Binding a Gridview to data in one dimensional System.Array

[behati]

Hey guys,

I'm working on a project writing an OPC client (a standard in process engineering) and I've come across a little datadesign issue that I could really use your opinions on! Basically the way the OPC server works is you query using a Synchronous read method and essentially after some back of fourth it returns a lot of values in a single messy System.Array, the nature of the client means that this array can be anything from 6 objects to over a thousand or more.

Luckily, as that has to be done is display this allready optimized data in a GridView, but this is where I'm not sure what the best way to do it is. The amount of columns is not dynamic, so that helps a lot but basically I need it to iterate through the Array, insert it into the Grid creating a new row after each 6 values.

My first approach was to write a method that splits the initial Array into a lot of small [6]arrays but surely there's an easier way? I've also been looking into the BindingList object, it seems like something worth using? or maybe a double for-loop?

So in short, I have a dynamic array of values and for each 6 values I need to insert them into a row in a DataTable/GridView - so row1: v1, v2, v3, v4, v5, v6 /new row v7, v8, v9, v10, v11, v12 and so on unto the breach.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance <3

[wwb_99]

Key question is "is this an array of objects or a multi-dimensional array?"

If it is the former, it is easy -- just set the datasource property and call DataBind() and you are set, just like binding to any other collection of objects.

Multi-dimensional is a better question -- I'd be inclined to write a wrapper that pushes the multi-dimensional array into a layout object and then bind to the object. Also opens the door for stuff like creating formatting without gads of ASPX template code.

[behati]

I ended up cutting the massive Array into small arrays of a set length, and then adding the small array into the DataTable using the .loadDataRow(object[], boolean) method.

If anyone should ever need it, here's my final code (C#):

 // Cut the values array after each row length and generate a row in the grid

            var fifties = from index in Enumerable.Range(0, lol.Length)
                          group lol[index] by index / 7;

            int numRows = 1;
            foreach (var fifty in fifties)
            {
                if (numRows <= CVcount)
                {
                    dt.LoadDataRow(fifty.ToArray(), true);   
                    numRows++;
                 }
               

                else
                {
                    dmvt.LoadDataRow(fifty.ToArray(), true);
                }

            }

            // refresh the Grids
            CVGrid.DataBind();
            MVGrid.DataBind();

Thanks :>

[wwb_99]

You really don't need the datatable there . . .

[behati]

You really don't need the datatable there . . .

How so? I tried binding the Grids directly to the array(s) but I get an Object not compatable error?

[wwb_99]

Interesting -- where did you get that exception? You can definitely databind to anything that implements IEnumerable (and a few other interfaces) so System.Array should work . . .

[behati]

I'll try to replicate the error again, since I'm still using my Datatable code.