Write Relational Data to an XML File

The DataSet class can be used to read a relational database table and write this table to an XML file. This article shows you how you can write data from a database to an XML file using a data set object.
 
You use the WriteXml method to write a dataset data to an XML file.
 
In this sample example, first I create a dataset connection to the Northwind database. After that, I create a data adapter object and selects all records of the Customer table. After that, I can fill a method to fill a dataset from the data adapter.
 
Once a dataset if filled with records, I call the WriteXml method to write data to an XML file "CustTableDt.xml" in C:\ dir.
  1. // create a connection string  
  2. string connString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\\Northwind.mdb";  
  3. OleDbConnection myConnection = new OleDbConnection();  
  4. myConnection.ConnectionString = connString;  
  5. // create a data adapter  
  6. OleDbDataAdapter da = new OleDbDataAdapter("Select * from Customers", myConnection);  
  7. // create a new dataset  
  8. DataSet ds = new DataSet();  
  9. // fill dataset  
  10. da.Fill(ds, "Customers");  
  11. // write dataset contents to an xml file by calling WriteXml method  
  12. ds.WriteXml("C:\\CustTableDt.xml"); 
Don't forget to include System.Data and System.Data.OleDb namespaces.
 
The portion of XML file looks like the following:
  1. <?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>  
  2. <NewDataSet>  
  3.     - <myTable>  
  4.         <CustomerID>ALFKI</CustomerID>  
  5.         <CompanyName>Alfreds Futterkiste</CompanyName>  
  6.         <ContactName>Maria Anders</ContactName>  
  7.         <ContactTitle>Sales Representative</ContactTitle>  
  8.         <Address>Obere Str. 57</Address>  
  9.         <City>Berlin</City>  
  10.         <PostalCode>12209</PostalCode>  
  11.         <Country>Germany</Country>  
  12.         <Phone>030-0074321</Phone>  
  13.         <Fax>030-0076545</Fax>  
  14.     </myTable>  
  15.     - <myTable> 


Similar Articles
Mindcracker
Founded in 2003, Mindcracker is the authority in custom software development and innovation. We put best practices into action. We deliver solutions based on consumer and industry analysis.