Designing DataTables

Visual Studio provides design-time tools for creating and editing data tables (DataTable). For an overview of what a DataTable is, see DataTables (ADO.NET).

The following topics explain how to create data tables, add them to typed datasets using the Dataset Designer, and create and edit the data columns (DataColumn) that define them.

Note

The dialog boxes and menu commands you see might differ from those described in Help depending on your active settings or edition. To change your settings, choose Import and Export Settings on the Tools menu. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.

In This Section

• How to: Create Data Tables
  Provides the steps to create a new DataTable with the Dataset Designer.

• How to: Add Columns to a DataTable
  Provides the steps to create a new DataColumn in an existing DataTable.

• Walkthrough: Creating a DataTable in the Dataset Designer
  Provides step-by-step instructions for creating a DataTable and defining the DataColumns that make up its structure.

Reference

• DataSet
  Represents an in-memory cache of data.

• DataTable
  Represents one table of in-memory data.

• DataColumn
  Represents the schema of a column in a DataTable.

• DataRelation
  Represents a parent/child relationship between two DataTable objects.

Related Sections

• DataTables (ADO.NET)
  Describes how to create and customize DataTable objects.

• TableAdapters
  Provides links to topics that explain how to create and edit TableAdapters with design time tools.

• Connecting to Data in Visual Studio
  Provides links to topics that explain the different ways to connect to data in Visual Studio.

• Preparing Your Application to Receive Data
  Provides links to topics explaining what datasets are, how to create new datasets, and how to create and edit the individual objects they are made of.

• Fetching Data into Your Application
  Provides links to topics explaining how to execute queries and stored procedures, and load data into datasets.

• Binding Controls to Data in Visual Studio
  Provides links to topics that explain how to display data on Windows Forms through databound controls.

• Editing Data in Your Application
  Provides links to topics that explain working with the data in a dataset.

• Validating Data
  Provides links to topics explaining where to put code to validate data.

• Saving Data
  Provides links to topics explaining how to send updated data from an application to the database.