My project involves editing a complex set of data
populated from 5-6 tables in a smart client WinForms
process.

1. Clients requests data.
2. Server populates required data in datatables in a big
a dataset with relations.
3. DataSet (strongly typed) is serialized and pushed to
client via soap.
4. Client loads up dataset and binds datagrid controls.

Question:

How do you suggest I post back the data and apply
datadadapters Update method?
Posting back the whole dataset seems too inefficient.
Please feel free to suggest alternative approachs.

Emre Aydinceren

Interesting question, I like typed datasets and use them as a "logical"
representation of the underlying database, de-normalizing the data and
making it suitable for easy view and databinding. This removes complexity
of underlying database design for those writing ui code..

The issue of how to then update raises its head as you point out..

The problem with trying to update through the dataset and the associated
dataadaptor is trying to work with logical entities that are made up of more
than one equivalent table..

If you are just going to insert / update one record at a time how about just
doing that by passing down typed parameters, catching those at the server
and then invoking your stored procedure to do the update setting the
parameters along the way.. ie Forget the dataset completely...

The problem with this approach is how to the reflect the changes in your
dataset which is already client side?....

In that case how about making the add through the client side data set, and
only returning those rows that have been changed by using the GetChanges
method ? Server side use these rows to pluck out the parameters to do your
necessary updates etc...

hth, look forward to others comments too as this is something that intrigues
me at the moment..