dotConnect for Google BigQuery FAQ

dotConnect for Google BigQuery requires .NET Framework 4.6.1 or later, or a supported version of .NET Core or .NET. No Google BigQuery client libraries or third-party packages are required: everything the provider needs is installed automatically.

Close all running IDEs and help collections, then run the installation package of the newer version. You will be prompted to uninstall the previous version; agree and then proceed to installing the newer build. If you use NuGet packages, update the Devart.Data.BigQuery package (and Devart.Data.BigQuery.EFCore, if used) to the new version.

To deploy an application written with dotConnect for Google BigQuery, you need to:

• deploy the Devart runtime assemblies used by your application: Devart.Data.BigQuery.dll, Devart.Data.SqlShim.dll, and Devart.Data.dll, plus Devart.Data.BigQuery.EFCore.dll for Entity Framework Core applications. If you reference the provider via NuGet packages, these assemblies are copied to the output folder automatically;
• provide the license key (see the Technical licensing section below);
• in case your application uses provider factories, you also need to register dotConnect for Google BigQuery in the system.

For the detailed description of each of these steps, refer to the Deployment and Licensing topics in dotConnect for Google BigQuery help.

Select the Minimal installation type when prompted by the installer. Alternatively, do not run the installer at all and add the Devart.Data.BigQuery NuGet package to your project.

Yes. Add the Devart.Data.BigQuery NuGet package (and Devart.Data.BigQuery.EFCore for Entity Framework Core) to your project and specify the license key. Design-time features (Server Explorer integration, toolbox components, and component editors) are available only in Visual Studio.

Visual Studio Express editions are not supported.

Devart data providers use common assemblies (Devart.Data.dll and Devart.Data.SqlShim.dll), so it is necessary to install compatible versions of the providers. We release our ADO.NET data providers in a single pack, thus releases from the same date should be compatible. Also, Devart data providers should warn you before installation if an incompatible version of Devart.Data.dll was detected.

All upgrades to future versions are free to users with an active dotConnect for Google BigQuery Subscription.

The dotConnect for Google BigQuery Subscription Program is an annual maintenance and support service for dotConnect for Google BigQuery users.

Users with a valid dotConnect for Google BigQuery Subscription get the following benefits:

• Access to new versions of dotConnect for Google BigQuery when they are released
• Access to all dotConnect for Google BigQuery updates and bug fixes
• Product support through the dotConnect for Google BigQuery Priority Support program
• Notification of new product versions

Priority Support is an advanced product support program which offers you expedited individual assistance with dotConnect for Google BigQuery-related questions from the dotConnect for Google BigQuery developers themselves. Priority Support is carried out over email and has a two business day response policy.

Yes, you can. dotConnect for Google BigQuery version licenses are perpetual.

dotConnect for Google BigQuery uses activation key licensing. To work, the provider requires a valid activation key: either a trial key or a key of the purchased license. If no valid key is available, dotConnect for Google BigQuery does not work.

You can get a trial or activation key on the Devart website or in Visual Studio: on the Tools menu, point to Google BigQuery and then click Get Activation or Trial Key. To activate the product on the development machine, enter the key in the installer or click Activate or Get License Information in the same menu. If you use only NuGet packages, use the console activator that is included in the tools folder of the Devart.Data.BigQuery package.

Specify the key in the License Key connection string parameter, for example:

Authentication Type=ServiceAccount;Project Id=your_project_id;ServiceAccount Json=your_service_account_json;License Key=your_license_key

Alternatively, call the static BigQueryConnection.LoadLicenseKey method before opening the first connection.

This means that a valid license key cannot be found, or that it has expired. Check the following:

• the License Key connection string parameter contains the full key without extra characters;
• the trial key has not expired: if you have purchased the product, replace the trial key with the key of your license in the connection string and in the product activation;
• the key belongs to dotConnect for Google BigQuery and not to another Devart product.

Use the License Information dialog box to resolve them. To open it, on the Tools menu, point to Google BigQuery and then click Activate or Get License Information.

No, end-users of your application do not need their own license. However, to distribute your application to third parties, you need the OEM license.

The connection is returned to the pool. This is the Connection Pooling feature: the connection object, together with its authentication data, is kept to be reused later by your application, so the next Open() does not have to authenticate in Google Cloud again. This boosts performance.

The full text of the exception is "Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to obtaining a connection from the pool. This may have occurred because all pooled connections were in use and max pool size was reached." It states that you have run out of connections available. To solve the problem, increase the value of the Max Pool Size connection string parameter or make sure your code closes connections after use. You can also turn connection pooling off with the Pooling connection string parameter.

Make sure your code closes connections after use. If problems remain, disable the pool completely (set Pooling=false in the connection string). If this does not help, the problem is not caused by pooling.

There are several ways to open dotConnect for Google BigQuery documentation:

• Use the appropriate shortcut in the Start menu, for instance, Start > Programs > Devart dotConnect for BigQuery > Documentation.
• Use the online documentation.
• Open it from Visual Studio: on the Tools menu, point to Google BigQuery and then click dotConnect for Google BigQuery Help.

Downloaded CHM files are blocked on Windows operating systems by default. In most cases, it is enough to right-click the CHM file, select Properties, click Unblock, and click Apply to show the contents.

dotConnect for Google BigQuery supports Entity Framework Core 3.1, 8, 9, 10, and 11 via the Devart.Data.BigQuery.EFCore NuGet package. Classic Entity Framework (EF6) is not supported.

The following limitations apply when you work with Google BigQuery through Entity Framework Core:

• sequences and computed columns are not supported;
• migrations cannot add a NOT NULL column to an existing table or make an existing column NOT NULL;
• migrations cannot move a table to another dataset;
• the EnsureDeleted method is not supported;
• LIKE patterns support only the backslash as the escape character.

GEOGRAPHY, JSON, RANGE, and INTERVAL values are returned as String. RECORD values are returned as Object.

No. CommandType.StoredProcedure is not supported.

This can happen if the installation encountered some problems. You can add the components to the toolbox manually. This procedure is described in the Installation article in the documentation.

dotConnect for Google BigQuery assemblies are built with the /platform:anycpu option. So, you can use the provider's assemblies on any platform (x86 or x64).