In this article I will explain with an example, how to check Username availability i.e. check whether Username exists in database or not using JavaScript XmlHttp and AJAX and in ASP.Net with C# and VB.Net.
 
 
Database
I have made use of the following table Users with the schema as follows.
Check whether User Name already exists using JavaScript and XmlHttp
 
I have already inserted few records in the table.
Check whether User Name already exists using JavaScript and XmlHttp
 
Note: You can download the database table SQL by clicking the download link below.
          Download SQL file
 
 
HTML Markup
The following HTML Markup consists of:
TextBox – For entering UserName.
The HTML TextBox has been assigned an OnKeyUp event handler which calls the ClearMessage JavaScript function.
Button – For checking whether UserName already exists or not.
The HTML Button has been assigned with a JavaScript onclick event handler which calls the CheckAvailability JavaScript function.
SPAN – For displaying UserName availability message.
Username:
<input id="txtUsername" type="text" onkeyup="ClearMessage()" />
<input id="btnCheck" type="button" value="Show Availability" onclick="CheckAvailability()" />
<br />
<span id="message"></span>
 
 
Stored Procedure
The following Stored Procedure will be used to check whether the supplied Username exists in the database or not.
It will return TRUE, if the Username does not exists in database i.e. it is available and it will return FALSE, if the Username exists in the database i.e. it is already in use.
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[CheckUserAvailability]
      @UserName VARCHAR(50)
AS
BEGIN
      SET NOCOUNT ON;
      IF NOT EXISTS(SELECT UserName FROM Users
                    WHERE UserName = @UserName)
      BEGIN
            SELECT 'TRUE'
      END
      ELSE
      BEGIN
            SELECT 'FALSE'
      END
END
GO
 
 
Namespaces
You will need to import the following namespaces.
C#
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Web.Services;
 
VB.Net
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Web.Services
 
 
The Web Method
Inside the WebMethod, the CheckUserAvailability Stored Procedure is called and returns the value returned from the Stored Procedure back to the Client Side function.
C#
[WebMethod]
public static bool CheckUserName(string username)
{
    bool status = false;
    string conString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(conString))
    {
        using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("CheckUserAvailability", conn))
        {
            cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@UserName", username);
            conn.Open();
            status = Convert.ToBoolean(cmd.ExecuteScalar());
            conn.Close();
        }
    }
    return status;
}
 
VB.Net
<WebMethod>
Public Shared Function CheckUserName(ByVal username As StringAs Boolean
    Dim status As Boolean = False
    Dim conString As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
    Using conn As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(conString)
        Using cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand("CheckUserAvailability", conn)
            cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@UserName", username)
            conn.Open()
            status = Convert.ToBoolean(cmd.ExecuteScalar())
            conn.Close()
        End Using
    End Using
    Return status
End Function
 
 
Client Side implementation
CheckAvailability JavaScript function
When the Button is clicked, CheckAvailability JavaScript function is called.
Inside this function, an AJAX call is made to the CheckUserName Web Method using JavaScript XmlHttp function which accepts the username as parameter.
Note: For more details on calling Web Method using XmlHttp, please refer
When the response is received, based on whether the Username is available or in use, appropriate message is displayed in the HTML SPAN element.
ClearMessage JavaScript function
The ClearMessage JavaScript function gets called when user types in the TextBox, it simply clears the message displayed in the HTML SPAN element.
<script type="text/javascript">
    function CheckAvailability() {
        var username = document.getElementById("txtUsername").value;
        var request;
        if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
            //New browsers.
            request = new XMLHttpRequest();
        }
        else if (window.ActiveXObject) {
            //Old IE Browsers.
            request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
        }
        if (request != null) {
            var url = "Default.aspx/CheckUserName";
            request.open("POST", url, false);
            var sendStr = "{username: '" + username + "'}";
            request.setRequestHeader("Content-Type""application/json");
            request.onreadystatechange = function () {
                if (request.readyState == 4 && request.status == 200) {
                    var messages = document.getElementById("message");
                    if (JSON.parse(request.responseText).d) {
                        //Username available.
                        message.style.color = "green";
                        message.innerHTML = "Username is available";
                    }
                   else {
                        //Username not available.
                        message.style.color = "red";
                        message.innerHTML = "Username is NOT available";
                    }
                }
            };
            request.send(sendStr);
        }
    }
 
    function ClearMessage() {
        document.getElementById("message").innerHTML = "";
    };
</script>
 
 
Screenshot
Check whether User Name already exists using JavaScript and XmlHttp
 
 
Browser Compatibility
The above code has been tested in the following browsers.
Internet Explorer  FireFox  Chrome  Safari  Opera
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Demo
 
 
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