[c#] How do I obtain a list of all schemas in a Sql Server database

I want to retrieve a list of all schemas in a given Sql Server database. Using the ADO.NET schema retrieval API I get a list of all collections but there is no collection for 'Schemas'. I could traverse the 'Tables', 'Procedures' collections (and others if required) and obtain a list of unique schema names but isn't there a easier/shorter way of achieving the same result?

Example: For the standard 'AdventureWorks' database I would like too obtain the following list - dbo,HumanResources,Person,Production,Purchasing,Sales (I've omitted the other standard schem names like db_accessadmin,db_datareader etc)

Edit: I can get the list of schemas by querying the system view - INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA but would prefer using the schema API as first choice.

If you are using Sql Server Management Studio, you can obtain a list of all schemas, create your own schema or remove an existing one by browsing to:

Databases - [Your Database] - Security - Schemas

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Try this query here:

SELECT * FROM sys.schemas

This will give you the name and schema_id for all defines schemas in the database you execute this in.

I don't really know what you mean by querying the "schema API" - these sys. catalog views (in the sys schema) are your best bet for any system information about databases and objects in those databases.

SELECT s.name + '.' + ao.name
       , s.name
FROM sys.all_objects ao
INNER JOIN sys.schemas s ON s.schema_id = ao.schema_id
WHERE ao.type='u';

You can also use the following query to get Schemas for a specific Database user:

select s.schema_id, s.name as schema_name
from sys.schemas s
inner join sys.sysusers u on u.uid = s.principal_id
where u.name='DataBaseUserUserName'
order by s.name

You can also query the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA view:

SELECT SCHEMA_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA

I believe querying the INFORMATION_SCHEMA views is recommended as they protect you from changes to the underlying sys tables. From the SQL Server 2008 R2 Help:

Information schema views provide an internal, system table-independent view of the SQL Server metadata. Information schema views enable applications to work correctly although significant changes have been made to the underlying system tables. The information schema views included in SQL Server comply with the ISO standard definition for the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.

Ironically, this is immediately preceded by this note:

Some changes have been made to the information schema views that break backward compatibility. These changes are described in the topics for the specific views.