Saving and retriving images in database through WS

[Marco Pais]

Hi there.

I'm developing a small application that uses Web Services to access database
and store data.

At some point, I store some images, by inserting the absolute image path
into a varchar field (SQL Server 2005). Images themselves are copied to that
path on the server. To read the images, I just use this path.

However, some workstations have to authenticate the server that path. To
avoid other problems, like deleting those images, I want to store images
directly in database, on a Image field.

So, after this long intro, I could have this code on server side (WS), to
save images:

/****/
[WebMethod]
public void SaveImage( string name, byte[] imageData )
{
//use the web.config to store the connection string
SqlConnection connection = new
SqlConnection(C onfigurationSet tings.AppSettin gs["DSN"]);
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand( "INSERT INTO Image(name, data)
VALUES (@name, @data)", connection );
SqlParameter pName = new SqlParameter( "@name", SqlDbType.VarCh ar,50 );
pName.Value = name;
command.Paramet ers.Add( pName );
SqlParameter pData = new SqlParameter( "@data", SqlDbType.Image );
pData.Value = imageData;
command.Paramet ers.Add( pData );
try
{
connection.Open ();
int numRowsAffected = command.Execute NonQuery();
}
finally
{
connection.Clos e();
}
}
/****/

and on client side:

/****/
remoteService.S erviceSoapClien t srv = new remoteService.S erviceSoapClien t();
Image image = Image.FromFile( @"c:\myimage.bm p");
using(MemoryStr eam stream = new MemoryStream())
{
image.Save( stream );
byte[] buffer = steam.ToByteArr ay();
srv.SaveImage( "myimage", buffer );
}
/****/

My questions: is this good practice? Is there a better way to do it?

Thanks in advance. Sorry the long post.

Marco

[cfps.Christian]

Looks like you've got the right idea if you want to do it that way.
You mentioned that you have workstations using this telling me its
potentially an internal app, if thats the case what we did when I had
a similar issue was save the image/file to a shared directory on the
server and put the path to the image in the database.

[Marco Pais]

Right bow, I'm using a shared folder on the server. The problem is that
workstations aren't connected to a domain controler (windows home editons
versions only), and the first time workstations try to access server, thay
must authenticate.

Well, "regular" computer users, can't deal well with this, as you can
imagine.

"cfps.Christian " <ge*******@otc. eduescreveu na mensagem
news:d1******** *************** ***********@q78 g2000hsh.google groups.com...

Looks like you've got the right idea if you want to do it that way.
You mentioned that you have workstations using this telling me its
potentially an internal app, if thats the case what we did when I had
a similar issue was save the image/file to a shared directory on the
server and put the path to the image in the database.