.NET Reference Guide

Working with Typed DataSets

Last updated Aug 26, 2004.

A typed dataset is a class that derives from DataSet and provides type-safe access to tables and columns. Since a typed dataset derives from the ADO.NET DataSet class, it inherits all of the methods, properties, and events of DataSet. The primary benefit of the typed dataset is that it allows you to access tables and columns by name rather than through collection-based methods. For example, using plain DataSet objects, the code to obtain the LastName column from a record in the Employees table would look like this:

[C#]

string lastName = dsEmployees1.Tables["Employees"].Rows[0]["LastName"].ToString();

[Visual Basic]

Dim lastName As String = dsEmployees1.Tables("Employees").Rows(0)("LastName").ToString()

That's assuming that dsEmployees1 is a DataSet object that had previously been filled with the data from the Employees table.

A typed dataset gives you access to the same information, but in a type-safe manner. For example, if dsEmployees1 were a typed dataset, then the code to obtain the LastName column from a record would look like this:

[C#]

string lastName = dsEmployees1.Employees[0].LastName;

[Visual Basic]

Dim lastName As String = dsEmployees1.Employees(0).LastName