ASP.NET in a Nutshell

Name

DesignTimeData

Synopsis

This class provides shared helper methods that the design-time host (IDE) can use to generate “dummy” information for a sample rendering of a complex control. Typically, this class is used with table controls, as maintaining a database connection in design mode would be too resource intensive, and the data source provider may not even be available. Using the CreateDummyDataTable() method, a default table is created that uses no information from the actual data source. This table could be used before a control’s DataSource property is set.

Visual Studio .NET can also use a minimum amount of information to help present a design-time rendering of data tables. The GetDataFields() and GetDataMembers() methods retrieve a basic amount of information about the structure of the data source, which is then used when a dummy table is created with CreateSampleDataTable(). The GetDesignTimeDataSource() method adds sample rows into the specified data table control.

Public NotInheritable Class DesignTimeData
                  ' Public Shared Fields
   public Shared ReadOnly DataBindingHandler As EventHandler     // =System.EventHandler
                  ' Public Shared Methods
   Public Shared Function CreateDummyDataTable() As DataTable  
   Public Shared Function CreateSampleDataTable(
        ByVal referenceData As System.Collections.IEnumerable) As DataTable  
   Public Shared Function GetDataFields(
        ByVal dataSource As System.Collections.IEnumerable)_
    As PropertyDescriptorCollection  
   Public Shared Function GetDataMember( ByVal ...