This DynamicTable object is a dynamic and expandable data class to store a table. You will find an introduction to this data class in a previous article. In the newest version of the DynamicTable I have implemented XML serialization functions to import and export a DynamicTable from or to an XML file. You will find the release on github and you are welcome to use the DynamicTable in your own projects.

https://github.com/oliverfunke/DynamicObjects/tree/2013-04-13_v1.1.0

 
DynamicTable to XML

The following source code shows a unit test function. Within this unit test a DynamicTable will be written to a XML file and a new DynamicTable will be created by reading the file.

IDynamicTable table = new DynamicTable(DynamicTableType.Expandable);
dynamic row;
string xmlExport;

string fileName = _assemblyDirectory + @"\CsvTest.xml";

//add values
row = new ExpandoObject();
row.FirstName = "Hans";
row.LastName = "Mueller";
row.Age = 30;
row.TimeStamp = new DateTime(2012, 12, 24, 1, 2, 3);
table.AddRow(row);

row = new ExpandoObject();
row.LastName = "Meier";
row.Street = "Main street";
table.AddRow(row);

//compare
Assert.AreEqual(2, table.Rows.Count);
Assert.AreEqual(5, table.Columns.Count);

//export
xmlExport = table.AsXml();

using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(fileName))
{
    writer.Write(xmlExport);
}

//remove rows
table.RemoveAllRows();
Assert.AreEqual(0, table.Rows.Count);
Assert.AreEqual(5, table.Columns.Count);

//import
using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(fileName))
{
    table.FromXml(ReadFile(reader));
}

//compare
row = table.Rows[0];
Assert.AreEqual("Hans", row.FirstName);
Assert.AreEqual("Mueller", row.LastName);
Assert.AreEqual(30, row.Age);

Assert.AreEqual(2012, row.TimeStamp.Year);
Assert.AreEqual(12, row.TimeStamp.Month);
Assert.AreEqual(24, row.TimeStamp.Day);
Assert.AreEqual(1, row.TimeStamp.Hour);
Assert.AreEqual(2, row.TimeStamp.Minute);
Assert.AreEqual(3, row.TimeStamp.Second);

Assert.AreEqual("", row.Street);

row = table.Rows[1];
Assert.AreEqual("", row.FirstName);
Assert.AreEqual("Meier", row.LastName);
Assert.AreEqual(0, row.Age);
Assert.AreEqual(0, row.TimeStamp.Ticks);
Assert.AreEqual("Main street", row.Street);

 
To read a file the following function is used.

private static IEnumerable<string> ReadFile(StreamReader reader)
{
    while (reader.EndOfStream == false)
    {
        yield return reader.ReadLine();
    }
}

 
Summary

The DynamicTable object offers a flexible way to manage data within a table. By using the XML serialization functions it is possible to store the content of the DynamicTable into a file.