How to create functions in SQL Server using .NET?
Steps to create functions in SQL Server using .NET:
- Create a .NET class using a .NET compliant language such as c#
- Compile the class into a DLL
- Register the DLL in SQL Server using CREATE ASSEMBLY
- Create a function in SQL Server to access the .NET function.
E.g.:Create .NET Class
Public Class HelloWorld
{
Public string GetMessage(string name)
{
Return “Hello “ + name;
}
}
Now compile this into HelloWorld.dll
Register DLL in SQL Server
CREATE ASSEMBLY asmHelloWorld FROM 'C:\HelloWorld.dll'
Access this function within an SQL Server Function
CREATE FUNCTION dbo.myHelloWorld
{
@name as nvarchar(200)
}
RETURNS nvarchar(200)
AS EXTERNAL NAME asmHelloWorld.[HelloWorld.HelloWorld].GetMessage
Calling this Function
SELECT dbo.myHelloWorld(‘John’).
How to create functions in SQL Server using .NET?
Functions in SQL server can be created using the .NET common language interface or CLR. The functions code is written and then complied into a .NET assembly to deploy on the SQL server. This can be achieved either by using a user friendly interface of Visual studio 2005 or compiling the visual studio class library into an assembly.
Syntax:CREATE FUNCTION MyFunction()
RETURNS INT AS
EXTERNAL NAME
MyAssembly:[MyClass]::MyFunction
Here, EXTERNAL NAME clause is to link the user-defined function name to the appropriate method in the .NET assembly.
