Add an overload of SqlBulkCopy.WriteToServer that takes an IEnumerable<object[]>

[mburbea]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Often I find myself needing to dump some content quickly into sql server, and map the columns sequentially. While I can create a DataRow[], or populate a DataTable, those remove the ability for me to stream data. Requiring me to buffer the entire dataset before sending it to the server.

The only solution that works that retains streaming is to create a DbDataReader and I often end up writing a simple adapter to do just that.

Which means I end writing something like::

await bulkCopy.WriteToServerAsync(new DbDataReaderAdapter(myData.Select(x=> new[]{
x.Field1,
...
x.ComplicatedThingy();
}, NumberOfColumns)), cancellationToken);

Describe the solution you'd like

I think adding the following methods would be ideal.

public class SqlBulkCopy
{
      public Task WriteToServerAsync(IEnumerable<object[]> rows, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
      public void WriteToServer(IEnumerable<object[]> rows);
}

This would save writing the adapter into my code base and get the desired result.
Ultimately, SqlBulkCopy only currently calls the following methods on a non SqlDataReader

bool Read();
int FieldCount {get;}
object GetValue(int ordinal);
bool IsDbNull(int ordinal);

Describe alternatives you've considered

There are obviously tools like SSIS and Import/Export wizard, but if I need to do this programatically (e.g. calling a webapi and dump the content), there's no easier way than sql bulk copy.

[cheenamalhotra]

Hi @mburbea

We will definitely look into the enhancement sometime in future. Thanks for the suggestion!

[airbreather]

Another alternative: our team uses IEnumerable<SqlDataRecord> all the time for our TVPs. Perhaps SqlBulkCopy could take in one of those instead of IEnumerable<object[]>?