In this article I will explain with an example, how to insert data into MySQL database in Windows Forms (WinForms) Application using C# and VB.Net.
 
 

Database

I have made use of the following table Customers with the schema as follows.
Insert into MySQL Database in C# and VB.Net
 
Note: You can download the database table SQL by clicking the download link below.
          Download SQL file
 
 

Form Design

The Form consists of following controls:
Label – For labeling the controls.
TextBox – For capturing Name to be inserted.
ComboBox – For selecting Country name to be inserted.
Button – For inserting record.
The Button has been assigned with a Click event handler.
Insert into MySQL Database in C# and VB.Net
 
 

Namespaces

You will need to import the following namespaces.
C#
using System.Configuration;
using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;
 
VB.Net
Imports System.Configuration
Imports MySql.Data.MySqlClient
 
 

Inserting into MySQL database in C# and VB.Net

Inside the Form Load event handler, the ComboBox items are added.
When Insert button is clicked, first the connection is read from App.Config file.
Note: For more details on how to read connection string from App.Config file, please refer my article .Net 4.5: Read (Get) Connection String from App.Config file using C# and VB.Net.
 
Then, the Name value is fetched from the TextBox, while the Country value is fetched from the ComboBox are inserted into the MySQL database using ExecuteScalar method of MySqlCommand class.
Note: For more details on ExecuteScalar method, please refer my article Understanding MySqlCommand ExecuteScalar in C# and VB.Net.
 
Finally, the TextBox and ComboBox value is set to empty and CustomerId of the inserted record is displayed in MessageBox.
C#
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    cbCountries.Items.Add("Please Select");
    cbCountries.Items.Add("United States");
    cbCountries.Items.Add("India");
    cbCountries.Items.Add("France");
    cbCountries.Items.Add("Russia");
}
 
private void OnInsert(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    int customerId;
    string sql = "INSERT INTO Customers (Name, Country) VALUES(@Name, @Country);";
    sql += "SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID();";
    string constr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    using (MySqlConnection con = new MySqlConnection(constr))
    {
        using (MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand(sql, con))
        {
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Name", txtName.Text);
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Country", cbCountries.SelectedItem);
            con.Open();
            customerId = Convert.ToInt32(cmd.ExecuteScalar());
            con.Close();
        }
    }
    txtName.Text = string.Empty;
    cbCountries.Text = string.Empty;
    MessageBox.Show("Inserted Customer ID: " + customerId);
}
 
VB.Net
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    cbCountries.Items.Add("Please Select")
    cbCountries.Items.Add("United States")
    cbCountries.Items.Add("India")
    cbCountries.Items.Add("France")
    cbCountries.Items.Add("Russia")
End Sub
 
Private Sub OnInsert(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnInsert.Click
    Dim customerId As Integer
    Dim sql As String = "INSERT INTO Customers (Name, Country) VALUES(@Name, @Country);"
    sql += "SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID();"
    Dim constr As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
    Using con As MySqlConnection = New MySqlConnection(constr)
        Using cmd As MySqlCommand = New MySqlCommand(sql, con)
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Name", txtName.Text)
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@Country", cbCountries.SelectedItem)
            con.Open()
            customerId = Convert.ToInt32(cmd.ExecuteScalar())
            con.Close()
        End Using
    End Using
    txtName.Text = String.Empty
    cbCountries.Text = String.Empty
    MessageBox.Show("Inserted Customer ID: " & customerId)
End Sub
 
 

Screenshots

The Form

Insert into MySQL Database in C# and VB.Net
 

Record after Insert in database

Insert into MySQL Database in C# and VB.Net
 
 

Downloads

Download Code