Develop Reference

Remove all columns from datatable except for 25

I have 500 Columns in my DataTable and I want to remove all of them except for 25 columns.
Is there any way to do this faster to save time and lines of code?
This is what I already tried:
private static void DeleteUselessColumns()
{
//This is example data!
List<DataColumn> dataColumnsToDelete = new List<DataColumn>();
DataTable bigData = new DataTable();
bigData.Columns.Add("Harry");
bigData.Columns.Add("Konstantin");
bigData.Columns.Add("George");
bigData.Columns.Add("Gabriel");
bigData.Columns.Add("Oscar");
bigData.Columns.Add("Muhammad");
bigData.Columns.Add("Emily");
bigData.Columns.Add("Olivia");
bigData.Columns.Add("Isla");
List<string> columnsToKeep = new List<string>();
columnsToKeep.Add("Isla");
columnsToKeep.Add("Oscar");
columnsToKeep.Add("Konstantin");
columnsToKeep.Add("Gabriel");
//This is the code i want to optimize------
foreach (DataColumn column in bigData.Columns)
{
bool keepColumn = false;
foreach (string s in columnsToKeep)
{
if (column.ColumnName.Equals(s))
{
keepColumn = true;
}
}
if (!keepColumn)
{
dataColumnsToDelete.Add(column);
}
}
foreach(DataColumn dataColumn in dataColumnsToDelete)
{
bigData.Columns.Remove(dataColumn);
}
//------------------------
}

var columnsToKeep = new List<string>() { "Isla", "Oscar", "Konstantin", "Gabriel"};
var toRemove = new List<DataColumn>();
foreach(DataColumn column in bigData.Columns)
{
if (!columnsToKeep.Any(name => column.ColumnName == name ))
{
toRemove.Add(column);
}
}
toRemove.ForEach(col => bigData.Columns.Remove(col));

Test1...test9 same code could be made a loop. No need to add the columns to delete in a list, just delete them in the first while loop. As for performance, not sure how to improve it.
You could try to use a DataView that selects the desired columns then copy to table. You need to experiment.

if they have different names create an array of string
var columns = new string[] { "Harry", "Konstantin","John"};
var columnsToKeep = new string[] { "John", "Konstantin"};
var columnsToDelete = from item in columns
where !columnsToKeep.Contains(item)
select item;
or using lambda
var columnsToDelete = columns
.Where (i=> !columnsToKeep.Contains(i))
.ToList();
toDelete
Harry

Create DataTable using LINQ to select multiple columns

I need to create a DataTable from another DataTable that I have but with only some columns (exactly same rows).
Is there an easy way to do this using LINQ?
I tried:
DataTable dataCopy = dt.AsEnumerable()
.Select(r => new { A = r.Field<string>("Column A"),
B = r.Field<string>("Column B") });
But it doesn't have a "CopyToDataTable" method.
I'm looking for the best performance way to do this because my "source" DataTable is huge!

You can simply copy the dataTable using dataTable.Copy() and remove the unwanted columns from the copied object.
var dt1 = dt.Copy();
dt.Columns.Remove("<columnsToRemove>")

Stopwatch time = new Stopwatch();
time.Start();
//COMPARE YOUR CODE (.Copy, Clone or Develop yourself)
DataTable dtTarget = dtSource.CopyDataTable(new List<string>() { "A", "B" });
foreach (DataColumn column in dtTarget.Columns)
{
Console.WriteLine("ColumnName : {0}", column.ColumnName);
foreach (DataRow row in dtTarget.Rows)
{
Console.WriteLine("Rows : {0}", row[column.ColumnName]);
}
}
time.Stop();
Console.WriteLine("{0}", time.Elapsed);
public static class DataTableHelper
{
public static DataTable CopyDataTable(
this DataTable dtSource,
List<string> columnsName)
{
DataTable dtTarget = new DataTable();
if (dtSource.Columns.Count > 0)
{
foreach (DataColumn columnSource in dtSource.Columns)
{
var columnTargetMapped = columnsName.FirstOrDefault(c => c == columnSource.ColumnName);
if(columnTargetMapped == null)
{
continue;
}
dtTarget.Columns.Add(columnTargetMapped);
foreach (DataRow drSource in dtSource.Rows)
{
var valueColumn = drSource[columnSource];
DataRow drTarget = dtTarget.NewRow();
drTarget[columnTargetMapped] = valueColumn;
dtTarget.Rows.Add(drTarget);
}
}
}
return dtTarget;
}

