DATA POINTS: Techniques in Filling ADO.NET DataTables: Performing Your Own Analysis

摘要

One of the most fundamental differences between ADO.NET and classic ADO is how the data is represented. In ADO.NET it's represented in related DataTable objects, whereas classic ADO represents data in Recordset objects. Using classic ADO, the typical app retrieves a single rowset and stores it in a single Recordset object. When using DataTable objects in ADO.NET, you can store several rowsets in several DataTable objects, all related to one another and contained within a single DataSet. For example, you can retrieve a customer rowset, order rowset, and an order detail rowset and store them in three DataTable objects within a single DataSet. This gives you great flexibility to manage your data. I've recently received several inquires asking which technique is best for retrieving data and populating a DataSet. Since the Microsoft" .NET Framework offers so many choices on how to write the code, many developers are now taking a close look at the different options in an effort to make the best choice for their apps. One of these choices is how to retrieve data, relate it, display it, and represent it in an app. The concept of running scenarios before deciding how to architect an application isn't new by any means. Its importance is quite critical, especially when presented with a relatively new development model such as the .NET Framework. Because developers are faced with so many new ways to build apps, it could be argued that testing is more critical than ever.