Db2Forge 1.1.0

<p align="center"> <img src="https://github.com/barbhackk/Db2Forge/blob/main/db2forge.png?raw=true" width="300" alt="Db2Forge Icon"> </p>

A Doctrine-inspired ORM built for DB2/AS400 and .NET Framework 4.6.2+ et .NET 8+. No magic, no bloat — just clean EntityManager, Repository, and Flush-based transactions over ODBC.

<p align="center"> <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg" alt="License: MIT"> <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/.NET-4.6.2+-orange.svg" alt=".NET Framework"> <img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/.NET-8%2B-blue.svg" alt=".NET"> <img src="https://img.shields.io/github/stars/barbhackk/Db2Forge" alt="stars"> </p>

Package is available on NuGet

Features

• EntityManager — central entry point, inspired by Doctrine
• Repository<T> — typed queries with FindAll, FindBy, FindOneBy
• Criteria — fluent filter builder
• Unit of Work — Persist / Remove / Update + Flush in a single transaction
• CallProcedure — stored procedure support with Input / Output parameters
• Reflection-based mapping via standard .NET attributes ([Table], [Column], [Key])

Why ODBC ?

Db2Forge uses the IBM i Access ODBC Driver instead of DB2 Connect.

This means:

• ✅ No IBM DB2 Connect license required (saves hundreds/thousands €)
• ✅ Driver is free and included with IBM i Access Client Solutions
• ✅ Already installed in most AS/400 environments

Requirements

• .NET Framework 4.6+ and .NET 8+
• IBM i Access ODBC Driver installed on the host machine
• DB2/AS400 accessible via ODBC

Quick Start

1. Define your entity

Map your AS400 table using standard .NET Data Annotations:

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema;

[Table("MYBIB")]
public class MyClass
{
    [Key]
    [Column("FOCMUT")]
    public required string CodeMutation { get; set; }

    [Column("FOORGF")]
    public required string DistManagementState { get; set; }

    [Column("FOCFOR")]
    public required string StatusExplanationCode { get; set; }

    [Column("FONOM")]
    public required string SapNumber { get; set; }

    [Column("FOETAT")]
    public required string NetworkCode { get; set; }

    [Column("DNAIDT")]
    public required DateTime CreationDate { get; set; }

    [Column("DNAQTX")]
    public required string CreationProfile { get; set; }
}

2. Initialize the EntityManager

In configuration file (ex: web.config):

<configuration>
	<connectionStrings>
		...		
	</connectionStrings>
	<appSettings>
		<add key="webpages:Version" value="3.0.0.0" />
		<add key="webpages:Enabled" value="false" />

		<add key="Db2ForgeConnectionString" value="Driver={IBM i Access ODBC Driver};System=MLPDEV;Uid=SIR2000;Pwd=SIR2000;DefaultLibraries=SIREDG;" />

		
		<add key="CodeApplication" value="SIR" />

var manager = new EntityManager(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["Db2ForgeConnectionString"]);

It is better to specify the connection string in the settings or an environment variable than to pass it directly as a parameter.

Usage

Get a Repository

var repo = manager.GetRepository<MyClass>();

Find all records

var entities = repo.FindAll();
Console.WriteLine(entities.Count);

Find with criteria (fluent)

var criteria = new Criteria().Add("FOCMUT", "D");
var result = repo.FindOneBy(criteria);

Multiple conditions:

var criteria = new Criteria()
    .Add("FOORGF", "01")
    .Add("FOCFOR", "SUCCESS");

var results = repo.FindBy(criteria);

Insert

var d = new MyClass
{
    CodeMutation          = "D",
    DistManagementState   = "01",
    StatusExplanationCode = "SUCCESS",
    SapNumber             = "06546546",
    NetworkCode           = "545",
    CreationDate          = DateTime.Now,
    CreationProfile       = "SEBASTIEN"
};

manager.Persist(d);
manager.Flush();

Update

var criteria = new Criteria().Add("FOORGF", "01");
var entity = repo.FindOneBy(criteria);

if (entity != null)
{
    entity.CreationProfile = "DOUTRE";
    
    // Using de [Key] property on entity
    manager.Update(entity);
    // Or if you want specify other conditions 
    manager.Update(distributor, criteria);

    manager.Flush();
}

Delete

// Using [Key] property on your entity
manager.Remove(entity);
manager.Flush();

Batch operations (Unit of Work)

Operations are queued and executed in a single atomic transaction on Flush():

manager.Persist(entityA);
manager.Persist(entityB);
manager.Remove(entityC);
manager.Flush(); // all or nothing

Stored Procedures

Call AS400 stored procedures with typed Input / Output parameters:

var output = manager.CallProcedure("SPLIBPROC", new List<ProcedureParameter>
{
    new("CODEMUT",typeof(string), "D",                    7),
    new("DATEFF", typeof(string), DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyyMMdd"), 8),
    new("QUALIF", typeof(string), "", 1,  ParameterDirection.Output),
    new("CODE",   typeof(string), "", 1,  ParameterDirection.Output),
    new("LIBEL",  typeof(string), "", 30, ParameterDirection.Output),
    new("PRET",   typeof(string), "", 2,  ParameterDirection.Output),
});

Console.WriteLine(output["LIBEL"]?.ToString());

CallProcedure returns a Dictionary<string, object?> containing all Output and InputOutput parameter values.

Execute custom SQL

Execute custom SQL statements with

var entityManager = new EntityManager(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["Db2ForgeConnectionString"]);

StringBuilder strSQL = new StringBuilder();
List<string> whereSql = new List<string>();

strSQL.AppendLine("SELECT * FROM MYBIB");
strSQL.AppendLine("LEFT JOIN YDICMP ON CDPQCD = MYBIB.FOCMUT");

try
{
    whereSql.Add("MYBIB.FOCMUT = '" + param + "'");

    if (whereSql.Count > 0)
    {
        strSQL.AppendLine("WHERE " + string.Join(" AND ", whereSql));
    }

    var ressultSet = entityManager.ExecuteQuery<DiffuserDetailModel>(strSQL.ToString());
    
    return ressultSet.FetchAssociative();
}
catch (System.Exception ex)
{
    throw ex;
}

The ResultSet is typed and allows retrieving data as a list of objects of the specified type with FetchAllAssociative() or a single object with FetchAssociative(). It is also possible to get the number of entities found with GetCount(). GetResult() allows accessing the raw dataset.

Entity Mapping Reference

Project Structure

Db2Forge/
├── Core/
    ├── EntityManager.cs       # Entry point — Persist, Flush, Update, Remove, CallProcedure
    ├── Repository.cs          # FindAll, FindBy, FindOneBy
├── Helpers/
    ├── Formatter.cs           # SQL value formatting
    ├── Mapper.cs              # DataSet → typed object mapping
├── Infrastructure
    ├── Dao.cs                 # Raw ODBC layer — Fetch, ExecuteNonQuery, CallProcedure
    ├── ProcedureParameter.cs  # Input/Output parameter descriptor
└── Query/
    ├── Criteria.cs            # Fluent filter builder
    └── ResultSet.cs           # ResultSet for custom query

Sébastien Doutre

License

MIT — see LICENSE for details.