XML to DataTable

Question

I have tried various methods listed in responses here using stream, ReadXml, etc. and I'm getting the same results (no rows added). I'm fairly certain it is something that is wrong with my DataTable's structure.

DataTable code (contents of function that builds the structure and returns it):

DataTable dt = new DataTable();

dt.Columns.Add("Item");
dt.Columns.Add("Access1");
dt.Columns.Add("Access2");
dt.Columns.Add("Access3");
dt.Columns.Add("Access4");
dt.Columns.Add("Access5");
dt.TableName = "Permission";

return dt;

I have tried it with setting typeof(string) in the Add parameters (to match the schema), but that didn't help it.

DataTable schema:

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes"?>
<NewDataSet>
  <xs:schema id="NewDataSet" xmlns="" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:msdata="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xml-msdata">
    <xs:element name="NewDataSet" msdata:IsDataSet="true" msdata:MainDataTable="Permission" msdata:UseCurrentLocale="true">
      <xs:complexType>
        <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
          <xs:element name="Permission">
            <xs:complexType>
              <xs:sequence>
                <xs:element name="Item" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
                <xs:element name="Access1" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
                <xs:element name="Access2" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
                <xs:element name="Access3" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
                <xs:element name="Access4" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
                <xs:element name="Access5" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" />
              </xs:sequence>
            </xs:complexType>
          </xs:element>
       </xs:choice>
      </xs:complexType>
    </xs:element>
  </xs:schema>
</NewDataSet>

XML going in:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<Permissions>
  <Permission>
    <Item>Process 1</Item>
    <Access1>True</Access1>
    <Access2>True</Access2>
    <Access3>False</Access3>
    <Access4>False</Access4>
    <Access5>False</Access5>
  </Permission>
  <Permission>
    <Item>Process 2</Item>
    <Access1>True</Access1>
    <Access2>True</Access2>
    <Access3>True</Access3>
    <Access4>False</Access4>
    <Access5>False</Access5>
  </Permission>
</Permissions>

I have a feeling it has to do with my table structure, but I'm unsure where it is incorrect.

Thanks for any help you can give

Answer 1

Attach the DataTable to a DataSet , and XML serialize the dataset. DataSet is xml serializable; DataTable is not.

Sample program to show how this works:

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        DataTable dt = new DataTable();

        dt.Columns.Add("Item");
        dt.Columns.Add("Access1");
        dt.Columns.Add("Access2");
        dt.Columns.Add("Access3");
        dt.Columns.Add("Access4");
        dt.Columns.Add("Access5");
        dt.TableName = "Permission";

        for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
        {
            var row = dt.NewRow();
            row["Item"] = i;
            row["Access1"] = (i % 2 == 0 ? true : false);
            row["Access2"] = (i % 2 == 0 ? true : false);
            row["Access3"] = (i % 3 == 0 ? true : false);
            row["Access4"] = (i % 3 == 0 ? true : false);
            row["Access5"] = (i % 4 == 0 ? true : false);

            dt.Rows.Add(row);
        }

        dt.AcceptChanges();

        DataSet ds = new DataSet("Permissions");
        ds.Tables.Add(dt);

        var output = Console.OpenStandardOutput();
        ds.WriteXml(output);

        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

Answer 2

With code4life's explanation above about needing to have it in a DataSet, I put it into action like this:

DataTable table = CreatePermissionTable(); // uses the c# code listed in question

DataSet ds = new DataSet();
ds.Tables.Add(table);

try
{
    using(Stream stream = new FileStream(file, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
    {
        ds.ReadXml(stream);
        table = ds.Tables["Permission"];
        return table;
    }
}