Connection Representation (Tabular)

The connection object defines the source of the data that populates the tabular model.

Connection Representation

The specification for the connection object follows the rules of OLE DB providers.

Connection in AMO

When using AMO to manage a tabular model database, the DataSource object in AMO matches one-to-one to the connection logical object.

The following code snippet shows how to create an AMO data source, or Connection object in a tabular model.

  
//Create an OLEDB connection string  
StringBuilder SqlCnxStr = new StringBuilder();  
SqlCnxStr.Append(String.Format("Data Source={0};" ,SQLServer.Text));  
SqlCnxStr.Append(String.Format("Initial Catalog={0};", SQLDatabase.Text));  
SqlCnxStr.Append(String.Format("Persist Security Info={0};", false));  
SqlCnxStr.Append(String.Format("Integrated Security={0};", "SSPI"));  
SqlCnxStr.Append(String.Format("Provider={0}", "SQLNCLI11"));  
String DatasourceCnxString = SqlCnxStr.ToString();  
  
//Verify connection string and connectivity  
System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection OleDbCnx = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection(DatasourceCnxString);  
try  
{  
    OleDbCnx.Open();  
}  
catch ()  
{  
    throw;  
}  
String newDataSourceName = (string.IsNullOrEmpty(DataSourceName.Text) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(DataSourceName.Text)) ? SQLDatabase.Text : DataSourceName.Text;  
AMO.DataSource newDatasource = newDatabase.DataSources.Add(newDataSourceName, newDataSourceName);  
newDatasource.ConnectionString = DatasourceCnxString.Text;  
if (impersonateServiceAccount.Checked)  
    newDatasource.ImpersonationInfo = new AMO.ImpersonationInfo(AMO.ImpersonationMode.ImpersonateServiceAccount);  
else  
{  
    if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(impersonateAccountUserName.Text))  
    {  
        MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Account User Name cannot be blank when using 'ImpersonateAccount' mode"), "AMO to Tabular message", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);  
        return;  
    }  
    newDatasource.ImpersonationInfo = new AMO.ImpersonationInfo(AMO.ImpersonationMode.ImpersonateAccount, impersonateAccountUserName.Text, impersonateAccountPassword.Text);  
}  
newDatasource.Update();  
  

Tabular AMO 2012 sample

To have a better understanding on how to use AMO to create and manipulate connection representations, see source code in the Tabular AMO 2012 sample; specifically check in the following source file: Database.cs. The sample is available at Codeplex. Sample code is provided only as a support to the logical concepts explained here, and should not be used in a production environment.