http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ss7fbaez(VS.71).aspx

The ADO.NET DataSet is a memory-resident representation of data that provides a consistent relational programming model regardless of the source of the data it contains. A DataSet represents a complete set of data including the tables that contain, order, and constrain the data, as well as the relationships between the tables.

There are several methods of working with a DataSet, which can be applied independently or in combination. You can:

  • Programmatically create DataTables, DataRelations, and Constraints within a DataSet and populate the tables with data.
  • Populate the DataSet with tables of data from an existing relational data source using a DataAdapter.
  • Load and persist the DataSet contents using XML. For more information, see XML and the DataSet.

A strongly typed DataSet can also be transported using an XML Web service. The design of the DataSet makes it ideal for transporting data using XML Web services. For an overview of XML Web services, see XML Web Services Overview. For an example of consuming a DataSet from an XML Web service, see Consuming a DataSet from an XML Web Service.

In This Section

Creating a DataSet
Describes the syntax for creating an instance of a DataSet.
Adding a DataTable to a DataSet
Describes how to create and add tables and columns to a DataSet.
Adding a Relationship between Tables
Describes how to create relations between tables in a DataSet.
Navigating a Relationship between Tables
Describes how to use the relations between tables in a DataSet to return the child or parent rows of a parent-child relationship.
Using a DataSet with Existing Data
Describes how to resolve changes in a DataSet back to a data source using a DataAdapter.
Merging DataSet Contents
Describes how to merge the contents of one DataSet, DataTable, or DataRow array into another DataSet.
Copying DataSet Contents
Describes how to create a copy of a DataSet that can contain schema as well as specified data.
Working with DataSet Events
Describes the events of a DataSet and how to use them.
Working with a Typed DataSet
Discusses what a typed DataSet is and how to create and use them.

Related Sections

Accessing Data with ADO.NET
Describes the ADO.NET architecture and components and how to use them to access existing data sources as well as to manage application data.
XML and the DataSet
Describes how the DataSet interacts with XML as a data source, including loading and persisting the contents of a DataSet as XML data.
ADO.NET Architecture
Describes the components of ADO.NET, including the DataSet, and the roles they play in the ADO.NET architecture.
Populating a DataSet from a DataAdapter
Describes how to populate a DataSet with tables of data from an existing data source using a DataAdapter.
Visual Studio provides design time tools for creating and editing the typed datasets that store data in your application. Create typed datasets at design time in preparation of filling them with data at runtime. The following topics explain what typed datasets are, and how to create and edit the individual objects that make up typed datasets.

Collapse imageIn This Section

Datasets in Visual Studio Overview  ( http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8bw9ksd6(VS.80).aspx  )
Provides an explanation of what datasets are and the objects they are made of.
Dataset Designer
Provides an explanation of the design-time tools for creating datasets.
How to: Create a Typed Dataset
Explains how to create a typed dataset using design tools in Visual Studio.
How to: Extend the Functionality of a Dataset
Provides the steps for creating a partial class for the dataset where you can add code in addition to the designer-generated code.
How to: Open a Dataset in the Dataset Designer
Explains how to open datasets from Solution Explorer and the Data Sources window.
How to: Edit a Dataset
Explains how to edit the objects in a dataset using the Dataset Designer.
Walkthrough: Creating a Dataset with the Dataset Designer
Provides step-by-step instructions for creating a typed dataset without the help of the Data Source Configuration Wizard.
Designing DataTables
Provides links to topics that explain how to create and edit data tables with design-time tools.
Relationships in Datasets
Provides links to topics that explain how to create and edit data relations with design-time tools.

Collapse imageReference

DataSet
Represents an in-memory cache of data.
DataTable
Represents one table of in-memory data.
DataColumn
Represents the schema of a column in a DataTable.
DataRelation
Represents a parent/child relationship between two DataTable objects.
System.Data
Describes the ADO.NET classes, which expose data-access services to the .NET programmer.
System.Transactions
The System.Transactions namespace contains classes that allow you to write your own transactional application and resource manager.

