ForeignKeyConstraint Class

Definition

Namespace:

System.Data

Assembly:

System.Data.Common.dll

Source:

ForeignKeyConstraint.cs

Represents an action restriction enforced on a set of columns in a primary key/foreign key relationship when a value or row is either deleted or updated.

public ref class ForeignKeyConstraint : System::Data::Constraint

public class ForeignKeyConstraint : System.Data.Constraint

type ForeignKeyConstraint = class
    inherit Constraint

Public Class ForeignKeyConstraint
Inherits Constraint

Inheritance

Object

Constraint

ForeignKeyConstraint

Examples

The following example creates a ForeignKeyConstraint, sets some of its properties, and adds it to a DataTable object's ConstraintCollection.

' The next line goes into the Declarations section of the module:
' SuppliersProducts is a class derived from DataSet.
Private suppliersProducts As SuppliersProducts

Private Sub CreateConstraint()
    ' Declare parent column and child column variables.
    Dim parentColumn As DataColumn
    Dim childColumn As DataColumn
    Dim fkeyConstraint As ForeignKeyConstraint

    ' Set parent and child column variables.
    parentColumn = suppliersProducts.Tables("Suppliers").Columns("SupplierID")
    childColumn = suppliersProducts.Tables("Products").Columns("SupplierID")
    fkeyConstraint = New ForeignKeyConstraint( _
        "SupplierFKConstraint", parentColumn, childColumn)

    ' Set null values when a value is deleted.
    fkeyConstraint.DeleteRule = Rule.SetNull
    fkeyConstraint.UpdateRule = Rule.Cascade
    fkeyConstraint.AcceptRejectRule = AcceptRejectRule.Cascade

    ' Add the constraint, and set EnforceConstraints to true.
    suppliersProducts.Tables("Products").Constraints.Add(fkeyConstraint)
    suppliersProducts.EnforceConstraints = True
End Sub

Remarks

A ForeignKeyConstraint restricts the action performed when a value in a column (or columns) is either deleted or updated. Such a constraint is intended to be used with primary key columns. In a parent/child relationship between two tables, deleting a value from the parent table can affect the child rows in one of the following ways.

• The child rows can also be deleted (a cascading action).

• The values in the child column (or columns) can be set to null values.

• The values in the child column (or columns) can be set to default values.

• An exception can be generated.

ForeignKeyConstraint objects are contained in the ConstraintCollection of a DataTable, which is accessed through the Constraints property.

Constraints are not enforced unless the EnforceConstraints property is set to true.

The AcceptRejectRule is enforced whenever a DataTable object's AcceptChanges method is invoked.

Constructors

ForeignKeyConstraint(DataColumn, DataColumn)	Initializes a new instance of the ForeignKeyConstraint class with the specified parent and child DataColumn objects.
ForeignKeyConstraint(DataColumn[], DataColumn[])	Initializes a new instance of the ForeignKeyConstraint class with the specified arrays of parent and child DataColumn objects.
ForeignKeyConstraint(String, DataColumn, DataColumn)	Initializes a new instance of the ForeignKeyConstraint class with the specified name, parent and child DataColumn objects.
ForeignKeyConstraint(String, DataColumn[], DataColumn[])	Initializes a new instance of the ForeignKeyConstraint class with the specified name, and arrays of parent and child DataColumn objects.
ForeignKeyConstraint(String, String, String, String[], String[], AcceptRejectRule, Rule, Rule)	This constructor is provided for design time support in the Visual Studio environment. ForeignKeyConstraint objects created by using this constructor must then be added to the collection via AddRange(Constraint[]). Tables and columns with the specified names must exist at the time the method is called, or if BeginInit() has been called prior to calling this constructor, the tables and columns with the specified names must exist at the time that EndInit() is called.
ForeignKeyConstraint(String, String, String[], String[], AcceptRejectRule, Rule, Rule)	This constructor is provided for design time support in the Visual Studio environment. ForeignKeyConstraint objects created by using this constructor must then be added to the collection via AddRange(Constraint[]). Tables and columns with the specified names must exist at the time the method is called, or if BeginInit() has been called prior to calling this constructor, the tables and columns with the specified names must exist at the time that EndInit() is called.

Properties

_DataSet	Gets the DataSet to which this constraint belongs. (Inherited from Constraint)
AcceptRejectRule	Indicates the action that should take place across this constraint when AcceptChanges() is invoked.
Columns	Gets the child columns of this constraint.
ConstraintName	The name of a constraint in the ConstraintCollection. (Inherited from Constraint)
DeleteRule	Gets or sets the action that occurs across this constraint when a row is deleted.
ExtendedProperties	Gets the collection of user-defined constraint properties. (Inherited from Constraint)
RelatedColumns	The parent columns of this constraint.
RelatedTable	Gets the parent table of this constraint.
Table	Gets the child table of this constraint.
UpdateRule	Gets or sets the action that occurs across this constraint on when a row is updated.

Methods

CheckStateForProperty()	Gets the DataSet to which this constraint belongs. (Inherited from Constraint)
Equals(Object)	Gets a value indicating whether the current ForeignKeyConstraint is identical to the specified object.
GetHashCode()	Gets the hash code of this instance of the ForeignKeyConstraint object.
GetType()	Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object)
MemberwiseClone()	Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object)
SetDataSet(DataSet)	Sets the constraint's DataSet. (Inherited from Constraint)
ToString()	Gets the ConstraintName, if there is one, as a string. (Inherited from Constraint)

Thread Safety

This type is safe for multithreaded read operations. You must synchronize any write operations.

See also

• AcceptRejectRule
• DataTable
• ConstraintCollection
• Rule