Customizing DataTable to hold custome object layer as data

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hi,

say, i have an object layer

C#

public class User
{
	public int Id{get;set;}
	public string FirstName{get;set;}
	public string LastName{get;set;}
	public string Address{get;set;}
}

now i want that datatable must contain User objects as a class. when i use datatable data row, it must return User object as datarow

like this

C#

User user = new User();
user = DataTable.rows[2];

or when i add data row, this should be

C#

datatable.rows.add(new User());

NOTE: i am not going to use Entity Data Model.

Posted 16-Dec-12 1:32am

Faisalabadians

Updated 16-Dec-12 2:31am

v3

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Jibesh 16-Dec-12 8:38am

why would you need a DataTable then? cant you use any other collection class, generic class etc?

2 solutions

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Pepin z Hane · Answer 1 · 2012-12-16T01:55:00

I think it's imposible retype DataRow as User, you must fill each property separately or you can use some Entity Framework which you don't want or you can have two constructors in User and fill it in one row like this:

C#

public class User
{
    public int Id{get;set;}
    public string FirstName{get;set;}
    public string LastName{get;set;}
    public string Address{get;set;}
    
    public User()
    {
    }
    public User(int Id, string FirstName, string LastName, string Address)
    {
        this.Id = Id;
        this.FirstName = FirstName;
        this.LastName = LastName;
        this.Address = Address;
    }
}
public void SomeMethod()
{
    User user = new User (DataTable.Rows[2][0], DataTable.Rows[2][1], DataTable.Rows[2][2], DataTable.Rows[2][3]);
}

Jibesh · Answer 2 · 2012-12-16T02:07:00

Solution 2

Yes. DataTable can store user defined objects in its columns.

use it like the other native types

DataTable dt = new dataTable();
dt.Columns.Add(new DataColumn("User",typeof(User));

DataRow row = dt.NewRow();
row["User"] = new User();

dt.Rows.Add(row);

User usr = dt.Rows[0]["User"] as User;

/EDIT
Provide the Column Name to retrieve the data
/EDIT

How to override DataTable and DataRow added. After OPs Comment.

how-to-extend-datarow-and-datatable-in-c-sharp-with-additional-properties-and-me[^]
Not sure how to inherit DataRow correctl[^]

Posted 16-Dec-12 2:07am

Jibesh

Updated 16-Dec-12 3:17am

v4

Comments

Faisalabadians 16-Dec-12 8:53am

dear, please see "User" is a type which has its own properties. these properties should becom column in datatable, and object of User should be added as datarow

Jibesh 16-Dec-12 8:58am

User has its own properties but these properties never gets added as column of the tables as if the Table Contains only one columns that is User. Unless you override the ToString() of User class if you load the DataTable in gridview or any other User Interface it will be displaying class name in the first column. no other data or column will be displayed or added to the DataTable

Faisalabadians 16-Dec-12 9:00am

is it possible to build a user defined datatable?

Jibesh 16-Dec-12 9:05am

If you want to add anything additional to the native class you are always welcome to override.

try deriving a class from DataRow to meet your request but must be careful you override/add all the methods in proper way so that consumer of this class use it without too much work.

Faisalabadians 16-Dec-12 9:07am

can u please tell me, how can i derive my class to datatable class? and which methods are requried to be overrieden to behave as i want?

Jibesh 16-Dec-12 9:18am

Check my updated solution for samples how to derive DataTable and DataRow