Collapse imageRelated Sections

TableAdapters
Provides links to topics that explain how to create and edit TableAdapters with design-time tools.
Connecting to Data in Visual Studio
Provides links to topics that explain the different ways to connect to data in Visual Studio.
Fetching Data into Your Application
Provides links to topics explaining how to execute queries and stored procedures, and load data into datasets.
Displaying Data on Forms in Windows Applications
Provides links to topics that explain how to display data on Windows Forms through data-bound controls.
Editing Data in Your Application
Provides links to topics that explain working with the data in a dataset.
Validating Data
Provides links to topics explaining where to put code to validate data.
Saving Data
Provides links to topics explaining how to send updated data from an application to the database.
Working with DataSets (ADO.NET)
Describes how to create and customize DataSet objects.
DataTables (ADO.NET)
Describes how to create and customize DataTable objects.
ADO.NET
Provides links to topics that explain the data access features in the .NET Framework

 

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa720433(VS.71).aspx

In This Section

Accessing Data with ADO.NET
Describes the ADO.NET architecture and how to use the ADO.NET classes to manage application data and interact with data sources, including Microsoft SQL Server, OLE DB data sources, and XML.
Accessing Objects in Other Application Domains Using .NET Remoting
Describes the various communications methods available in the .NET Framework for remote communications.
Accessing the Internet
Shows how to use Internet access classes to implement both Web- and Internet-based applications.
Creating Active Directory Components
Discusses using Active Directory Services Interfaces (ADSI).
Creating Messaging Components
Discusses how to build complex messaging into your applications.
Creating System Monitoring Components
Discusses how to use performance counters and event logs with your application.
Creating Timer-Based Server Tasks
Discusses how to create events that are raised on reoccurring intervals.
Developing Components
Provides an overview of component programming and explains how those concepts work with the .NET Framework.
Developing World-Ready Applications
Explains the extensive support the .NET Framework provides for developing international applications.
Discovering Type Information at Run Time
Explains how to get access to type information at run time by using reflection.
Drawing and Editing Images
Discusses using GDI+ with the .NET Framework.
Emitting Dynamic Assemblies
Describes the set of managed types in the System.Reflection.Emit namespace.
Employing XML in the .NET Framework
Provides an overview to a comprehensive and integrated set of classes that work with XML documents and data in the .NET Framework.
Extending Metadata Using Attributes
Describes how you can use attributes to customize metadata.
Generating and Compiling Source Code Dynamically in Multiple Languages
Explains the .NET Framework SDK mechanism called the Code Document Object Model (CodeDOM), which enables the output of source code in multiple programming languages.
Grouping Data in Collections
Discusses the various collection types available in the .NET Framework, including stacks, queues, lists, arrays, and structs.
Handling and Raising Events
Provides an overview of the event model in the .NET Framework.
Handling and Throwing Exceptions
Describes error handling provided by the .NET Framework and the fundamentals of handling exceptions.
Hosting the Common Language Runtime
Explains the concept of a runtime host, which loads the runtime into a process, creates the application domain within the process, and loads and executes user code.
Including Asynchronous Calls
Discusses asynchronous programming features in the .NET Framework.
Interoperating with Unmanaged Code
Describes interoperability services provided by the common language runtime.
Managing Applications Using WMI
Explains how to create applications using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), which provides a rich set of system management services built into the Microsoft® Windows® operating systems.
Processing Transactions
Discusses the .NET Framework support for transactions.
Programming for Garbage Collection
Discusses how the garbage collector manages memory and how you can program to use memory more efficiently.
Programming with Application Domains and Assemblies
Describes how to create and work with assemblies and application domains.
Securing Applications
Describes .NET Framework code access security, role-based security, security policy, and security tools.
Serializing Objects
Discusses XML serialization.
Threading
Explains the runtime support for threading and how to program using various synchronization techniques.
Using Side-by-Side Execution
Explains what side-by-side execution is and how you can use it to run multiple copies of an application, a component, or the entire runtime.
Working With Base Types
Discusses formatting and parsing base data types and using regular expressions to process text.
Working with I/O
Explains how you can perform synchronous and asynchronous file and data stream access, and how to use to isolated storage.
Writing Serviced Components
Describes how to configure and register serviced components to access COM+ services.