ADO.NET Cookbook

8.8. Creating an XML File That Shows Changes Made to a DataSet

Problem

When you use the GetXML( ) method of the DataSet, you may see only the current values in the DataSet. You want to get the original values and see which rows were added, edited, or deleted.

Solution

Create an XML DiffGram, which is a document that details the modifications made to a DataSet.

The sample code contains two event handlers and a single method:

Form.Load

Sets up the sample by loading the Categories table from Northwind into a DataSet and displays the DiffGram for the DataSet before modification.

Make Changes Button.Click

Deletes the first row, modifies the second row, inserts a row before the first row, and adds a row to the end of the Categories DataTable

DisplayDiffGram( )

This method outputs the DiffGram for the DataSet to both a file and to a textbox on the form.

The C# code is shown in Example 8-12.

Example 8-12. File: XmlDiffgramForm.cs

// Namespaces, variables, and constants using System; using System.Configuration; using System.Text; using System.IO; using System.Xml; using System.Xml.Schema; using System.Data; using System.Data.SqlClient; // Table name constants private const String CATEGORIES_TABLE = "Categories"; // Field name constants private const String CATEGORYNAME_FIELD = "CategoryName"; private const String XMLDIFFGRAMFILENAME = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["Temp_Directory"] + "CategoriesDiffgram.xml"; private DataSet ds; // . . . private void XmlDiffgramForm_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs ...