Dapper C# (How It Works For Developers)

What is Dapper?

Dapper is an object-relational mapping (ORM) framework for the .NET platform. It is a simple object mapper that allows you to map an object-oriented domain model to a traditional relational database. Dapper is known for its speed and performance, often referred to as the “King of Micro ORM.” It matches the speed of a raw ADO.NET data reader and enhances the IDbConnection interface with useful extension methods for querying SQL databases.

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.Sqlite

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.Sqlite

CREATE TABLE Users (
    Id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    Name TEXT,
    Email TEXT
);

Using Dapper with SQLite

1. First, ensure you have the necessary namespaces imported:

using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite;
using Dapper;

using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite;
using Dapper;

2. Establish a connection to the SQLite database:

   string connectionString = "Data Source=example.db"; // SQLite database connection string
   using (var connection = new SqliteConnection(connectionString))
   {
       connection.Open();
       // Your Dapper queries will go here
   }

   string connectionString = "Data Source=example.db"; // SQLite database connection string
   using (var connection = new SqliteConnection(connectionString))
   {
       connection.Open();
       // Your Dapper queries will go here
   }

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3. Execute a query with Dapper:

   // Define a class to represent the structure of a user
   public class User
   {
       public int Id { get; set; }
       public string Name { get; set; }
       public string Email { get; set; }
   }
   
   // Query to select all users
   string query = "SELECT * FROM Users"; // SQL query
   var users = connection.Query<User>(query).ToList();
   
   // Display the results
   foreach (var user in users)
   {
       Console.WriteLine($"Id: {user.Id}, Name: {user.Name}, Email: {user.Email}");
   }

   // Define a class to represent the structure of a user
   public class User
   {
       public int Id { get; set; }
       public string Name { get; set; }
       public string Email { get; set; }
   }
   
   // Query to select all users
   string query = "SELECT * FROM Users"; // SQL query
   var users = connection.Query<User>(query).ToList();
   
   // Display the results
   foreach (var user in users)
   {
       Console.WriteLine($"Id: {user.Id}, Name: {user.Name}, Email: {user.Email}");
   }

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4. Insert data into the database using Dapper:

   // Define a new user 
   var newUser = new User { Name = "John Doe", Email = "john@example.com" };
   
   // SQL query/stored procedure to insert a new user
   string insertQuery = "INSERT INTO Users (Name, Email) VALUES (@Name, @Email)";
   
   // Execute the query
   connection.Execute(insertQuery, newUser);

   // Define a new user 
   var newUser = new User { Name = "John Doe", Email = "john@example.com" };
   
   // SQL query/stored procedure to insert a new user
   string insertQuery = "INSERT INTO Users (Name, Email) VALUES (@Name, @Email)";
   
   // Execute the query
   connection.Execute(insertQuery, newUser);

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Introducing IronPDF

IronPDF is a C# library from Iron Software that allows developers to create, edit, and manipulate PDF documents programmatically within .NET applications. It provides features like generating PDF documents from HTML, images, and other formats, as well as adding text, images, and various elements to existing PDF files. IronPDF aims to simplify PDF generation and manipulation tasks for .NET developers by providing a comprehensive set of tools and APIs.

IronPDF offers a range of features for PDF generation and manipulation within .NET applications:

1. HTML to PDF Conversion: Convert HTML content, including CSS styles, into PDF documents.
2. Image to PDF Conversion: Convert images (such as JPEG, PNG, BMP) to PDF documents.
3. Text to PDF Conversion: Convert plain text or formatted text (RTF) to PDF documents.
4. PDF Generation: Create PDF documents from scratch programmatically.
5. PDF Editing: Edit existing PDF documents by adding or modifying text, images, and other elements.
6. PDF Merging and Splitting: Combine multiple PDF documents into a single document, or split a PDF document into multiple files.
7. PDF Security: Apply password protection and encryption to PDF documents to restrict access and protect sensitive information.
8. PDF Form Filling: Populate PDF forms with data programmatically.
9. PDF Printing: Print PDF documents directly from your .NET application.
10. PDF Conversion Settings: Customize various settings such as page size, orientation, margins, compression, and more during PDF generation.
11. PDF Text Extraction: Extract text content from PDF documents for further processing or analysis.
12. PDF Metadata: Set metadata (author, title, subject, keywords) for PDF documents.

