XML and DataGrid

	XML and the Data Grid

Introduction

A data grid is the prime candidate to display values of an XML file. It displays its values as a table, using columns and rows.

Using a Data Grid

To display the values of an XML file in a data grid, once the values have been loaded through a data set, you can use the DataSource property, in which case you would simply assign the name of the DataSet variable to the DataGrid control.

Start Microsoft Visual C# or MS Visual Studio .Net and create a new Windows Forms Application named IntroXML1 with its default form
To create an XML file, on the main menu, click Project -> Add New Item...
In the Templates list, click XML File (.xml)
In the Name box, replace the string with employees
Click Open
Click the empty line under the first. Type <fullrecord>

Notice that as soon as you type the > sign, the closing tag is created. Complete the file as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<fullrecord>
  <employee>
    <firstname>Sylvie</firstname>
    <lastname>Aronson</lastname>
    <salary>25.64</salary>
    <gender>Female</gender>
  </employee>
  <employee>
    <firstname>Bertrand</firstname>
    <lastname>Yamaguchi</lastname>
    <salary>16.38</salary>
    <gender>Male</gender>
  </employee>
    <firstname>Anselme</firstname>
    <lastname>Bean</lastname>
    <salary>22.82</salary>
    <gender>Male</gender>
  <employee>
    <firstname>Mauricette</firstname>
    <lastname>Thomas</lastname>
    <salary>18.35</salary>
    <gender>Female</gender>
  </employee>
  <employee>
    <firstname>Hermine</firstname>
    <lastname>Gray</lastname>
    <salary>12.75</salary>
    <gender>Female</gender>
  </employee>
</fullrecord>

Save the XML file in your bin\Debug folder
Display the form
From the Windows Forms section of the Toolbox, click DataGrid and click the form:
Right-click the form and click View Code

To use a data set, declare a DataSet pointer in the form outside the constructor:

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;

namespace IntroXML1
{
	/// <summary>
	/// Summary description for Form1.
	/// </summary>
	public class Form1 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
	{
		private System.Windows.Forms.DataGrid dataGrid1;
		/// <summary>
		/// Required designer variable.
		/// </summary>
		private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;
		private DataSet dsEmployees;

		public Form1()
		{
			//
			// Required for Windows Form Designer support
			//
			InitializeComponent();

			//
			// TODO: Add any constructor code after InitializeComponent call
			//
		}

		
		. . .
	}
}

Display the form

Double-click any empty area on the form and implement its Load event as follows:

private void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
		{
			this.dsEmployees = new DataSet("employees");
			this.dsEmployees.ReadXml("employees.xml");
			this.dataGrid1.DataSource = this.dsEmployees;
			this.dataGrid1.DataMember = "employee";
		}

Test the application
Close the form


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