How to handle XML data with RAD features the best way?

Question

 

I am about to write a small application that will be distributed to a lot of machines. SQL Server 2005 Express or MS Access does not appear to me as attractive options since they both are very large softwarecomponents which will take up a lot of diskspace.

I have been focusing on these two components because I would like to use the build-in RAD features in 2005 and thus I need a Data Source.

But I have also though of using ADO.NET DataSet/DataTable XML as persistence since my application is by nature for a single user only single user.

How do I handle this the best way? Should I design the dataset in the dataset designer, load the data at startup and use the Object Data Source to point to this filled dataset? Of course I would then need to save the data when the application closes. Is there a better way?

As a sidekick I would like to mention that a product like DbVista appears to suit my needs, but I dont think that this is pure .Net. so I dont assume that I can deploy this using ClickOnce and I dont think that it would be available as a datasource in the application.

All input is more than welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards

Soeren D.

Answer 1

edit: I am not quite sure what exactly are you trying.. If the you need more detail answer try the http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=45&SiteID=1 and http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=38&SiteID=1 and (if the product is destined to come out year or later from now) http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=123&SiteID=1 - be sure to be a bit more specific since it may be there is better way to accomplish the thing you are really trying to do here.

re: Access comment... You could create the database file in access, copy it along with your program to client and then use it as poor mans database. I think you can also programmatically create the file. I've not tried this but am quite certain this will be slow, possibly HDD intensive for larger data.

The users could need to install some updates for data access components in any case though unless you just go with a serialization approach.

Have you looked at using XmlDataDocument ?