How to get stored procedure to return results when called through Linq-to-SQL

Question

I have the following stored procedure:

CREATE PROC [Scanner].[proc_AllContracts_Sel_Grid_Filter]
    (@SearchText VARCHAR(500), 
     @CampaignStartDate DATETIME = NULL, 
     @CampaignEndate DATETIME = NULL,
     @isPNPSelected BIT = NULL,
     @isSparSelected BIT = NULL,
     @isClicksSelected BIT = NULL)
AS  
    SET NOCOUNT ON;
    SET TRANSACTION ISOLATION LEVEL READ UNCOMMITTED;
BEGIN
    SELECT       
        Sales.AccountManager.FirstName + N' ' + Sales.AccountManager.LastName AS AccountManagerName, 
        Sales.Contract.ContractNumber, 
        Sales.AccountManager.Code AS AccountManagerInitials_Code, 
        Client.Client.ClientName, 
        MAX(Sales.Burst.ChainName) AS ChainName,
        MAX(Sales.Burst.BrandName) AS BrandName, 
        MAX(Sales.Burst.MediaName) AS MediaType,  
        DATEDIFF(wk, Sales.vContractDates.FirstWeek, 
        Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek) + 1 AS CampaignTotalRunningWeeks, 
        ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.FirstWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate) AS CampaignFirstWeek, 
        ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate) AS CampaignLastWeek, 
        DATEADD(wk, 1, ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), 
        Sales.Contract.CreationDate)) AS ContractTerminationDate, 
        Sales.Contract.CreatedBy, 
        Sales.Contract.CreationDate, 
        Sales.Contract.Signed, 
        Sales.Contract.SignedBy, 
        Sales.Contract.SignDate, 
        Sales.Contract.ContractID,
        (SELECT COUNT(*) AS Expr1
         FROM Sales.StoreList WITH (NOLOCK) 
         INNER JOIN Sales.Burst AS b WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.StoreList.BurstID = b.BurstID
         WHERE (b.ContractID = Sales.Contract.ContractID) 
           AND (b.ChainName LIKE '%pick ''n pay%')) AS PNP_NumberOfStoresSelected,
       (SELECT COUNT(*) AS Expr1
        FROM Sales.StoreList AS StoreList_2 WITH (NOLOCK) 
        INNER JOIN Sales.Burst AS b WITH (NOLOCK) ON StoreList_2.BurstID = b.BurstID
        WHERE (b.ContractID = Sales.Contract.ContractID) 
          AND (b.ChainName LIKE '%Spar%')) AS Spar_NumberOfStoresSelected,
(SELECT        COUNT(*) AS Expr1
FROM            Sales.StoreList AS StoreList_1 INNER JOIN
                            Sales.Burst AS b ON StoreList_1.BurstID = b.BurstID
WHERE        (b.ContractID = Sales.Contract.ContractID) AND (b.ChainName LIKE '%Click%')) AS Clicks_NumberOfStoresSelected, 
     -- SELECTED FOR SCANNER DATA
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSelectedForScannerData], [PriorPeriod_isSelectedForScannerData], [PostPeriod_isSelectedForScannerData])AS BIT), 0) AS isSelectedForScannerData,
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SelectedForScannerData_Date], [PriorPeriod_SelectedForScannerData_Date], [PostPeriod_SelectedForScannerData_Date])AS DATETIME) AS SelectedForScannerData_Date,
     -- PNP READY
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isPNPDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isPNPDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isPNPDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS PNP_isDataReadyForPRC, 
     -- SPAR READY
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSPARDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isSPARDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isSPARDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS SPAR_isDataReadyForPRC,  
     -- CLICKS READY
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS CLICKS_isDataReadyForPRC,
      -- READY DATES 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_PNPReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_PNPReadyDate], [PostPeriod_PNPReadyDate])AS DATETIME) AS PNP_ReadyDate,
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_CLICKSReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_CLICKSReadyDate], [PostPeriod_CLICKSReadyDate])AS DATETIME) AS CLICKS_ReadyDate,
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SPARReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_SPARReadyDate], [PostPeriod_SPARReadyDate])AS DATETIME) AS SPAR_ReadyDate,
     -- PNP SUBMISSION
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS PNP_isDataSubmittedForPRC, 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_PNPSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_PNPSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_PNPSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME) AS PNP_SubmissionDate,
     -- CLICKS SUBMISSION
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS CLICKS_isDataSubmittedForPRC, 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_CLICKSSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_CLICKSSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_CLICKSSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME) AS CLICKS_SubmissionDate,
     -- SPAR SUBMISSION
      ISNULL(CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT),0) AS SPAR_isDataSubmittedForPRC, 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SPARSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_SPARSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_SPARSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME) AS SPAR_SubmissionDate,
      ISNULL(COUNT([NovaDB].[Scanner].BarcodeRequest.ID),0) AS barcodecount

