Univar - Session, cookie, query string & cache variables unified

Updated Wiki: TestHome1

ZiadJ — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:57:20 GMT

As a web developer I have often had to work with the session, cookie, query string and cache to persist data locally. But it has always struck me that there was no neat way of doing so. So I came up with this wrapper which is meant to provide a simple and unified model to work with local storages. It is type safe and supports complex data types even when working with cookies and query strings, thanks to Json serialization. Also a variable can seamlessly be based on more than one persistence type if need be.

Below is a sample code that creates an object to store and integer in a session under the key "counter":

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter");

The Value property is used as follows to manipulate the integer:

  count.Value = count.Value + 10;

Now to store the integer in a cookie the Sources.Cookie argument can be used as follows:

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter", Sources.Cookie);

And this is how the Sources enum is declared whereby Sources.Session is the default when not specified:

  public enum Sources
 {
     None = 0,
     QueryString = 1,
     Session = 2,
     PathBoundSession = 4,
     Cookie = 8,
     PathBoundCookie = 16,
     SessionBoundCookie = 32,
     UserBoundCookie = 64,
     Cache = 128,
     PathBoundCache = 256,
     SessionBoundCache = 512,
     UserBoundCache = 1024,
     BrowserBoundCache = 2048,
     FileCache = 4096,
     PathBoundFileCache = 8192,
     UserBoundFileCache = 16384,
     SessionBoundFileCache = 32768,
     BrowserBoundFileCache = 65536,
  }

The key "counter" can be hardcoded in a custom class Keys to avoid typo errors:

  var count = new DynamicStore(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

This is a generic version of the above example:

  var count = new DynamicStore<int>(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

Complex types are also supported as shown here using a custom class Person:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1");

More than one source type can also be specified sequencially as follows in case the former type returns a null value:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

In the above example the object will first look for the specified key in the session. If this attempt fails then the request will turn to the next sources cookie and cache in the queue.

By default our object value is saved to all the targets in the source list(ie session, cookie and cache in our case). You can avoid writing to the cache, for example, by limiting the target types to the session and cookie as follows:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Targets.Session + Targets.Cookie, Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

Note that saving complex objects to the cookie and query string is achieved by using Json serialization.

Now there is yet another way to access keys, more especially those having a common prefix. Here is how:

 var persons = new DynamicStore<Person>("person");
 var person1 = persons[1].Value;
 var person2 = persons[2].Value;

Note that "_" is the default delimiter used to seperate the parent a.nd the child key. It is also the default key delimiter used with cookies since they inherently support parent/child keys.

Note that you can call the ToString() function on any object having a complex generic type to obtain its Json representation.

This wrapper brings a lot of flexibility but you should avoid saving more data to cookies and query strings than they can handle. A cookie will automatically clear itself when it grows beyond its size limit. To help overcome those issues an error will be thrown whenever the query string size grows beyond its 2048kb size limit and cookie compression has now been implemented.

More information on this project will be added with time if it gets enough traction from the community and meanwhile, of course, your suggestions, questions and critics are most welcome.

</form>

Updated Wiki: TestHome1

ZiadJ — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:56:25 GMT

<form id="form1" accept-charset="UNKNOWN" enctype="application/x-www-form-urlencoded" method="get">

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter");

The Value property is used as follows to manipulate the integer:

  count.Value = count.Value + 10;

Now to store the integer in a cookie the Sources.Cookie argument can be used as follows:

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter", Sources.Cookie);

And this is how the Sources enum is declared whereby Sources.Session is the default when not specified:

  public enum Sources
 {
     None = 0,
     QueryString = 1,
     Session = 2,
     PathBoundSession = 4,
     Cookie = 8,
     PathBoundCookie = 16,
     SessionBoundCookie = 32,
     UserBoundCookie = 64,
     Cache = 128,
     PathBoundCache = 256,
     SessionBoundCache = 512,
     UserBoundCache = 1024,
     BrowserBoundCache = 2048,
     FileCache = 4096,
     PathBoundFileCache = 8192,
     UserBoundFileCache = 16384,
     SessionBoundFileCache = 32768,
     BrowserBoundFileCache = 65536,
  }

The key "counter" can be hardcoded in a custom class Keys to avoid typo errors:

  var count = new DynamicStore(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

This is a generic version of the above example:

  var count = new DynamicStore<int>(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

Complex types are also supported as shown here using a custom class Person:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1");

More than one source type can also be specified sequencially as follows in case the former type returns a null value:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Targets.Session + Targets.Cookie, Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

 var persons = new DynamicStore<Person>("person");
 var person1 = persons[1].Value;
 var person2 = persons[2].Value;

</form>

Updated Wiki: TestHome

ZiadJ — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:44:49 GMT

As a web developer I have often had to work with the session, cookie, query string and cache to persist data locally. But it has always struck me that there was no neat way of doing so. So I came up with this wrapper which is meant to provide a much simpler and unified model to work with. It is type safe and supports complex data types even when working with cookies and query strings, thanks to Json serialization which by the way has full support within javascript. Also a variable can seamlessly be based on more than one persistence type if need be.

