Vista - Migrating to WCF

Hello,

We've just come off creating a medium to large size client server
application over the past 3 years using .NET 1.1 c# w/ Sql Server 2000
as the backend. We're about to create a similar client server
project. We decided to use strongly typed datasets and datatables and
we loved it. The ability to use DataRelations, Expression columns,
DataViews with Filters and sorting has been very cool! We basically
had our strongly typed datatables all derive from a BaseDataTable that
handles the connection to the database using System.Data.SqlClient
classes.

Anyway, my question is, if we decide to move our entire model to WCF,
does that mean we'd have to ditch using strongly typed datatables and
move to simple data types or maybe some simple classes such as (excuse
the sloppy code):

class Person
{
public int PersonID;
public string FirstName;
public string LastName;
}

It seems we could keep the strongly typed tables and serialize them,
but i'm also curious what the recommended design approach is.

Thanks!
Dave

With VS orcas on Beta1 w/ Linq support, it may be worth looking at using
Linq to Sql depending on projected project end date. Naturally, there is
other factors such as to invest more in WinForms now or target WPF. Comes
down to managed risk/reward at this point in the product cycle, but B1 looks
pretty good in terms of linq.

--
William Stacey [C# MVP]


"Dave" <chakachimp@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1177520141.475947.172190@t39g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
| Hello,
|
| We've just come off creating a medium to large size client server
| application over the past 3 years using .NET 1.1 c# w/ Sql Server 2000
| as the backend. We're about to create a similar client server
| project. We decided to use strongly typed datasets and datatables and
| we loved it. The ability to use DataRelations, Expression columns,
| DataViews with Filters and sorting has been very cool! We basically
| had our strongly typed datatables all derive from a BaseDataTable that
| handles the connection to the database using System.Data.SqlClient
| classes.
|
| Anyway, my question is, if we decide to move our entire model to WCF,
| does that mean we'd have to ditch using strongly typed datatables and
| move to simple data types or maybe some simple classes such as (excuse
| the sloppy code):
|
| class Person
| {
| public int PersonID;
| public string FirstName;
| public string LastName;
| }
|
| It seems we could keep the strongly typed tables and serialize them,
| but i'm also curious what the recommended design approach is.
|
| Thanks!
| Dave
|

Dave
It is not clear from your description what datasets have to do with WCF.
WCF should be written as a layer on top of data access layer and in theory
WCF layer should not expose datasets.

I hope this helps,
Shimon.


"Dave" <chakachimp@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1177520141.475947.172190@t39g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> We've just come off creating a medium to large size client server
> application over the past 3 years using .NET 1.1 c# w/ Sql Server 2000
> as the backend. We're about to create a similar client server
> project. We decided to use strongly typed datasets and datatables and
> we loved it. The ability to use DataRelations, Expression columns,
> DataViews with Filters and sorting has been very cool! We basically
> had our strongly typed datatables all derive from a BaseDataTable that
> handles the connection to the database using System.Data.SqlClient
> classes.
>
> Anyway, my question is, if we decide to move our entire model to WCF,
> does that mean we'd have to ditch using strongly typed datatables and
> move to simple data types or maybe some simple classes such as (excuse
> the sloppy code):
>
> class Person
> {
> public int PersonID;
> public string FirstName;
> public string LastName;
> }
>
> It seems we could keep the strongly typed tables and serialize them,
> but i'm also curious what the recommended design approach is.
>
> Thanks!
> Dave
>