Setting Default Table Views Using a DataViewManager

You can use a DataViewManager to manage view settings for all the tables in a DataSet. If you have a control that you want to bind to multiple tables, such as a grid that navigates relationships, a DataViewManager is ideal.

The DataViewManager contains a collection of DataViewSetting objects that are used to set the view setting of the tables in the DataSet. The DataViewSettingCollection contains one DataViewSetting object for each table in a DataSet. You can set the default ApplyDefaultSort, Sort, RowFilter, and RowStateFilter properties of the referenced table using its DataViewSetting. You can reference the DataViewSetting for a particular table by name or ordinal reference, or by passing a reference to that specific table object. You can access the collection of DataViewSetting objects in a DataViewManager using the DataViewSettings property.

The following code example fills a DataSet with the Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Northwind database Customers, Orders, and Order Details tables, creates the relationships between the tables, uses a DataViewManager to set default DataView settings, and binds a DataGrid to the DataViewManager. The example sets the default DataView settings for all tables in the DataSet to sort by the primary key of the table (ApplyDefaultSort = true), and then modifies the sort order of the Customers table to sort by CompanyName.

' Create a Connection, DataAdapters, and a DataSet.
Dim nwindConn As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection("Data Source=localhost;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=northwind")

Dim custDA As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter("SELECT CustomerID, CompanyName FROM Customers", nwindConn)
Dim orderDA As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter("SELECT OrderID, CustomerID FROM Orders", nwindConn)
Dim ordDetDA As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter("SELECT OrderID, ProductID, Quantity FROM [Order Details]", nwindConn)

Dim custDS As DataSet = New DataSet()

' Open the Connection.
nwindConn.Open()

    ' Fill the DataSet with schema information and data.
    custDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey
    orderDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey
    ordDetDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey

    custDA.Fill(custDS, "Customers")
    orderDA.Fill(custDS, "Orders")
    ordDetDA.Fill(custDS, "OrderDetails")

    ' Close the Connection.
    nwindConn.Close()

    ' Create relationships.
    custDS.Relations.Add("CustomerOrders", _
          custDS.Tables("Customers").Columns("CustomerID"), _
          custDS.Tables("Orders").Columns("CustomerID"))

    custDS.Relations.Add("OrderDetails", _
          custDS.Tables("Orders").Columns("OrderID"), _
          custDS.Tables("OrderDetails").Columns("OrderID"))

' Create default DataView settings.
Dim myDVM As DataViewManager = New DataViewManager(custDS)

Dim myDVS As DataViewSetting

For Each myDVS In myDVM.DataViewSettings
  myDVS.ApplyDefaultSort = True
Next

myDVM.DataViewSettings("Customers").Sort = "CompanyName"

' Bind to a DataGrid.
Dim myGrid As System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid = New System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid()
myGrid.SetDataBinding(myDVM, "Customers")
[C#]
// Create a Connection, DataAdapters, and a DataSet.
SqlConnection nwindConn = new SqlConnection("Data Source=localhost;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=northwind");

SqlDataAdapter custDA = new SqlDataAdapter("SELECT CustomerID, CompanyName FROM Customers", nwindConn);
SqlDataAdapter orderDA = new SqlDataAdapter("SELECT OrderID, CustomerID FROM Orders", nwindConn);
SqlDataAdapter ordDetDA = new SqlDataAdapter("SELECT OrderID, ProductID, Quantity FROM [Order Details]", nwindConn);

DataSet custDS = new DataSet();

// Open the Connection.
nwindConn.Open();

    // Fill the DataSet with schema information and data.
    custDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey;
    orderDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey;
    ordDetDA.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey;

    custDA.Fill(custDS, "Customers");
    orderDA.Fill(custDS, "Orders");
    ordDetDA.Fill(custDS, "OrderDetails");

    // Close the Connection.
    nwindConn.Close();

    // Create relationships.
    custDS.Relations.Add("CustomerOrders",
          custDS.Tables["Customers"].Columns["CustomerID"],
          custDS.Tables["Orders"].Columns["CustomerID"]);

    custDS.Relations.Add("OrderDetails",
          custDS.Tables["Orders"].Columns["OrderID"],
          custDS.Tables["OrderDetails"].Columns["OrderID"]);

// Create default DataView settings.
DataViewManager myDVM = new DataViewManager(custDS);

foreach (DataViewSetting myDVS in myDVM.DataViewSettings)
  myDVS.ApplyDefaultSort = true;

myDVM.DataViewSettings["Customers"].Sort = "CompanyName";

// Bind to a DataGrid.
System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid myGrid = new System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid();
myGrid.SetDataBinding(myDVM, "Customers");

See Also

Creating and Using DataViews | DataSet Class | DataViewManager Class | DataViewSetting Class | DataViewSettingCollection Class