Chapter 29. Typed DataSets and XSD

IN BRIEF

This chapter will show you how to extend the power of the DataSet with XML-driven schemas written in an XML dialect called XML Schema Definition (XSD). These schemas can define the structure of any data, including things such as keys, relationships, constraints, and much more. Because it is a human-readable dialect, XSD also gives you the ability to annotate schemas and in doing so, to provide documentation about them.

This chapter will show you how to work with XSD, how to integrate XSD into your DataSets, and how to create a strongly typed wrapper around a DataSet based on an XSD schema.

WHAT YOU NEED

REQUIRED SOFTWARE	.NET Framework SDK v1.1 Visual Studio .NET 2003 with C# installed
RECOMMENDED HARDWARE	PC that meets .NET SDK minimum requirements
SKILLS REQUIRED	C# and .NET familiarity Familiarity with security concepts helpful

TYPED DATASETS AND XSD AT A GLANCE

XML Schema Definition		589
	Introduction to XSD	589	Annotating XML Schemas	593
	Primitive Data Types in XSD	591	XML Schema Facets	594
	Derived Data Types	591	Programming XML SchemasThe XmlSchema Class	595
	Complex Data Types	592
	Grouping Elements	593
Structuring DataSets with Schema		599
	Defining Tables and Columns Using XML Schema	599	Defining DataSet Keys and Constraints with XML Schema	600
Typed DataSets		603
	Creating Typed DataSets in Visual Studio .NET	606	Using Typed DataSets	607
			Annotating Typed DataSets	609
	Building Typed DataSets Using XSD.EXE	607
Summary		611
Further Reading		611