FROM            Client.Client INNER JOIN
                        Sales.Contract WITH (NOLOCK) ON Client.Client.ClientID = Sales.Contract.ClientID INNER JOIN
                        Sales.AccountManager WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.Contract.AccountManagerID = Sales.AccountManager.AccountManagerID INNER JOIN
                        Sales.Burst WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.Contract.ContractID = Sales.Burst.ContractID INNER JOIN
                        Sales.vVisibleContractList WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.Contract.ContractID = Sales.vVisibleContractList.ContractID LEFT OUTER JOIN
                        [NovaDB].[Scanner].[DataRequest] WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.Contract.ContractNumber = [NovaDB].[Scanner].[DataRequest].[ContractNumber] LEFT OUTER JOIN
                        Sales.vContractDates WITH (NOLOCK) ON Sales.Contract.ContractID = Sales.vContractDates.ContractID LEFT OUTER JOIN [NovaDB].[Scanner].BarcodeRequest ON [NovaDB].[Scanner].[DataRequest].ID = [NovaDB].[Scanner].BarcodeRequest.DataRequestId
WHERE        (Sales.Contract.Cancelled = 0) AND (Sales.Contract.Signed = 1)

                          --DYNAMIC WHERE CLAUSE FOR VARIOUS PARAMETERS WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE PASSED IN::

                         AND (@CampaignStartDate IS NULL OR ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.FirstWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate) >= @CampaignStartDate)
                         AND (@CampaignEndate IS NULL OR ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate) <= @CampaignEndate)

                          -- ONLY ONE STORE CAN BE SELECTED AT A TIME

                         AND 

                         (@isPNPSelected IS NULL OR @isPNPSelected = 1 OR Sales.Burst.ChainName LIKE N'%pick ''n pay%')
                         OR  (@isSparSelected IS NULL OR @isSparSelected = 1 OR Sales.Burst.ChainName LIKE N'%Spar%')
                         OR  (@isClicksSelected IS NULL OR @isClicksSelected =1 OR Sales.Burst.ChainName LIKE N'%Clicks%')

                         AND 

                         -- FILTER BY 1.) Chain. 2)Media Type. 3) ClientName. 4) BrandName. 5) ContractNumber

                         (@SearchText IS NULL OR @SearchText = '' 
                         OR Sales.AccountManager.FirstName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%'
                         OR Sales.AccountManager.LastName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%'
                         OR Sales.Burst.ChainName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%'
                         OR Sales.Burst.MediaName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%'
                         OR Client.Client.ClientName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%' 
                         OR Sales.Burst.BrandName LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%' 
                         OR Sales.Contract.ContractNumber LIKE N'%' + @SearchText + '%')

