C#

Create FUNCTION [dbo].[fn_GetStatus]
(
@StartDate Datetime,
@EndDate Datetime
)

RETURNS NVARCHAR(50)

BEGIN

DECLARE @Status NVARCHAR(50)

 IF @StartDate < getdate()
  BEGIN
   SET @Status = 'not started'
  END
 IF (@StartDate >= getdate() AND @EndDate <= getdate())
  BEGIN
   SET @Status = 'progressing'
  END
 IF (@EndDate > getdate())
  BEGIN
   SET @Status = 'expired'
  END
 RETURN @Status
END

SELECT starttime, endtime, dbo.fn_GetStatus(starttime, endtime) AS Statuses from TableName

Stuck At Zero wrote:

... million dollar question ...

Gerry Schmitz wrote:

You're simply making things harder for yourself with "older" technology.

Stuck At Zero wrote:

Am I better off doing this on Visual C++ or Visual Basic?

Gerry Schmitz wrote:

why it is better than say WPF.

Gerry Schmitz wrote:

You assume too much

Gerry Schmitz wrote:

Any solution (in this case) that is at least object-oriented is superior to one that simply "draws".

Gerry Schmitz wrote:

more useful in this case than simply "drawing" (as you are suggesting).

protected override void OnPaint(PaintEventArgs e)
{
    base.OnPaint(e);

    Pen borderPen = new Pen(Color.Black);
    borderPen.Width = ClientSize.Width <= 16 ? 2 : 4;

    if (this.IsError)
    {
        using (Graphics g = e.Graphics)
        {
            SolidBrush brushError = new SolidBrush(ColorError);
            g.FillEllipse(brushError, 0, 0, ClientSize.Width, ClientSize.Height);

            g.DrawEllipse(borderPen, 0, 0, ClientSize.Width, ClientSize.Height);

            brushError.Dispose();
        }
    }
    else
    {
        Pen pen = new Pen(PercentageColor);

        SolidBrush brushInside = new SolidBrush(PercentageColor);

        int colorStepGradient = 1;
        byte colorGradient = 255 / 10;

        using (Graphics g = e.Graphics)
        {
            g.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.AntiAlias;

            int x = 0, y = 0;
            Color origPenColor = pen.Color;
            Color origBrushColor = brushInside.Color;
            int width = ClientSize.Width, height = ClientSize.Height;

            //draw ellipses at smaller and smaller sizes, stepping by _colorStepGradient
            for (; x <= width && y <= height; x += colorStepGradient, y += colorStepGradient, width -= 2 * colorStepGradient, height -= 2 * colorStepGradient)
            {
                g.DrawEllipse(pen, x, y, width, height);
                g.FillEllipse(brushInside, x, y, width, height);

                byte newR = pen.Color.R;
                byte newG = pen.Color.G;
                byte newB = pen.Color.B;

                //select the next colour stepping by _colorGradient
                if (pen.Color.R + colorGradient <= 255)
                    newR = (byte) (pen.Color.R + colorGradient);

                if (pen.Color.G + colorGradient <= 255)
                    newG = (byte) (pen.Color.G + colorGradient);

                if (pen.Color.B + colorGradient <= 255)
                    newB = (byte) (pen.Color.B + colorGradient);

                Color newcolor = Color.FromArgb(newR, newG, newB);
                pen.Color = newcolor;
                brushInside.Color = newcolor;
            }

            pen.Color = origPenColor;
            brushInside.Color = origBrushColor;

            g.DrawEllipse(borderPen, 0, 0, ClientSize.Width, ClientSize.Height);

            pen.Dispose();
            brushInside.Dispose();
        }
    }
    GraphicsPath path = new GraphicsPath();
    path.AddEllipse(0, 0, ClientSize.Width, ClientSize.Height);
    this.Region = new Region(path);

    path.Dispose();
    borderPen.Dispose();
}

1. If you don't already have one, add a reference to System.Xml.Linq;
2. Add using System.Linq; and using System.Xml.Linq; at the top of your code file;
3. Use:
   C#

   XElement el = XElement.Parse(sReturnString);
   string sCredits = (string)el.Elements("data").Elements("credits").FirstOrDefault();
   return "Balance: " + sCredits;