Binding to Program-Generated Flat Data

Background

This project illustrates the program generation of a DataTable (Flat Data) and binding of this DataTable to the WinGrid™ control.

Overview

This exercise illustrates how to:

Programmatically Create a DataTable.
Add Columns to the DataTable.
Specify a Primary Key for the DataTable.
Add Rows to the DataTable.
Bind the DataTable to the UltraGrid.

The finished form should will something like this:

Start a New Project

Create a new Windows Application project.
From the Toolbox Windows Forms tab, add an UltraButton to the form and set the Text property to "Create and Bind Flat Data". (See above screen shot for placement.)
From the Toolbox add an UltraGrid to the form.

Create Flat Data and Bind to Grid

Add a Sub Procedure to respond to the "Create and Bind Flat Data" button’s Click event and add the following code to the procedure:

In Visual Basic:

Private Sub UltraButton1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles UltraButton1.Click
	' Declare a DataTable to contain the program generated data
	Dim dataTable As New DataTable("TableTest")
	' Create and add a CustomerID column
	Dim colWork As New DataColumn("CustomerID", GetType(Int32))
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork)
	' Add CustomerID column to key array and bind to DataTable
	Dim Keys(0) As DataColumn
	Keys(0) = colWork
	dataTable.PrimaryKey = Keys
	' Create and add a CustomerName column
	colWork = New DataColumn("CustomerName", GetType(String))
	colWork.MaxLength = 50
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork)
	' Create and add a LastOrderDate column
	colWork = New DataColumn("LastOrderDate", GetType(Date))
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork)
	' Add a row
	Dim row As DataRow = dataTable.NewRow()
	row("CustomerID") = 1
	row("CustomerName") = "John's Widgets"
	row("LastOrderDate") = Now
	dataTable.Rows.Add(row)
	' Add another row
	row = dataTable.NewRow()
	row("CustomerID") = 2
	row("CustomerName") = "Fred's Thingamagigs"
	row("LastOrderDate") = Now.AddDays(-101)
	dataTable.Rows.Add(row)
	' Bind the table to the grid
	Me.UltraGrid1.DataSource = dataTable
End Sub

In C#:

private void ultraButton1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
	// Declare a DataTable to contain the program generated data
	DataTable dataTable = new DataTable("TableTest");
	// Create and add a CustomerID column
	DataColumn colWork = new DataColumn("CustomerID", System.Type.GetType("System.Int32"));
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork);
	// Add CustomerID column to key array and bind to DataTable
	DataColumn[] Keys = new DataColumn[1];
	Keys[0] = colWork;
	dataTable.PrimaryKey = Keys;
	// Create and add a CustomerName column
	colWork = new DataColumn("CustomerName", System.Type.GetType("System.String"));
	colWork.MaxLength = 50;
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork);
	// Create and add a LastOrderDate column
	colWork = new DataColumn("LastOrderDate", System.Type.GetType("System.DateTime"));
	dataTable.Columns.Add(colWork);
	// Add a row
	DataRow row = dataTable.NewRow();
	row["CustomerID"] = 1;
	row["CustomerName"] = "Johns Widgets";
	row["LastOrderDate"] = System.DateTime.Now;
	dataTable.Rows.Add(row);
	// Add another row
	row = dataTable.NewRow();
	row["CustomerID"] = 2;
	row["CustomerName"] = "Freds Thingamagigs";
	row["LastOrderDate"] = System.DateTime.Now.AddDays(-101);
	dataTable.Rows.Add(row);
	// Bind the table to the grid
	this.ultraGrid1.DataSource = dataTable;
}

Build and Run the Project. The form displays.
Press "Create and Bind Flat Data" and the Program Generated Flat Data displays in the UltraGrid.

Review

This exercise shows how to create a DataTable with code and bind it to the WinGrid.