GROUP BY Sales.AccountManager.FirstName + N' ' + Sales.AccountManager.LastName, 
         Sales.Contract.ContractNumber, 
         Sales.AccountManager.Code, 
         Client.Client.ClientName, 
         DATEDIFF(wk, Sales.vContractDates.FirstWeek,Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek) + 1, 
         ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.FirstWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate), 
         ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek,Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate), 
         DATEADD(wk, 1, ISNULL(ISNULL(Sales.vContractDates.LastInstallWeek, Sales.Contract.SignDate), Sales.Contract.CreationDate)), 
         Sales.Contract.CreatedBy, 
         Sales.Contract.CreationDate, 
         Sales.Contract.SignedBy, 
         Sales.Contract.SignDate, 
         Sales.Contract.Signed, 
         Sales.Contract.ContractID,
      -- SELECTED FOR SCANNER DATA
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSelectedForScannerData], [PriorPeriod_isSelectedForScannerData], [PostPeriod_isSelectedForScannerData])AS BIT),
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SelectedForScannerData_Date], [PriorPeriod_SelectedForScannerData_Date], [PostPeriod_SelectedForScannerData_Date])AS DATETIME),
     -- PNP READY
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isPNPDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isPNPDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isPNPDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),  
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_PNPReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_PNPReadyDate], [PostPeriod_PNPReadyDate])AS DATETIME),
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_CLICKSReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_CLICKSReadyDate], [PostPeriod_CLICKSReadyDate])AS DATETIME),
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SPARReadyDate], [PriorPeriod_SPARReadyDate], [PostPeriod_SPARReadyDate])AS DATETIME),
     -- PNP SUBMISSION
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isPNPDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT), 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_PNPSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_PNPSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_PNPSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME),
       -- CLICKS READY
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isCLICKSDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),  
     -- CLICKS SUBMISSION
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isCLICKSDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT), 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_CLICKSSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_CLICKSSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_CLICKSSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME),
      -- SPAR READY
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSPARDataReadyForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isSPARDataReadyForPRC], [PostPeriod_isSPARDataReadyForPRC])AS BIT),  
     -- SPAR SUBMISSION
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC], [PriorPeriod_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC], [PostPeriod_isSPARDataSubmittedForPRC])AS BIT), 
      CAST(COALESCE([PriorYear_SPARSubmissionDate], [PriorPeriod_SPARSubmissionDate], [PostPeriod_SPARSubmissionDate])AS DATETIME)
      return
END

I created a LINQ To SQL dbml and dragged the stored procedure onto it and this is how I am calling it:

using (var db = new Contexts.Connections().ScannerDataToolDB())
{
    var allContractsList = db.proc_AllContracts_Sel_Grid_Filter(SearchText, CampaignStartDate, CampaignEndate, isPNPSelected, isSparSelected, isClicksSelected).ToList();
}

There are three problems with the stored procedure:

1. I tested the @SearchText parameter (passing null to all the other parameters) and it basically does nothing. In other words, it has no effect - whether I leave it null or give it values that correlate to the data in the columns, it returns the same results (all the columns).

   Please help me fix this guys. I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I was trying to write 'safe' dynamic SQL.

2. The second problem that I run into is that the C# code doesn't break but it returns no values. 0 Results. I know that the problem has be with the way that the query is written because I tested if my dbml works with other stored procedures (and they retrieved data just fine), including changing the body of this proc to return something like:

   Select * Sales.Contract.ContractNumber
   

   and it returned +800 000 records.

I tested the other parameters and they don't seem to have any effect whatsoever.

EXEC    [Scanner].[proc_AllContracts_Sel_Grid_Filter]
        @SearchText = '',
        @CampaignStartDate =  @srtDate,
        @CampaignEndate = @endDate,
        @isPNPSelected = 1,
        @isSparSelected = 1,
        @isClicksSelected = 1

The query even generated the following warning message:

Warning: Null value is eliminated by an aggregate or other SET operation.

What am I doing horribly wrong? Please help me.

Answer 1

You can drag a stored procedure onto the designer and use it, as you've seen with other stored procedures. Try to clarify the problem you're seeing.

1. Are the parameters being passed to the database? Attach the profiler to your SQL Server instance and trace the command. You'll immediately be able to see if anything is being passed to your stored procedure.

2. Test your stored procedure directly - from SQL Management Studio. Does it work?

3. Assuming your SQL works, log the command you are sending. LINQ-to-SQL easily outputs every command it sends. If the command is as expected then your stored procedure is suspect. If the command is not as expected, your C# is suspect.

4. Debug the LINQ-to-SQL code. The dbml file generates a lot of classes that you can debug. Put some breakpoints in there and check the parameters you are passing.

It looks like you are passing classes to the method (SearchText, CampaignStartDate, CampaignEndate) but I strongly suspect you just have inconsistent casing. Unless you're doing something clever with the properties on these objects being passed, this should just work.