How to view a DataTable while debugging

Question

I\'m just getting started using ADO.NET and DataSets and DataTables. One problem I\'m having is it seems pretty hard to tell what values are in the data table when trying to

Answer 1

    /// 

    /// Dumps the passed DataSet obj for debugging as list of html tables
    /// 
    ///  the msg attached 
    ///  the DataSet object passed for Dumping 
    ///  the nice looking dump of the DataSet obj in html format
    public static string DumpHtmlDs(string msg, ref System.Data.DataSet ds)
    {
        StringBuilder objStringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
        objStringBuilder.AppendLine("");

        if (ds == null)
        {
            objStringBuilder.AppendLine("Null dataset passed ");
            objStringBuilder.AppendLine("");
            WriteIf(objStringBuilder.ToString());
            return objStringBuilder.ToString();
        }

        objStringBuilder.AppendLine("
" + msg + " START 
");
        if (ds != null)
        {
            if (ds.Tables == null)
            {
                objStringBuilder.AppendLine("ds.Tables == null ");
                return objStringBuilder.ToString();
            }


            foreach (System.Data.DataTable dt in ds.Tables)
            {

                if (dt == null)
                {
                    objStringBuilder.AppendLine("ds.Tables == null ");
                    continue;
                }
                objStringBuilder.AppendLine("");

                //objStringBuilder.AppendLine("================= My TableName is  " +
                //dt.TableName + " ========================= START");
                int colNumberInRow = 0;
                objStringBuilder.Append("");
                foreach (System.Data.DataColumn dc in dt.Columns)
                {
                    if (dc == null)
                    {
                        objStringBuilder.AppendLine("DataColumn is null ");
                        continue;
                    }


                    objStringBuilder.Append("  ");
                    colNumberInRow++;
                } //eof foreach (DataColumn dc in dt.Columns)
                objStringBuilder.Append("");

                int rowNum = 0;
                foreach (System.Data.DataRow dr in dt.Rows)
                {
                    objStringBuilder.Append("");
                    int colNumber = 0;
                    foreach (System.Data.DataColumn dc in dt.Columns)
                    {
                        objStringBuilder.Append(" ");
                        colNumber++;
                    } //eof foreach (DataColumn dc in dt.Columns)
                    rowNum++;
                    objStringBuilder.AppendLine(" ");
                }   //eof foreach (DataRow dr in dt.Rows)

                objStringBuilder.AppendLine("
row number
 |" + colNumberInRow.ToString() + " | ");
                    objStringBuilder.Append(  dc.ColumnName.ToString() + " 
 row - | " + rowNum.ToString() + " | 
 |" + colNumber + "|" );
                        objStringBuilder.Append(dr[dc].ToString() + "  
");
                objStringBuilder.AppendLine("
" + msg + " END 
");
            }   //eof foreach (DataTable dt in ds.Tables)

        } //eof if ds !=null 
        else
        {

            objStringBuilder.AppendLine("NULL DataSet object passed for debugging !!!");
        }
        return objStringBuilder.ToString();

    }