public static DataTable GetDataTablePart(this DataTable dt, params string[] ColumnNames)
{
var dtPart = new DataTable("TablePart");
var Names = new List<DataColumn>();
foreach (DataColumn Column in dt.Columns)
{
if(ColumnNames.Contains(Column.ColumnName))
{
Names.Add(Column);
}
}
dtPart.Columns.AddRange(Names.ToArray());
foreach(DataRow row in dt.Rows)
{
var NewRow = new object[Names.Count()];
var i = 0;
foreach (var Name in Names)
{
NewRow[i] = row[Name];
i = i + 1;
}
dtPart.LoadDataRow(NewRow, false);
}
return dtPart;
}
linq version....
public static DataTable GetDataTablePart(this DataTable dt, params string[] ColumnNames)
{
var RowCount = 0;
var dtPart = new DataTable("TablePart");
dtPart.Columns.AddRange((from column in dt.Columns.Cast<DataColumn>()
where ColumnNames.Contains(column.ColumnName)
select column).ToArray());
return (from row in dt.AsEnumerable()
let rowCount = RowCount = dt.Rows.Count
let RowValues = (from column in dtPart.Columns.Cast<DataColumn>()
select row[column]).ToArray()
let decCount = RowCount = RowCount - 1
where dtPart.LoadDataRow(RowValues,LoadOption.OverwriteChanges) != default && decCount > 0
select dtPart).FirstOrDefault();
}

extracting contents of Datatable into list C#

I am experimenting to take datatable contents into a list. I am using following code but its not working correctly.
public List<object> ShowMessage()
{
List<object> obj = new List<object>();
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
dt.Columns.Add("ID");
dt.Columns.Add("Name");
dt.Rows.Add("1","AAA");
dt.Rows.Add("2", "BBB");
dt.Rows.Add("3", "CCC");
foreach (DataRow dr in dt.Rows)
{
obj.Add(dr);
}
return obj;
}
I am new and not sure I am doing in a right way or I need to use some thing else. Any suggestion will be highly appreciated.
Thanks.

Converting your DataTable to list of name strings (with help of Linq to DataSet):
List<string> names =
dt.AsEnumerable().Select(r => r.Field<string>("Name")).ToList();
Which is same as
List<string> names = new List<string>();
foreach(DataRow r in dt.Rows)
names.Add((string)r["Name"]);

I think you are making a too abstract example. This one use a possible class named Person
public class Person
{
public int PersonID;
public string Name;
// other fields will follow in future
}
public List<Person> GetPersonList()
{
List<Person> people = new List<Person>();
// This is just as example, because in real code
// you get this table from a database
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
dt.Columns.Add("ID");
dt.Columns.Add("Name");
dt.Rows.Add(1,"John");
dt.Rows.Add(2, "Mark");
dt.Rows.Add(3, "Steve");
// Loop over the rows and construct a Person instance for every row
// Add that row to the List<Person> to return
foreach (DataRow dr in dt.Rows)
{
Person p = new Person() {PersonID =Convert.ToInt32(dr[0]), Name = dr[1].ToString());
people.Add(p);
}
return people;
}
By the way, this pattern of code, is exactly what a good ORM do for you. A little research for Entity Framework or Dapper would be very useful

#Karni: you were close to what you need. however below is the modified version of your code example so that you achieve what you need..
public class Obj
{
public int ID { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
}
public class ListObj : List<Obj>
{
}
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
DataTable dt = new DataTable();
dt.Columns.Add("ID");
dt.Columns.Add("Name");
dt.Rows.Add("1", "AAA");
dt.Rows.Add("2", "BBB");
dt.Rows.Add("3", "CCC");
ListObj objListObj = new ListObj();
//to fill the list / collection
for (int i = 0; i < dt.Rows.Count; i++)
{
objListObj.Add(new Obj() { ID = Convert.ToInt16(dt.Rows[i][0]), Name = dt.Rows[i][1].ToString() });
}
//To verify if the collection is filled.
foreach (var item in objListObj)
{
Console.WriteLine(item.ID + " : " + item.Name);
}
Console.Read();
}
}

