Provide a way to specify a file name instead of raw sql

[fsprojects]

Provide a way to specify a file name instead of raw sql

[dmitry-a-morozov]

Robert,
I think there are 2 ways to approach this problem without changing TP.

1. If you have enough control over a database pull big chunks of SQL into reusable FUNCTIONs and VIEWs. You can combine them with APPLY operator. It's great practice.
2. Have dedicated F# file that contains sql scripts and type aliases for commands. It's similar to what I have on WebApi example
   http://github.com/dmitry-a-morozov/FSharp.Data.SqlCommandTypeProvider/blob/master/WebApi/DataAccess.fs
   It will be kinda "Repository" pattern.

[rojepp]

1. There are cases for and against this, and like you touched upon, you don't always have control over the db. When many apps are hitting a single db, I think it is downright inappropriate. :)
2. This is what I would do if I had to. Actually, with external files, in a bigger app, I still would do this, just to keep the type definitions in a single place.

FSharp.Data implements this and it is pretty good. You can have your file as a proper .sql file with all the benefits of that;

• Syntax coloring
• Intellisense
• Error squigglies
• diffs are nicer

Last time I looked in FSharp.Data, it was actually the same parameter. If it looks like a file name and the file exists, read the file, otherwise parse the content. Good enough, but maybe have an optional 'content' param and an optional 'filename' param? If both exist or none exist=compile error.

[dsevastianov]

Good point. We agreed to do it FSharp.Data - style.

[ovatsus]

If you want to reuse that piece from FSharp.Data, use the parseTextAtDesignTime function (https://github.com/ovatsus/FSharp.Data/blob/Async/src/Providers/Helpers.fs#L105)

[dmitry-a-morozov]

@ovatsus Thanks for suggestion.

[dsevastianov]

@ovatsus The link is broken :( I guess you meant https://github.com/ovatsus/FSharp.Data/blob/master/src/Providers/Helpers.fs#L105

[ovatsus]

Yes, or https://github.com/fsharp/FSharp.Data/blob/master/src/Providers/Helpers.fs#L105

[dmitry-a-morozov]

@rojepp, We didn't forget your request - @dsevastianov will work on this feature.

[rojepp]

@dsevastianov Great! I will test it later.

[dsevastianov]

@rojepp My pleasure. This is naive implementation, I decided not to go with full-fledged implementation as in FSharp.Data just yet. We might want to look into some caching later on as well, it's getting a bit slow.

[rojepp]

By full-fledged, you mean change notification?

I haven't noticed it being slow yet..

[dsevastianov]

I mean, with support for web URIs, caching, async reads, etc.

[rojepp]

Just tried it out, works fine!

I think it is pretty unlikely that someone would put their Sql code on a web page and use that for building their software. :) Also, async is pretty pointless if you immediately have to wait for it to finish, which should be the case here. What I'm missing is change notification. When I edit the sql file and save it, types should immediately update, like in FSharp.Data.
Maybe I should put it in an issue of its own?

[dsevastianov]

Yes, if you could. I'd expect it's going to be tricky.