What is the trial period for dotConnect Universal?

dotConnect Universal offers a fully functional 30-day trial. During this period, you can use and evaluate all features without limitations. After the trial ends, you can purchase a license to keep using the product.

Why do I need to install the product if NuGet is available?

dotConnect Universal provides two sets of assemblies, and the choice depends on your project type: For .NET (.NET Core/.NET 5+) projects: Use the assemblies available via NuGet packages . For .NET Framework projects: Use the Devart assemblies included with the product installer .

Where should I apply my License Key?

The method for applying your license depends on your project type: For .NET (.NET Core/.NET 5+) projects, apply the License Key at runtime using the License Key connection string parameter. For .NET Framework projects , no license key is needed. Simply download and install the licensed version of dotConnect from your Devart Customer Portal .

Do end users of my application need a Devart license, or do I have to pay additional fees for deploying my software?

No, end users do not need a Devart license, and there are no additional deployment fees, as long as you hold a valid Devart license. According to the EULA, you're allowed to redistribute the following runtime assemblies with your application: Devart.Data.Universal.dll Devart.Data.dll You can include them in your app's folder (such as Bin for web apps) or register them in the GAC. Just make sure they are only used by your solution. There's no need for a full installation on the target machine, you can also use the "Minimal installation" option provided by the setup. No other components of dotConnect may be distributed.

How can I update dotConnect to a new version?

To update dotConnect to a new version, you need to reinstall it: Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows. Uninstall the current and any older versions of dotConnect, including Entity Developer and LinqConnect, if installed. Visit the Customer Portal and download the latest licensed version. Install the downloaded version and receive the latest features and improvements.

How can I completely remove all previous versions of a product?

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and uninstall: All dotConnect providers Entity Developer LinqConnect Manually delete any leftover files from the following locations (if they exist): GAC folders : C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL Program files and extensions : C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Devart C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\Extensions\Devart C:\Program Files (x86)\Devart C:\Program Files\Devart C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Devart C:\Program Files\Common Files\Devart Program data folders : C:\ProgramData\Devart\dotConnect C:\ProgramData\Devart\Entity Developer C:\ProgramData\Devart\EntityDeveloper Removing these ensures a clean system and prevents conflicts during future installations.

Getting Started With dotConnect Universal

Below are some resources to help you maximize your experience with dotConnect Universal.

dotConnect Universal is an all-encompassing enterprise-grade connector that applies a unified code base to enable access to multiple database systems in .NET applications of all levels.

Universal access to the data source
Access to data sources via ADO.NET, OLE DB, and ODBC providers
Full compliance with ADO.NET standards
UniSQL for writing server-independent queries
Design-time extensions and wizards
Support for native data types, classes, and structures
Integration with Visual Studio

Code examples

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=SQL Server;" +
    "Data Source=SERVER;" +
    "Initial Catalog=Northwind;" +
    "User ID=TestUser;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.SqlServer

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=Oracle;" +
    "Direct=True;" +
    "Host=127.0.0.1;" +
    "Service Name=TestDb;" +
    "User ID=TestUser;" +
    "Password=TestPassword;" +
    "License Key=**********";


using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);


try
{
    connection.Open();


    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor FETCH FIRST 5 ROWS ONLY";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();


    Console.WriteLine("Top 5 actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.IsDBNull(1) ? "" : reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.IsDBNull(2) ? "" : reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.Oracle

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=MySQL;" +
    "Server=127.0.0.1;" +
    "Port=3306;" +
    "User ID=TestUser;" +
    "Password=TestPassword;" +
    "Database=sakila;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Top 5 actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.MySql

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=PostgreSQL;" +
    "Host=127.0.0.1;" +
    "Port=5432;" +
    "User Id=TestUser;" +
    "Password=TestPassword;" +
    "Database=TestDatabase;" +
    "Initial Schema=Public;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor ORDER BY actor_id LIMIT 5";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Top 5 actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.PostgreSql

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=SQLite;" +
    "Data Source=myDatabase.db;" +
    "FailIfMissing=False;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor LIMIT 5";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Top 5 actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM > Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.SQLite

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=MS Access;" +
    "Data Source=127.0.0.1;" +
    "User ID=TestUser;" +
    "Password=TestPassword;" +
    "Database=TestDb;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.OleDb

using Devart.Data.Universal;

string connectionString =
    "Provider=ODBC;" +
    "Dsn=MyDsn;" +
    "User ID=TestUser;" +
    "Password=TestPassword;" +
    "License Key=**********";

using var connection = new UniConnection(connectionString);

try
{
    connection.Open();

    using var command = connection.CreateCommand();
    command.CommandText = "SELECT actor_id, first_name, last_name FROM actor";
    using var reader = command.ExecuteReader();

    Console.WriteLine("Actors:");
    while (reader.Read())
    {
        var id = reader.GetInt32(0);
        var firstName = reader.GetString(1);
        var lastName = reader.GetString(2);
        Console.WriteLine($"{id}: {firstName} {lastName}");
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Error while connecting or executing query:");
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
    Environment.ExitCode = 1;
}
finally
{
    if (connection.State != System.Data.ConnectionState.Closed)
    {
        connection.Close();
    }
}

PM> Install-Package Devart.Data.Universal.Odbc

Getting Started With dotConnect Universal

Below are some resources to help you maximize your experience with dotConnect Universal.

Code examples

Documentation

Licensing

DataAdapter features

Parameters

Using transactions

dotConnect Universal

FAQ