to use or not to use a dataset

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nikhil Patel
  • Start date Start date
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Nikhil Patel

Hi all,
I am writing a web form to edit SQL Server data. When the form loads, I am
going to read a single record from a SQL Server table and display it's
column values in textboxes,dropdowns,etc. The table contains about 60 to 70
fields(columns) and I need to display all of them on the form. So my
question is should I read the values in a DataSet? And what is the best way
to save data back to SQL Server?
Thanks.
-Nikhil
 
Hi,

I would use DataSet.
It has a bit of overhead compared to DataReader approach, however, creating
save mechanism is easier IMO - there are also wizards that help you.
You would need a DataAdapter to store data back to database.
 
Xavier Pacheco said:
While it's true that the code is easier to work with, I almost always
lean to the better performing alternative even if it requires more work.
Click to expand...

In my experience, that's usually a mistake. The time to make that
decision is after benchmarking the particular application and finding
out whether that overhead is relevant - I suspect that it very, very
rarely is. "Premature optimisation is the root of all evil" and all
that.

I wouldn't actually use a full DataSet though - I'd just use DataTable.
That makes things even simpler.
 
Jon Skeet said:
In my experience, that's usually a mistake. The time to make that
decision is after benchmarking the particular application and finding
out whether that overhead is relevant - I suspect that it very, very
rarely is. "Premature optimisation is the root of all evil" and all
that.
Click to expand...

Yes, true.
I wouldn't actually use a full DataSet though - I'd just use DataTable.
That makes things even simpler.
Click to expand...

However, in this case you would loose strong typing (or you might turn to
CodeSmith to do it for you (strong typing) - better, smarter and easier than
wizards).
www.ericjsmith.net/codesmith
 
However, in this case you would loose strong typing (or you might turn to
CodeSmith to do it for you (strong typing) - better, smarter and easier than
wizards).
www.ericjsmith.net/codesmith
Click to expand...

Yes, that's true. I'm so used to working on the Compact Framework where
there *aren't* strongly typed datasets, I don't tend to think of them
:(
 
Miha,

I miss something, what is a strongly typed datareader?

And

How are you so sure that an application with 70 different fields using a
datareader will win from basicly nothing else than when used a dataset (in a
kind of VBNet pseudo).

Select * from mytable
bla bla
da.fill(mydataset)

for each ctr as control in myform.controls
if typeof ctr is textbox then
directcast(ctr,textbox).databindings.Add(New Binding("Text",
mydataset.Tables(0), ctr.tag.tostring))
end if
next

(While you even can take a part of the name of the textbox when you make
them equal using substring or just place the textboxes dynamicly on form and
give them a numer from two digits at the end and use those)

I get as well the idea that you say using datatables makes things simpler,
you can in my opinion not use 10% from the functionality from dotDet when
you use only a datatable instead of a dataset. By instance XML in a
webservice, dsWriteXML and even more important datarelations and a lot more,
how do you come on that opinion, I would never have expected that from you,
probably I did understand this wrong?

(For me a datatable is an equivalent to a disconnected recordset, which has
even less functionality from that)

You know written with a friendly smile on my face.

Cor
 
Cor Ligthert said:
I miss something, what is a strongly typed datareader?
Click to expand...

There's no such thing, as far as I know, and Miha wasn't suggesting
there was.

Reread the thread - Miha was suggesting using a DataSet (presumably a
strongly typed one). Xavier was suggesting using a DataReader instead.

I get as well the idea that you say using datatables makes things simpler
Click to expand...

Again, Miha didn't suggest that - I did.
you can in my opinion not use 10% from the functionality from dotDet when
you use only a datatable instead of a dataset. By instance XML in a
webservice, dsWriteXML and even more important datarelations and a lot more,
how do you come on that opinion, I would never have expected that from you,
probably I did understand this wrong?
Click to expand...

Your 10% figure seems pretty arbitrary - and in this case, there's
absolutely no indication that relations or XML are required. The OP
wants to read a single row from a table, display it to the user, and
then write it back to the database. No need for inter-table relations,
no need for web services.

When there are reasons to use a DataSet, use it - but if you only need
the functionality required by DataTable, why add the extra layer?
 
I do understand what you're saying. My own experience with these
ASP.NET apps is that most of the time, the data is being read in a
read-only fashion or as a single-record case as in Nikhil's situation.
I have done performance testing on the differences and depending on how
the site is going to be used, a datareader may be the better option.
Nevertheless, your point is taken.

--
Xavier Pacheco
Xapware Technologies Inc

manage your projects: www.xapware.com/ActiveFocus.htm
the blog: www.xavierpacheco.com/xlog
the book: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0672324431//xavierpacheco-20
 
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