Below is a sample code that creates an object to store and integer in a session under the key "counter":

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter");

The Value property is used as follows to manipulate the integer:

  count.Value = count.Value + 10;

Now to store the integer in a cookie the Sources.Cookie argument can be used as follows:

  var count = new DynamicStore("counter", Sources.Cookie);

And this is how the Sources enum is declared whereby Sources.Session is the default when not specified:

public enum Sources
{
        None = 0,
        QueryString = 1,
        Session = 2,
        PathBoundSession = 4,
        Cookie = 8,
        PathBoundCookie = 16,
        SessionBoundCookie = 32,
        UserBoundCookie = 64,
        Cache = 128,
        PathBoundCache = 256,
        SessionBoundCache = 512,
        UserBoundCache = 1024,
        BrowserBoundCache = 2048,
        FileCache = 4096,
        PathBoundFileCache = 8192,
        UserBoundFileCache = 16384,
        SessionBoundFileCache = 32768,
        BrowserBoundFileCache = 65536,
}

The key "counter" can be hardcoded in a custom class Keys to avoid typo errors:

  var count = new DynamicStore(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

This is a generic version of the above example:

  var count = new DynamicStore<int>(Keys.Counter, Sources.Cookie);

Complex types are also supported as shown here using a custom class Person:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1");

More than one source type can also be specified sequencially as follows in case the former type returns a null value:

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

  var person1 = new DynamicStore<Person>("person_1", Targets.Session + Targets.Cookie, Sources.Session, Sources.Cookie, Sources.Cache);

  var persons = new DynamicStore<Person>("person");
 var person1 = persons[1].Value;
 var person2 = persons[2].Value;

</form>

Source code checked in, #68503

ZiadJ — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:03:51 GMT

Fixed a bug where the HttpContext was not retrieved when used asynchronously.

Source code checked in, #68502

ZiadJ — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:42:49 GMT

- Fixed a bug where the default value was not returned when no value was found for derivatives of the StorageBase class - Fixed a bug where QueryStringBuilder.Append function did not update the internal value.

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:36:54 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Update: Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0b. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since the counterpart DynamicStore<int> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Released: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:36:54 GMT

Source code checked in, #68397

ZiadJ — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 01:06:39 GMT

Source code checked in, #68396

ZiadJ — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 01:05:13 GMT

Minor changes

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:23:29 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0b. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since the counterpart DynamicStore<int> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Released: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:23:29 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0b. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since the counterpart DynamicStore<int> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:12:57 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0b. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since its counterpart DynamicStore<T> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Source code checked in, #68394

ZiadJ — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:51:59 GMT

- Made the GetValue, SetValue and PlainValue abstract in the StoreBase class.

Source code checked in, #68253

ZiadJ — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:31:14 GMT

Source code checked in, #68251

ZiadJ — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:11:05 GMT

Source code checked in, #68250

ZiadJ — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:51:14 GMT

- Added method Clear, function KeyExists and property PlainValue to the StorageBase class. - Implemented the PlainValue property in all inheriting classes. - Further refactoring in the DynamicStore class.

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:59:20 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since its counterpart Storage.DynamicStore<T> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Released: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:59:20 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it since its counterpart Storage.DynamicStore<T> can be used instead. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:57:44 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it in favor of its new counterpart Storage.DynamicStore<int>. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets

Updated Release: Univar 1.4.5 (Jan 23, 2010)

ZiadJ — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:53:21 GMT

- Keys used by the PersistentProperty object now include the page path so as to avoid ambiguity amongst similarly named controls in different pages.
- Modified methods associated with the server cookie to better use the shared ability.

Note that this version however is about to be replaced by the upcoming version 2.0. One of the most noticeable changes in it are that classes Local and Var have been renamed to Storage and DynamicStore respectively. Classes representing primitive variable types like Local.Integer have also been removed in it. The latest changeset is available here:
http://univar.codeplex.com/SourceControl/list/changesets