Relationships in Datasets
A dataset can contain related tables like a relational database. The object that facilitates a relationship between data tables is a DataRelation object. The following topics provide information about ADO.NET DataRelation objects, how to create them, and how to use them to work with data in related tables.
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In This Section
Introduction to DataRelation Objects
Provides an overview of how datasets allow you to specify relationships between tables and how you can take advantage of these relationships.How to: Create DataRelations with the Dataset Designer
Explains how to use the Dataset Designer to add a DataRelation object to a dataset.How to: Access Records in Related DataTables
Explains how to programmatically return related records in a typed dataset with tables in a one-to-many relationship.How to: Display or Hide Relationship Names on the Dataset Designer
Explains how to toggle on and off the displaying of the relationship name on the Dataset Designer surface.Walkthrough: Creating a Relationship between Data Tables
Provides step-by-step instructions for creating two data tables with the Dataset Designer and adding a relation between them.
Reference
DataRelation
Represents a parent/child relationship between two T:System.Data.DataTable objects.GetChildRows
Gets the child rows of a T:System.Data.DataRow.GetParentRow
Gets the parent rows of a T:System.Data.DataRow.Rule
Indicates the action that occurs when a ForeignKeyConstraint is enforced.Unique
Gets or sets a value indicating whether the values in each row of the column must be unique.Constraint
Represents a constraint that can be enforced on one or more DataColumn objects.
Related Sections
Adding DataRelations (ADO.NET)
Describes how to create relations between tables in a DataSet.Navigating DataRelations (ADO.NET)
Describes how to use the relations between tables in a DataSet to return the child or parent rows of a parent-child relationship.Nesting DataRelations (ADO.NET)
Discusses the importance of nested DataRelation objects when representing the contents of a DataSet as XML data, and describes how to create them.