Copying Dataset Tables

[samsmithnz]

I have a dataset that is created from an XML document. This document usually looks something like this (except I have grossly simplified it):

<Line>
   <RandomData></RandomData>
   <Items>
       <Item>
           <Code></Code>
           <Value></Value>
       </Item>
       <Item>
           <Code></Code>
           <Value></Value>
       </Item>
   </Items>
</Line>

 

I take this xml document and load it into a Dataset. This creates 3 tables, Line, Items and Item, along with several relations and constraints. I directly load the Item node into a datagrid to display my data.

 

This is fine, but some XML responses I receive look like this:

<Line>
   <RandomData></RandomData>
   <Items/>
</Line>

 

This isn't good, as it means I don't have the Item schema information anymore and can't add new items... or bind anything to my datagrid as the table doesn't even exits. So I've been trying to build the schema myself. Its easy adding the tables, but I CAN'T add the relations. The main thing here, is that there aren't any obvious foriegn and primary key columns to set with...

 

can anyone help???

[Nerseus]

If it were me, I'd load the DataSet with the full schema (using your first XML snippet that contains everything - or as much as you can get into one XML file). Save the DataSet using WriteXml with a second param of XmlWriteMode.WriteSchema. You can then create your dataset from the saved schema. When you want to load XML into the DataSet, use ReadXml and specify XmlReadMode.IgnoreSchema.

 

-Nerseus

[samsmithnz]

Yeh that's what I had to do in the end. Its still weird how the relations are created on a XML document though, and weirder still that you can't replicate the relations programmatically.