A major function of the DataView is to allow for data binding on both Windows Forms and Web Forms.
Additionally, a DataView can be customized to present a subset of data from the DataTable. This capability lets you have two controls bound to the same DataTable, but that show different versions of the data. For example, one control might be bound to a DataView that shows all the rows in the table, and a second might be configured to display only the rows that have been deleted from the DataTable. The DataTable also has a DefaultView property. This returns the default DataView for the table. For example, if you want to create a custom view on the table, set the RowFilter on the DataView returned by the DefaultView.
To create a filtered and sorted view of data, set the RowFilter and Sort properties. Then, use the Item property to return a single DataRowView.
You can also add and delete from the set of rows using the AddNew and Delete methods. When you use those methods, the RowStateFilter property can set to specify that only deleted rows or new rows be displayed by the DataView.
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If you do not explicitly specify sort criteria for DataView, the DataRowView objects in DataView are sorted based on the index of DataView's corresponding DataRow in the DataTable.Rows DataRowCollection. |
LINQ to DataSet allows developers to create complex, powerful queries over a DataSet by using LINQ. A LINQ to DataSet query returns an enumeration of DataRow objects, however, which is not easily used in a binding scenario. DataView can be created from a LINQ to DataSet query and takes on the filtering and sorting characteristics of that query. LINQ to DataSet extends the functionality of the DataView by providing LINQ expression-based filtering and sorting, which allows for much more complex and powerful filtering and sorting operations than string-based filtering and sorting. See Data Binding and LINQ to DataSet for more information.