ADO.NET Dataset and ADO Recordset

Question

Hi What is the difference between ADO.NET Dataset and ADO Recordset ?

Senthilkumar · Answer

Hi Arun 1.Recordset provides data one row at a time. Dataset is a data structure which represents the complete table data at same time. 2.Recordset has the logic to update and manipulate data. Dataset is just a data store and manipulation is done through DataAdapters in .NET. 3.Dataset Disconnected architecture. Record Set Connected Architecture. 4.With Data set you can retrive data from database like oracle and SQL Server and manage them in one dataset with recordset this is not possible. 5. All representation of Dataset is using XML while recordset uses COM. 6. The Recordset was not XML-based and could not be serialized to XML easily or flexibly. 7. Recordset can not be transmitted on HTTP while Dataset can be. 8. A DataSet can represent an entire relational database in memory complete with tables relations and views. 9. A DataSet is designed to work without any continuing connection to the original data source. 10. Data in a DataSet is bulk-loaded rather than being loaded on demand. 11. There's no concept of cursor types in a DataSet. 12. DataSets have no current record pointer You can use For Each loops to move through the data. 13. You can store many edits in a DataSet and write them to the original data source in a single operation. 14. Though the DataSet is universal other objects in ADO.NET come in different versions for different data sources For more info: http://aspdotnetfordeveloper.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-is-difference-between-dataset-and.html http://www.netrostar.com/ADO-NET-DataSet-and-ADO-Recordset

Jignesh Trivedi · Answer

hi please refer http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/904fck4k%28v=vs.71%29.aspx if is very good article on same.

Sam Hobbs · Answer

They are not comparable. A recordset is for a table and a dataset is for a database (multiple tables). Right? I do not know what the unmanged equivalent is to the managed (.Net) DataSet class; I think there is not one. The ADO .Net DataSet class contains relationships as well as DataTables in memory and as far as I know unmanaged ADO does not do that.

Satyapriya Nayak · Answer

Hi Shubham Differences between ADO Recordset and ADO.Net DataSet: 1. Table Collection : ADO Recordset provides the ability to navigate through a single table of information. That table would have been formed with a join of multiple tables and returning columns from multiple tables. ADO.NET DataSet is capable of holding instances of multiple tables. It has got a Table Collection which holds multiple tables in it. If the tables are having a relation then it can be manipulated on a Parent-Child relationship. It has the ability to support multiple tables with keys constraints and interconnected relationships. With this ability the DataSet can be considered as a small in-memory relational database cache. 2. Navigation: Navigation in ADO Recordset is based on the cursor mode. Even though it is specified to be a client-side Recordset still the navigation pointer will move from one location to another on cursor model only. ADO.NET DataSet is an entirely offline in-memory and cache of data. All of its data is available all the time. At any time we can retrieve any row or column constraints or relation simply by accessing it either ordinarily or by retrieving it from a name-based collection. 3. Connectivity Model: The ADO Recordset was originally designed without the ability to operate in a disconnected environment. ADO.NET DataSet is specifically designed to be a disconnected in-memory database. ADO.NET DataSet follows a pure disconnected connectivity model and this gives it much more scalability and versatility in the amount of things it can do and how easily it can do that. 4. Marshalling and Serialization: In COM through Marshalling we can pass data from 1 COM component to another component at any time. Marshalling involves copying and processing data so that a complex type can appear to the receiving component the same as it appeared to the sending component. Marshalling is an expensive operation. ADO.NET Dataset and DataTable components support Remoting in the form of XML serialization. Rather than doing expensive Marshalling it uses XML and sent data across boundaries. 5. Firewalls and DCOM and Remoting: Those who have worked with DCOM know that how difficult it is to marshal a DCOM component across a router. People generally came up with workarounds to solve this issue. ADO.NET DataSet uses Remoting through which a DataSet / DataTable component can be serialized into XML sent across the wire to a new AppDomain and then Desterilized back to a fully functional DataSet. As the DataSet is completely disconnected and it has no dependency we lose absolutely nothing by serializing and transferring it through Remoting. Also refer http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/904fck4k%28v=vs.71%29.aspx http://www.netrostar.com/ADO-NET-DataSet-and-ADO-Recordset Thanks