Connect to QuickBooks Time Data from Blazor Apps

Blazor is a framework for developing modern, client-side web UIs using .NET technology. Instead of coding in JavaScript, developers can use the familiar C# language and .NET libraries to build app UIs.

The CData ADO.NET Provider for QuickBooks Time can be used with standard ADO.NET interfaces, such as LINQ and Entity Framework, to interact with live QuickBooks Time data. Since Blazor supports .NET Core, developers can use CData ADO.NET Providers in Blazor apps. In this article, we will guide you to build a simple Blazor app that talks to QuickBooks Time using standard SQL queries.

Install the CData ADO.NET Provider for QuickBooks Time

CData ADO.NET Providers allow users to access QuickBooks Time just like they would access SQL Server, using simple SQL queries.

Install the QuickBooks Time ADO.NET Data Provider from the CData website or from NuGet. Search NuGet for "QuickBooks Time ADO.NET Data Provider."

Create a QuickBooks Time-Connected Blazor App

Start by creating a Blazor project that references the CData ADO.NET Provider for QuickBooks Time

1. Create a Blazor project on Visual Studio.
👁 Create a Blazor app project.

2. From the Solution Explorer, right click Dependencies, then click Add Project Reference.
3. In the Reference Manager, click the Browse button, and choose the .dll file of the installed ADO.NET Provider (e.g. System.Data.CData.TSheets.dll, typically located at C:\Program Files\CData\CData ADO.NET Provider for QuickBooks Time\lib etstandard2.0).
👁 Reference ADO.NET for QuickBooks Time .dll in the Blazor app.

SELECT QuickBooks Time Data from the Blazor App

1. Open the Index.razor file from the Project page.
2. In a TSheetsConnection object, set the connection string:

   TSheets uses the OAuth2 standard for authentication and authorization. To construct your own OAuth app and connect to data, refer to OAuth section in the Help.

   For example: OAuthClientId=myclientid;OAuthClientSecret=myclientsecret;CallbackUrl=http://localhost:33333;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;

3. The code below creates a simple Blazor app for displaying QuickBooks Time data, using standard SQL to query QuickBooks Time just like SQL Server.

    @page "/"
    @using System.Data;
    @using System.Data.CData.TSheets;
    
    <h1>Hello, world!</h1>
    
    Welcome to your Data app.
    
    <div class="row">
    <div class="col-12">
    
    @using (TSheetsConnection connection = new TSheetsConnection(
    "OAuthClientId=myclientid;OAuthClientSecret=myclientsecret;CallbackUrl=http://localhost:33333;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;"))
    {
    var sql = "SELECT Id, JobcodeId FROM Timesheets WHERE JobCodeType = 'regular'";
    var results = new DataTable();
    
    TSheetsDataAdapter dataAdapter = new TSheetsDataAdapter(sql, connection);
    dataAdapter.Fill(results);
    
    <table class="table table-bordered">
    <thead class="thead-light">
    <tr>
    @foreach (DataColumn item in results.Rows[0].Table.Columns)
    {
    <th scope="col">@item.ColumnName</th>
    }
    </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
    @foreach (DataRow row in results.Rows)
    {
    <tr>
    @foreach (var column in row.ItemArray)
    {
    <td>@column.ToString()</td>
    }
    </tr>
    }
    </tbody>
    </table>
    }
    </div>
    </div>
    

4. Rebuild and run the project. The ADO.NET Provider renders QuickBooks Time data as an HTML table in the Blazor app. 👁 Query QuickBooks Time from Blazor app.
   

   At this point, you have a QuickBooks Time-connected Blazor app, capable of working with live QuickBooks Time data just like you would work with a SQL Server instance. Download a free, 30-day trial and start working with live QuickBooks Time data in your Blazor apps today.