Generator Class
Represents the abstract base class for data generators.
Inheritance Hierarchy
System.Object
Microsoft.Data.Schema.Tools.DataGenerator.Generator
Namespace: Microsoft.Data.Schema.Tools.DataGenerator
Assembly: Microsoft.Data.Schema.Tools (in Microsoft.Data.Schema.Tools.dll)
Syntax
'Declaration
<GeneratorAttribute(GetType(DefaultGeneratorDesigner))> _
<CLSCompliantAttribute(True)> _
Public MustInherit Class Generator _
Implements IGenerator, IDisposable, IExtensionInformation, IExtension
[GeneratorAttribute(typeof(DefaultGeneratorDesigner))]
[CLSCompliantAttribute(true)]
public abstract class Generator : IGenerator,
IDisposable, IExtensionInformation, IExtension
[GeneratorAttribute(typeof(DefaultGeneratorDesigner))]
[CLSCompliantAttribute(true)]
public ref class Generator abstract : IGenerator,
IDisposable, IExtensionInformation, IExtension
[<AbstractClass>]
[<GeneratorAttribute(typeof(DefaultGeneratorDesigner))>]
[<CLSCompliantAttribute(true)>]
type Generator =
class
interface IGenerator
interface IDisposable
interface IExtensionInformation
interface IExtension
end
public abstract class Generator implements IGenerator, IDisposable, IExtensionInformation, IExtension
The Generator type exposes the following members.
Constructors
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Generator | Called from constructors in derived classes to initialize the Generator class. |
Top
Properties
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Collation | Gets or sets the collation, or linguistically appropriate sorting, of this column. | |
Column | Gets or sets the column. | |
ColumnName | Gets or sets the column name. | |
Constraints | Gets or sets the check constraint information for the column. | |
DefaultLocaleId | Gets or sets the locale ID. | |
DefaultValue | Gets or sets the default value of the column. | |
ExtensionHandle | Gets the extension handle. | |
MaxLength | Gets or sets the maximum length for values in this column. | |
Nullable | Gets or sets a value that indicates whether this column can be set to nulla null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic). | |
OutputKey | Gets or sets the key that is used to retrieve output values. | |
PercentageNull | Gets or sets the percentage of the generated values for this column that the user wants to be nulla null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic). The percentage is expressed as an integer between 0 and 100. | |
Precision | Gets or sets the precision of the data. | |
RowsToInsert | Gets or sets the number of rows to generate. | |
Scale | Gets or sets the scale of the data. | |
SchemaName | Gets or sets the name of the schema to which the column belongs. | |
Seed | Gets or sets the seed. You can use the seed to initialize a deterministic random data generation algorithm. | |
TableName | Gets or sets the name of the table to which the column belongs. | |
TargetType | Gets or sets the target data type of the column. | |
Unique | Gets or sets a value that indicates whether the column that is generated is part of a unique constraint or a primary key constraint. |
Top
Methods
Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
Dispose() | Releases all resources that are used by the Generator. | |
Dispose(Boolean) | Releases the unmanaged resources that are used by the Generator and optionally releases the managed resources. | |
Equals | Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.) | |
Finalize | Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.) | |
GenerateNextValues | Generates the next value according to the data generation algorithm. | |
GetHashCode | Serves as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.) | |
GetOutputValue | Retrieves an output value by using the OutputKey. | |
GetType | Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.) | |
Initialize | Initializes the data generator. | |
MemberwiseClone | Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.) | |
OnGenerateNextValues | Generates the next value according to the data generation algorithm. | |
OnGetOutputValue | Retrieves the current set of results that consists of one or more values. | |
OnInitialize | Initializes the generator. | |
OnNextValues | Generates the next set of values for a data row. | |
OnSetInputValues | Sets the input properties of a data generator by using the provided list of named values. | |
OnValidateInputs | Validates that all the required inputs on the data generator have been set. | |
SetExtensionHandle | Sets the extension handle by using the specified extension handle. | |
SetInputValues | Sets the input values for a data generator. | |
ToString | Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.) | |
ValidateInputs | Validates that all the required inputs on the data generator have been set. |
Top
Remarks
If the standard data generators are insufficient, you can create custom data generators. To create a custom data generator, you must create a class that implements IGenerator or inherits from Generator. You identify the class as a data generator by decorating it with GeneratorAttribute.
You can create a custom designer for a custom data generator, or you can use DefaultGeneratorDesigner.
The base class implementation constructs outputs that are based on public properties that are marked with the OutputAttribute. The inputs are set by using the InputAttribute. The use of properties that are marked with attributes provides a simple mechanism for declaring input and output values that are strongly typed.