Coverting List of Dictionary to DataTable

Currently we are doing this by looping through each value of list and dictionary:
private DataTable ChangeToDictionary(List<Dictionary<string,int>> list)
{
DataTable datatTableReturn = new DataTable();
if (list.Count() > 0)
{
Dictionary<string, int> haeders = list.ElementAt(0);
foreach (var colHead in haeders)
{
datatTableReturn.Columns.Add(colHead.Key);
}
}
foreach (var row in list)
{
DataRow dataRow = datatTableReturn.NewRow();
foreach (var col in row)
{
dataRow[col.Key] = col.Value;
}
datatTableReturn.Rows.Add(dataRow);
}
return datatTableReturn;
}
But is there a better way? Looping through so many times doesn't feel good

The answers above don't address the issue of the dictionary having more than 1 row. This solution addresses the issue.
static DataTable ToDataTable(List<Dictionary<string, int>> list)
{
DataTable result = new DataTable();
if (list.Count == 0)
return result;
var columnNames = list.SelectMany(dict=>dict.Keys).Distinct();
result.Columns.AddRange(columnNames.Select(c=>new DataColumn(c)).ToArray());
foreach (Dictionary<string,int> item in list)
{
var row = result.NewRow();
foreach (var key in item.Keys)
{
row[key] = item[key];
}
result.Rows.Add(row);
}
return result;
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
List<Dictionary<string, int>> it = new List<Dictionary<string, int>>();
Dictionary<string, int> dict = new Dictionary<string, int>();
dict.Add("a", 1);
dict.Add("b", 2);
dict.Add("c", 3);
it.Add(dict);
dict = new Dictionary<string, int>();
dict.Add("bob", 34);
dict.Add("tom", 37);
it.Add(dict);
dict = new Dictionary<string, int>();
dict.Add("Yip Yip", 8);
dict.Add("Yap Yap", 9);
it.Add(dict);
DataTable table = ToDictionary(it);
foreach (DataColumn col in table.Columns)
Console.Write("{0}\t", col.ColumnName);
Console.WriteLine();
foreach (DataRow row in table.Rows)
{
foreach (DataColumn column in table.Columns)
Console.Write("{0}\t", row[column].ToString());
Console.WriteLine();
}
Console.ReadLine();
}
And the output looks like...
a b c bob tom Yip Yip Yap Yap
1 2 3
34 37
8 9

Speed, elegance and reusability don't go together. You always choose more important one, and try to balance other two.
Faster the code, uglier it is.
Prettier it is, less reusable it is.
Here's an example of "elegant" solution, but that goes with it not being very readable.
private static DataTable ToDictionary(List<Dictionary<string, int>> list)
{
DataTable result = new DataTable();
if (list.Count == 0)
return result;
result.Columns.AddRange(
list.First().Select(r => new DataColumn(r.Key)).ToArray()
);
list.ForEach(r => result.Rows.Add(r.Select(c => c.Value).Cast<object>().ToArray()));
return result;
}

Try this
List<Dictionary<string, object>> ListDic;
var stringListDic = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(ListDic);
var dataTable = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<DataTable>(stringListDic);

Try this:
private DataTable GetDataTableFromDictionaries<T>(List<Dictionary<string, T>> list)
{
DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
if (list == null || !list.Any()) return dataTable;
foreach (var column in list.First().Select(c => new DataColumn(c.Key, typeof(T))))
{
dataTable.Columns.Add(column);
}
foreach (var row in list.Select(
r =>
{
var dataRow = dataTable.NewRow();
r.ToList().ForEach(c => dataRow.SetField(c.Key, c.Value));
return dataRow;
}))
{
dataTable.Rows.Add(row);
}
return dataTable;
}

