Visual Basic

Here is a function to populate any combobox with data from a table column.This style wld work for any database. I prefer to use oracle in this instance.

You first have to create the function in a module or class 
and call it from anywhere in your project with the required parameters

<br />
<br />
'For instance, drop a combobox(combobox1) and a button(button1) and under the button add<br />
<br />
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _<br />
ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click<br />
<br />
'when calling from a class    <br />
'className.populateAnyCombo(comboboxName,"sql statment", _ <br />
'column name, connection string)<br />
<br />
'---call function from a module----<br />
<br />
PopulateAnyCombo(combobox1,"SQL(eg Select Column_Name from Table_Name)", _<br />
"column_name", connectionString)<br />
<br />
End Sub<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
'----------Place in a module or class----------<br />
<br />
Public Function PopulateAnyCombo(ByVal cBox As ComboBox, ByVal strSQL  _<br />
As String, ByVal tableColumn As String,ByVal connString As String ) As String()<br />
<br />
        Dim array(0) As String<br />
        Dim cnt As Integer = 0<br />
        Dim conn As New OracleConnection<br />
<br />
        conn.ConnectionString = connString<br />
        Try<br />
            conn.Open()<br />
        Catch ex As Exception<br />
            MsgBox("Failed conection to Oracle" & ex.Message)<br />
            Return array<br />
         End Try<br />
<br />
        Dim cmd As New OracleCommand<br />
        With cmd<br />
            .CommandText = strSQL<br />
            .CommandType = CommandType.Text<br />
            .Connection = conn<br />
        End With<br />
        'data reader to store recordsets retrieved<br />
        Dim dr As OracleDataReader<br />
<br />
'Reading an populating records in array<br />
'ReDim preserve increases the array size and preserve old members<br />
        Try<br />
            dr = cmd.ExecuteReader<br />
            While dr.Read<br />
                ReDim Preserve array(cnt)<br />
                array(cnt) = dr.Item(tableColumn)<br />
                cnt = cnt + 1<br />
            End While<br />
         <br />
            cBox.Items.Clear()<br />
            cBox.Items.AddRange(array)<br />
<br />
            Return array<br />
        Catch ex As Exception<br />
<br />
            Dim a(0) As String<br />
            a(0) = 0<br />
            Return a<br />
        Finally<br />
            conn.Close()<br />
            conn.Dispose()<br />
        End Try<br />
    End Function<br />
<br />
'-----------------place in a module or class-------------<br />
<br />

Would be glad to know if i helped solve a problem 
Criticisms to this snippet are welcomed
nan492001@yahoo.com