guide you through the creation of a chart using just 10 lines of code.

Binding Data to a Chart

DataBinding to a Chart consists of three steps: Instantiate the control, configure the data source, and databind.

Configure the Connection and Select Database Objects

To create a chart control and establish a connection to JD Edwards, follow the steps outlined below using the Data Source Configuration Wizard. Within the wizard, you'll have the option to choose the specific JD Edwards entities you wish to bind to.

1. In a Windows Forms project, drag and drop a Chart control from the toolbox to the form. In the Data section of the Chart properties, select DataSource and then select Add Project Data Source from the menu.
2. In the Data Source Configuration Wizard that appears, select Database -> Dataset.
3. In the Choose Your Data Connection step, click New Connection.

4. In the Add Connection dialog, click Change to select the CData JD Edwards Data Source.

   Below is a typical connection string:

   URL=https://your-jde-environment-app.example.com;User=admin;Password=myPassword;

   The driver connects to JD Edwards through your Application Interface Services (AIS) Server. Set the following connection properties:

   • URL: The base HTTPS URL of your AIS Server (e.g., https://jde-ais.example.com:8300).
   • User: Your JD Edwards username.
   • Password: Your JD Edwards password.
   • Environment (optional): The JD Edwards environment to use (e.g., PD920 for production or DV920 for development). If not specified, the AIS Server's default environment is used.
   • Role (optional): The JD Edwards role for the session. If not specified, the AIS Server's default role is used.
   • DeviceName (optional): An identifier for the connecting device or application, used for auditing and logging on the AIS Server.
   • Jasserver (optional): The specific Java Application Server (JAS) instance to route requests through, useful in clustered environments.

   Choosing Which Data Is Exposed

   JD Edwards organizes tables and business views by System Code, and the driver exposes each System Code as its own schema. Use these properties to control which schemas are available:

   • DataModel: One or more ERP modules (comma-separated) whose System Codes are exposed as schemas, or All to expose every System Code in the connected instance. Defaults to FinancialManagement.
   • SystemCodes: A comma-separated list of additional System Codes to expose alongside those from DataModel (e.g., 42,43).

   When you connect, the driver sends your credentials to the AIS Server to obtain a session token and caches it. The driver requests a new token automatically before the session expires.

   When you configure the connection, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

   
5. Choose the database objects you want to work with. This example uses the AccountsPayable.AccountLedger table.

DataBind

After adding the data source and selecting database objects, you can bind the objects to the chart. This example assigns the x-axis to DocumentNumber and the y-axis to Amount.

1. In the Chart properties, click the button in the Series property to open the Series Collection Editor.
2. In the Series properties, select the columns you want for the x- and y-axes: Select columns from the menu in the XValueMember and YValueMember properties.

The chart is now databound to the JD Edwards data. Run the chart to display the current data.

Code Walk-through

DataBinding to JD Edwards data requires only a few lines of code and can be completed in three easy steps.

1. Connect to JD Edwards.
2. Create the JDEdwardsDataAdapter to execute the query and create a DataSet to be filled with its results.
3. DataBind the result set to the chart.

Below is the complete code:

JDEdwardsConnection conn = new JDEdwardsConnection("URL=https://your-jde-environment-app.example.com;User=admin;Password=myPassword;");
JDEdwardsCommand comm = new JDEdwardsCommand("SELECT DocumentNumber, Amount FROM AccountsPayable.AccountLedger WHERE BusinessUnit = '100'", conn);
JDEdwardsDataAdapter da = new JDEdwardsDataAdapter(comm);
DataSet dataset = new DataSet();
da.Fill(dataset);

chart1.DataSource = dataset;  
chart1.Series[0].XValueMember = "DocumentNumber";
chart1.Series[0].YValueMembers = "Amount";
// Insert code for additional chart formatting here.
chart1.DataBind();