How about something like the code below?
Good, because it iterates each row exactly once. It should be pretty quick, I've included obvious exceptions to make the code safer.
private static DataTable DictionariesToDataTable<T>(
IEnumerable<IDictionary<string, T>> source)
{
if (source == null)
{
return null;
}
var result = new DataTable();
using (var e = source.GetEnumerator())
{
if (!e.MoveNext())
{
return result;
}
if (e.Current.Keys.Length == 0)
{
throw new InvalidOperationException();
}
var length = e.Current.Keys.Length;
result.Columns.AddRange(
e.Current.Keys.Select(k => new DataColumn(k, typeof(T))).ToArray());
do
{
if (e.Current.Values.Length != length)
{
throw new InvalidOperationException();
}
result.Rows.Add(e.Current.Values);
}
while (e.MoveNext());
return result;
}
}

try my solution, seems very clean to me:
private DataTable DictonarysToDataTable(List<Dictionary<string, int>> list)
{
DataTable table = new DataTable();
foreach (Dictionary<string,string> dict in list) //for every dictonary in the list ..
{
foreach (KeyValuePair<string,int> entry in dict) //for every entry in every dict
{
if (!myTable.Columns.Contains(entry.Key.ToString()))//if it doesn't exist yet
{
myTable.Columns.Add(entry.Key); //add all it's keys as columns to the table
}
}
table.Rows.Add(dict.Values.ToArray()); //add the the Values of every dict in the list as a new row
}
return table;
}
Edit:
Oh Snap, this works only for one Dictionary .. i didn't think it through.
But maybie you can modify it to work for a List of Dictionarys ..

Give this a try please
DataTable table = new DataTable();
foreach (IDictionary<string, object> row in DeviceTypeReport)
{
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, object> entry in row)
{
if (!table.Columns.Contains(entry.Key.ToString()))
{
table.Columns.Add(entry.Key);
}
}
table.Rows.Add(row.Values.ToArray());
}

private DataTable toDataTable(List<RetirementDiskModelDto> retirementDiskModelDtos)
{
DataTable result = new DataTable();
foreach (var col in retirementDiskModelDtos.FirstOrDefault().Items)
result.Columns.Add(col.Key);
foreach (var row in retirementDiskModelDtos)
{
DataRow newrow = result.NewRow();
foreach (var col in retirementDiskModelDtos.FirstOrDefault().Items)
newrow[col.Key] = col.Value;
result.Rows.Add(newrow);
}
return result;
}

Adding row to binded datagridview

I want to add a stored CustomDataGridViewRow into a DataGridView which is binded. Like follows:
CustomDataGridViewRow rowTemplate = new CustomDataGridViewRow();
dataGridView1.RowTemplate = rowTemplate;
Datenbank.cmd =
new SqlCommand("[Terminauswertung_Bericht_Gesamt]", Datenbank.connection);
Datenbank.cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
Datenbank.cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("#berichtsnr", 1);
SqlDataAdapter adapter = new SqlDataAdapter(Datenbank.cmd);
dataSet1.Tables.Clear();
adapter.Fill(dataSet1, "Table");
bs = new BindingSource();
bs.DataSource = dataSet1.Tables["Table"];
dataGridView1.DataSource = bs;
Thought it goes this way:
dataSet1.Tables[0].Rows.Add(Cache.getRow(1));
public class cache
{
Dictionary<int, CustomDataGridViewRow> _cache =
new Dictionary<int, CustomDataGridViewRow>();
public CustomDataGridViewRow getRow(int index)
{
foreach (KeyValuePair<int, CustomDataGridViewRow> dic in _cache)
{
if (dic.Key == index)
return (dic.Value);
}
return (new CustomDataGridViewRow());
}
}
But it only shows me DataGridViewRow { Index=1 } in first cell.

solved it
DataRow newRow =test.Tables[0].NewRow();
newRow.ItemArray = Cache.getRowValues(child);
test.Tables[0].Rows.InsertAt(newRow, c.Index+1);
public string[] getRowValues(int index)
{
List<string> temp = new List<string>();
foreach (KeyValuePair<int, CustomDataGridViewRow> dic in _cache)
{
if (dic.Key == index)
{
foreach (DataGridViewCell cell in dic.Value.Cells)
temp.Add(cell.Value.ToString());
}
}
string[] result = temp.ToArray();
return (result);
}