Transforming and Sorting Data with LINQ to DataSet

LINQ to DataSet provides a way to query and manipulate data stored in a DataSet object. In this article, we will focus on transforming and sorting data using LINQ to DataSet.

Syntax

var query = from row in dataSet.TableName
            // LINQ query expression for data transformation and sorting
            select row;

Example

Let's say we have a DataSet containing a table called "Customers" with columns "CustomerID", "CompanyName", "ContactName", "City", and "Country". We want to transform the data by selecting only the "CompanyName" and "Country" columns and sorting them by "CompanyName".

DataSet dataSet = new DataSet();
dataSet.ReadXml("Customers.xml");

var query = from row in dataSet.Tables["Customers"].AsEnumerable()
            orderby row.Field<string>("CompanyName")
            select new { CompanyName = row.Field<string>("CompanyName"), Country = row.Field<string>("Country") };

In the above example, we first read the data from the XML file "Customers.xml" into a DataSet object. Then, we use LINQ to DataSet to select only the "CompanyName" and "Country" columns from the "Customers" table, and sort the results by "CompanyName".

Output

The output of the query can be used to display the CompanyName and Country of each customer in the dataset.

Explanation

In the above syntax, we use LINQ query expression to transform and sort data in the DataSet. We start by selecting the table from the DataSet using the AsEnumerable() method, which returns an enumeration of DataRow objects. We then use the orderby keyword to sort the results by the "CompanyName" column. Finally, we use the select keyword to create a new anonymous type projection that includes only the "CompanyName" and "Country" columns.

Use

LINQ to DataSet is used to query, transform, and sort data stored in a DataSet object. It can be used to generate reports, display data in UI controls, or perform complex computations on data.

Important Points

• LINQ to DataSet provides a flexible and powerful way to query and transform data stored in a DataSet object.
• It enables developers to perform filtering, grouping, aggregation, and other data manipulations using standard LINQ syntax.
• The AsEnumerable() method is used to convert the DataTable to an enumeration of DataRow objects, which can be used in LINQ query expressions.

Summary

In this article, we have learned about using LINQ to DataSet to transform and sort data stored in a DataSet object. We have seen the syntax and usage of LINQ query expressions for data transformation and sorting. We have also noted the important points to keep in mind while using LINQ to DataSet.