Examples
The standard data generators cannot generate data to satisfy some check constraints. For example, a check constraint that requires a date to be in one of two distinct ranges cannot use the standard DateTime generator. This example creates a custom data generator that can satisfy such a constraint. The generator accepts two distinct ranges as the input and generates a random date that is in one of the two ranges. For more information, see Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator for a Check Constraint.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Data.DataGenerator;
namespace GeneratorDateRangesCS
{
public class GeneratorDateRangesCS : Generator
{
DateTime mRange1Min;
DateTime mRange1Max;
DateTime mRange2Min;
DateTime mRange2Max;
[Input]
public DateTime Range1Min
{
set {mRange1Min = value;}
}
[Input]
public DateTime Range1Max
{
set {mRange1Max = value;}
}
[Input]
public DateTime Range2Min
{
set {mRange2Min = value;}
}
[Input]
public DateTime Range2Max
{
set {mRange2Max = value;}
}
DateTime mRandomDate;
[Output]
public DateTime RandomDate
{
get {return mRandomDate;}
}
Random mRandom;
Random mRandomRange;
protected override void OnInitialize(GeneratorInit initInfo)
{
// Deterministic
mRandom = new Random(this.Seed);
mRandomRange = new Random(this.Seed); //deterministic
// Non-deterministic
//mRandom = new Random();
//mRandomRange = new Random();
base.OnInitialize(initInfo);
}
protected override void OnGenerateNextValues()
{
DateTime min;
DateTime max;
// Generate a random date from either range 1 or range 2.
// Randomly select either range 1 or range 2 by randomly
// generating an odd or an even random number.
if (mRandomRange.Next() % 2 == 0) //check for odd or even
{
min = mRange1Min;
max = mRange1Max;
}
else
{
min = mRange2Min;
max = mRange2Max;
}
// The formula for creating a random number in a specific
// range is: of range + (size of range * random number
// between 0 and 1)
//size of range
TimeSpan range = max - min;
// (Size of range * random number between 0 and 1)
TimeSpan randomNumber = new TimeSpan(
(long)(range.Ticks * mRandom.NextDouble()));
// Start of range + (size of range * random number
// between 0 and 1)
mRandomDate = min + randomNumber;
}
} // End of class
} // End of namespace
Imports Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamSystem.Data.DataGenerator
Public Class GeneratorDateRangesVB
Inherits Generator
Dim mRange1Min As Date
Dim mRange1Max As Date
Dim mRange2Min As Date
Dim mRange2Max As Date
<Input()> _
Public WriteOnly Property Range1Min() As Date
Set(ByVal value As Date)
mRange1Min = value
End Set
End Property
<Input()> _
Public WriteOnly Property Range1Max() As Date
Set(ByVal value As Date)
mRange1Max = value
End Set
End Property
<Input()> _
Public WriteOnly Property Range2Min() As Date
Set(ByVal value As Date)
mRange2Min = value
End Set
End Property
<Input()> _
Public WriteOnly Property Range2Max() As Date
Set(ByVal value As Date)
mRange2Max = value
End Set
End Property
Dim mRandomDate As Date
<Output()> _
Public ReadOnly Property RandomDate() As Date
Get
Return mRandomDate
End Get
End Property
Dim mRandom As Random
Dim mRandomRange As Random
Protected Overrides Sub OnInitialize(ByVal initInfo _
As GeneratorInit)
mRandom = New Random(Me.Seed) 'deterministic
mRandomRange = New Random(Me.Seed) 'deterministic
'mRandom = New Random() 'non-deterministic
'mRandomRange = New Random() 'non-deterministic
MyBase.OnInitialize(initInfo)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub OnGenerateNextValues()
Dim min As Date
Dim max As Date
' Generate a random date from either range 1 or range 2.
' Randomly select either range 1 or range 2 by randomly
' generating an odd or an even random number.
'------------------------------------------------------------
If mRandomRange.Next() Mod 2 = 0 Then 'check for odd or even
min = mRange1Min
max = mRange1Max
Else
min = mRange2Min
max = mRange2Max
End If
' The formula for creating a random number in a specific
' range is: of range + (size of range * random number
' between 0 and 1)
' Size of range
Dim range As TimeSpan = max - min
' (Size of range * random number between 0 and 1)
Dim randomNumber As TimeSpan = _
New TimeSpan(CLng(range.Ticks * mRandom.NextDouble()))
' Start of range + (size of range * random number
' between 0 and 1)
mRandomDate = min + randomNumber
End Sub
End Class
Thread Safety
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
See Also
Reference
Microsoft.Data.Schema.Tools.DataGenerator Namespace
Other Resources
Walkthrough: Creating a Custom Data Generator for a Check Constraint
Creating Custom Data Generators