VB.NET DataSet Examples

Use the DataSet type to store multiple DataTables together.

DataSet stores many DataTables in VB.NET programs. A DataSet is conceptually a set of DataTables and other information about those tables. It is an abstraction that makes programs simpler to develop.

Info: This is a container for multiple DataTables. You can use it to create XML. It is a useful abstraction for simplifying programs.

Example. This example shows how to add multiple DataTables to a DataSet collection. You should have some DataTables instantiated. Then, create a new DataSet with the constructor. Next, add tables with the Tables.Add subroutine invocation.

Finally: We demonstrate that the GetXml() function will print formatted XML that represents the data.

VB.NET program that uses DataSet Module Module1 Sub Main() ' Two DataTables. Dim table1 As DataTable = New DataTable("patients") table1.Columns.Add("name") table1.Columns.Add("id") table1.Rows.Add("sam", 1) table1.Rows.Add("mark", 2) Dim table2 As DataTable = New DataTable("medications") table2.Columns.Add("id") table2.Columns.Add("medication") table2.Rows.Add(1, "atenolol") table2.Rows.Add(2, "amoxicillin") ' Create a DataSet. Put both tables in it. Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") set1.Tables.Add(table1) set1.Tables.Add(table2) ' Visualize DataSet. Console.WriteLine(set1.GetXml()) End Sub End Module Output <office> <patients> <name>sam</name> <id>1</id> </patients> <patients> <name>mark</name> <id>2</id> </patients> <medications> <id>1</id> <medication>atenolol</medication> </medications> <medications> <id>2</id> <medication>amoxicillin</medication> </medications> </office>

Using. The Using resource acquisition statement can be used with the DataSet. This sometimes alleviates memory usage problems in programs. The example demonstrates the correct syntax for the Using statement and a DataSet instance.

VB.NET program that shows Using statement with DataSet Module Module1 Sub Main() Using set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") ' Use set1 here. End Using End Sub End Module

Namespace, Prefix. One of the uses of DataSet is that it allows you to get XML data for its contents. This can generate complete XML files. With the Namespace and Prefix properties, you can form correct XML for your specific application's requirements.

Here: Look at how the Namespace "y" and the Prefix "x" appear in the output of this program.

VB.NET program that uses Namespace and Prefix Module Module1 Sub Main() ' Create DataTable. Dim table1 As DataTable = New DataTable("patients") table1.Columns.Add("name") table1.Columns.Add("id") table1.Rows.Add("sam", 1) ' Create DataSet. Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") set1.Tables.Add(table1) set1.Namespace = "y" set1.Prefix = "x" ' Visualize it. Console.WriteLine(set1.GetXml()) End Sub End Module Output <x:office xmlns:x="y"> <patients xmlns="y"> <name>sam</name> <id>1</id> </patients> </x:office>

DataSetName. It is possible to change the name of your DataSet. When you call the DataSet constructor with a String argument, that sets the initial name. You can also modify or read the name by using the DataSetName String property.

VB.NET program that uses DataSetName Module Module1 Sub Main() ' Initialize DataSet. Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") ' Display, set, then display DataSetName. Console.WriteLine(set1.DataSetName) set1.DataSetName = "unknown" Console.WriteLine(set1.DataSetName) End Sub End Module Output office unknown

Copy, Clear. The DataSet provides ways for you to copy the entire contents of it into another object. You can use the Copy function for this purpose. We also show the Clear subroutine here, which scrubs the contents of the enclosed DataTables.

Tip: When we call Clear, the copied DataSet is not changed. The two objects are in separate memory.

VB.NET program that uses Copy and Clear Module Module1 Sub Main() Dim table1 = New DataTable("patients") table1.Columns.Add("name") table1.Columns.Add("id") table1.Rows.Add("sam", 1) Dim table2 = New DataTable("medications") table2.Columns.Add("id") table2.Columns.Add("medication") table2.Rows.Add(1, "atenolol") ' Create a DataSet instance. Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") set1.Tables.Add(table1) set1.Tables.Add(table2) ' Copy. Dim copy As DataSet = set1.Copy() ' Clear original DataSet instance. set1.Clear() Console.WriteLine("set: {0}", set1.GetXml()) Console.WriteLine("copy: {0}", copy.GetXml()) End Sub End Module Output set: <office /> copy: <office> <patients> <name>sam</name> <id>1</id> </patients> <medications> <id>1</id> <medication>atenolol</medication> </medications> </office>

Loop through DataTables. Sometimes it is useful to loop through the DataTable instances stored in the enclosing DataSet. With a For-loop, we loop from 0 to the Count of the Tables collection minus one. Then we get each collection from the index value.

VB.NET program that loops through tables Module Module1 Sub Main() Dim table1 As DataTable = New DataTable("patients") table1.Columns.Add("name") table1.Columns.Add("id") table1.Rows.Add("sam", 1) Dim table2 As DataTable = New DataTable("medications") table2.Columns.Add("id") table2.Columns.Add("medication") table2.Rows.Add(1, "atenolol") table2.Rows.Add(6, "trifluoperazine") ' Create the DataSet. Dim set1 As DataSet = New DataSet("office") set1.Tables.Add(table1) set1.Tables.Add(table2) ' Loop over tables in the DataSet. Dim collection As DataTableCollection = set1.Tables For i As Integer = 0 To collection.Count - 1 ' Get table. Dim table As DataTable = collection(i) Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", i, table.TableName) Next ' First table. Console.WriteLine("x: {0}", set1.Tables(0).TableName) ' Row count of medications table. Console.WriteLine("y: {0}", set1.Tables("medications").Rows.Count) End Sub End Module Output 0: patients 1: medications x: patients y: 2

GetXml. The GetXml function, and its sibling GetXmlSchema, provide an easy way to visualize data in your programs. Some programs even persist their data as XML files, which makes these methods even more useful.

GetXml: This returns the data in the DataSet as XML. The return value is of type String.

GetXmlSchema: This returns a special document that reveals the layout of the data in the DataSet.

Summary. The DataSet is a powerful abstract data type that can store many instances of DataTables. It can be seen as a standard way of grouping together many DataTables. Those DataTables in turn store many DataColumn and DataRow object instances.DataTable DataRow

Thus: DataSet assumes its place at the root of the .NET Framework hierarchy of data objects.

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VB.NET DataSet Examples

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