SQLVariant Support

Microsoft introduced the sql_variant data type in SQL Server 2000. You can use the sql_variant to store data of an unspecified or inconsistent type. Or to store data of almost any SQL Server data type. This is very useful for an input parameter for a stored procedure that can handle many different data types, or a column in a table with heterogeneous data.

More information about the sql_variant data type could be found here.

Telerik Data Access provides support for the sql_variant data type. In order to use such a column, the column needs to be mapped to a persistent field of type object. For example:

The MyEntity Class

public partial class MyEntity
{
    private int _iD;
    public virtual int ID
    { 
        get { return this._iD; }
        set { this._iD = value; }
    }

    private string _name;
    public virtual string Name
    {
        get { return this._name; }
        set { this._name = value; }
    }

    private Object _sqlVariantColumn;
    public virtual Object SqlVariantColumn
    {
        get { return this._sqlVariantColumn; }
        set { this._sqlVariantColumn = value; }
    }

}

Partial Public Class MyEntity
    Private _iD As Integer
    Public Overridable Property ID() As Integer
        Get
            Return Me._iD
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            Me._iD = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Private _name As String
    Public Overridable Property Name() As String
        Get
            Return Me._name
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            Me._name = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Private _sqlVariantColumn As Object
    Public Overridable Property SqlVariantColumn() As Object
        Get
            Return Me._sqlVariantColumn
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Object)
            Me._sqlVariantColumn = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Mapping the sql_variant Column

configuration.HasProperty(x => x.SqlVariantColumn).
    HasFieldName("_sqlVariantColumn").
    WithDataAccessKind(DataAccessKind.ReadWrite).
    ToColumn("SqlVariantColumn").IsNotNullable().
    HasColumnType("sql_variant");

configuration.HasProperty(x => x.SqlVariantColumn).
    HasFieldName("_sqlVariantColumn").
    WithDataAccessKind(DataAccessKind.ReadWrite).
    ToColumn("SqlVariantColumn").IsNotNullable().
    HasColumnType("sql_variant")