question with data binding (noobie question)

[qazplm114477]

lets say i have 1 table called Inventory and another table called itemType

Inventory
-itemID -PK
-Desc
-itemID- FK

itemType
-ItemID - PK with relation to inventory.itemID - FK
-ItemName

I have a dataset with these tables and a bindingsource with the inventory table
I created a form to display both data

the question is, how do i bind data with itemType to a combo box so it allows me to view the item type for each item and save the changes. I can already save the changes for the inventory, but im having problems with displaying my itemTypeComboBox properly, im not sure what to put in the
Data Bound Items> Data source, Display member, Value Member, Selected Item and Selected Value of the comboBox

Im using Visual Studio 2008 and SQL 2005

any suggestion would be greatly appreciated, im very new with visual basic so please be easy on me... thanks ^_^

[TamusJRoyce]

From what little experience I have (and that's very little. I'm a c++ programmer, mostly), once you bind your class to the table, the object you bind it to will automatically be changed as you change the table.

Try not directly manipulating the datasource/bounditem from the table, but instead directly use the object you set bound to that table.

As an example, you can find what has been selected by comparing "If Table.SelectedRow.BoundItem Is TheClassThatWasBound.AnArray(elementIndex) Then" manipulate TheClassthatWasBound.AnArray(elementIndex).

Poorly worded, but the idea is to only work on the object that is bound (as the source), and never on the Tables DataSource/BoundItem.

But I've never directly bound data to a combo box, so maybe there is a graphical way to bind the same object to both your table and your combo-box.

Anyone else have any ideas?

[qazplm114477]

From what little experience I have (and that's very little. I'm a c++ programmer, mostly), once you bind your class to the table, the object you bind it to will automatically be changed as you change the table.

Try not directly manipulating the datasource/bounditem from the table, but instead directly use the object you set bound to that table.

As an example, you can find what has been selected by comparing "If Table.SelectedRow.BoundItem Is TheClassThatWasBound.AnArray(elementIndex) Then" manipulate TheClassthatWasBound.AnArray(elementIndex).

Poorly worded, but the idea is to only work on the object that is bound (as the source), and never on the Tables DataSource/BoundItem.

But I've never directly bound data to a combo box, so maybe there is a graphical way to bind the same object to both your table and your combo-box.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks, I'm still trying to understand databases. I found some videos on msdn that teaches how to bind data to an object graphically. it would be great to understand how to bind data through coding but im not quite there yet ^_^. But you're right, the data does change automatically when I change the table... im still trying to figure out how to prevent that. ^^

Thanks for the advice

[OuTCasT]

Thanks, I'm still trying to understand databases. I found some videos on msdn that teaches how to bind data to an object graphically. it would be great to understand how to bind data through coding but im not quite there yet ^_^. But you're right, the data does change automatically when I change the table... im still trying to figure out how to prevent that. ^^

Thanks for the advice

This is how i bind items dynamically.

Create ur connectionstring
Create ur SqlDataAdapter
and fill is with your SqlCommand

Dim sqlCon As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection([connectionString])
 
'Commands and adapter for the Employee masterfile
    Dim sqlEmployeeCommand As SqlCommand
    Dim sqlEmployeeAdapter As SqlDataAdapter
    Dim sqlEmployeeDataTable As DataTable
 
'Currency Managers for Commands above
    Dim sqlEmployeeManager As CurrencyManager
 
sqlEmployeeCommand = New SqlCommand([SELECT STATEMENT)sqlConnection)
        sqlEmployeeAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(sqlEmployeeCommand)
        sqlEmployeeDataTable = New DataTable
        sqlEmployeeAdapter.Fill(sqlEmployeeDataTable)
 
label1.databindings.add("text",sqlEmployeeDataTable, "[ColumnName]", true)

and u bind it so on etc.
Remember to create a currency manager to be able to navigate through the records and create one if you want to save.

sqlEmployeeManager = DirectCast(Me.BindingContext(sqlEmployeeDataTable), CurrencyManager)

If you want to save this is what you do.

sqlEmployeeManager.EndCurrentEdit()
sqlConnection.Open()
 
 Dim sqlEmployeeUpdate As New SqlCommandBuilder(sqlEmployeeAdapter)
Try
       sqlEmployeeAdapter.Update(sqlEmployeeDataTable)
 
Catch sqlExc As SqlException
       MsgBox(sqlExc)
End Try
 
sqlConnection.Close()