Generating PDF documents with IronPDF and Dapper

Create a console application in Visual Studio

Provide the project name and location

Select .NET version

Install the following packages either from Visual Studio Package Manager or the console

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.Sqlite

dotnet add package Microsoft.Data.Sqlite

dotnet add package Dapper --version 2.1.35

dotnet add package Dapper --version 2.1.35

dotnet add package IronPdf --version 2024.4.2

dotnet add package IronPdf --version 2024.4.2

Use the below code to generate a PDF document:

using Dapper; // Import Dapper for ORM functionalities
using IronPdf; // Import IronPDF for PDF generation
using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite; // Import Sqlite for database connection

// Define the connection string for SQLite database
string connectionString = "Data Source=ironPdf.db";

// Create a string to hold the content for the PDF document
var content = "<h1>Demonstrate IronPDF with Dapper</h1>";

// Add HTML content
content += "<h2>Create a new database using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite</h2>";
content += "<p>new SqliteConnection(connectionString) and connection.Open()</p>";

// Open the database connection
using (var connection = new SqliteConnection(connectionString))
{
    connection.Open();

    // Create a Users Table using Dapper
    content += "<h2>Create a Users Table using Dapper and SQL insert query</h2>";
    content += "<p>CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS Users</p>";

    // SQL statement to create a Users table
    string sql = "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS Users (\n    Id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,\n    Name TEXT,\n    Email TEXT\n);";
    connection.Execute(sql);

    // Add Users to table using Dapper
    content += "<h2>Add Users to table using Dapper</h2>";
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "John Doe", Email = "john@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Smith William", Email = "Smith@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Rock Bill", Email = "Rock@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Jack Sparrow", Email = "Jack@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Tomus Tibe", Email = "Tomus@example.com" });

    // Retrieve and display users from database
    content += "<h2>Get Users From table using Dapper</h2>";
    string query = "SELECT * FROM Users";
    var users = connection.Query<User>(query).ToList();

    // Display each user detail retrieved from the database
    foreach (var user in users)
    {
        content += $"<p>Id:{user.Id}, Name:{user.Name}, email: {user.Email}</p>";
        Console.WriteLine($"{user.Id}. User Name:{user.Name}, Email:{user.Email}");
    }

    // Create PDF from the accumulated HTML content
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(content);

    // Save the PDF to a file
    pdf.SaveAs("dapper.pdf");
}

// Method to add user to the database and accumulate HTML content
string AddUser(SqliteConnection sqliteConnection, User user)
{
    string insertQuery = "INSERT INTO Users (Name, Email) VALUES (@Name, @Email)";
    sqliteConnection.Execute(insertQuery, user);
    return $"<p>Name:{user.Name}, email: {user.Email}</p>"; 
}

using Dapper; // Import Dapper for ORM functionalities
using IronPdf; // Import IronPDF for PDF generation
using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite; // Import Sqlite for database connection

// Define the connection string for SQLite database
string connectionString = "Data Source=ironPdf.db";

// Create a string to hold the content for the PDF document
var content = "<h1>Demonstrate IronPDF with Dapper</h1>";

// Add HTML content
content += "<h2>Create a new database using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite</h2>";
content += "<p>new SqliteConnection(connectionString) and connection.Open()</p>";

// Open the database connection
using (var connection = new SqliteConnection(connectionString))
{
    connection.Open();

    // Create a Users Table using Dapper
    content += "<h2>Create a Users Table using Dapper and SQL insert query</h2>";
    content += "<p>CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS Users</p>";

    // SQL statement to create a Users table
    string sql = "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS Users (\n    Id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,\n    Name TEXT,\n    Email TEXT\n);";
    connection.Execute(sql);

    // Add Users to table using Dapper
    content += "<h2>Add Users to table using Dapper</h2>";
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "John Doe", Email = "john@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Smith William", Email = "Smith@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Rock Bill", Email = "Rock@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Jack Sparrow", Email = "Jack@example.com" });
    content += AddUser(connection, new User { Name = "Tomus Tibe", Email = "Tomus@example.com" });

    // Retrieve and display users from database
    content += "<h2>Get Users From table using Dapper</h2>";
    string query = "SELECT * FROM Users";
    var users = connection.Query<User>(query).ToList();

    // Display each user detail retrieved from the database
    foreach (var user in users)
    {
        content += $"<p>Id:{user.Id}, Name:{user.Name}, email: {user.Email}</p>";
        Console.WriteLine($"{user.Id}. User Name:{user.Name}, Email:{user.Email}");
    }

    // Create PDF from the accumulated HTML content
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(content);

    // Save the PDF to a file
    pdf.SaveAs("dapper.pdf");
}

// Method to add user to the database and accumulate HTML content
string AddUser(SqliteConnection sqliteConnection, User user)
{
    string insertQuery = "INSERT INTO Users (Name, Email) VALUES (@Name, @Email)";
    sqliteConnection.Execute(insertQuery, user);
    return $"<p>Name:{user.Name}, email: {user.Email}</p>"; 
}

License (Trial Available for IronPDF)

IronPDF's licensing information is available to ensure compliance and usage within your project.

A trial license for developers can be obtained through the IronPDF trial license page.

Please replace the Key in the appSettings.json file shown below:

{
  "IronPdf.License.LicenseKey" : "The Key Goes Here"
}

Conclusion

Dapper simplifies data access in .NET applications, and when combined with SQLite, it provides a lightweight and efficient solution for managing databases. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can leverage Dapper to interact with SQLite databases seamlessly, enabling you to build robust and scalable applications with ease. Along with IronPDF, developers can acquire skills related to ORM databases like Dapper and PDF generation libraries like IronPDF.