Save Listview items to Dataset > XML

[JamesB]

I have found plenty of details on filling a listview from a dataset, but I
need to do the opposite. I have a ListView and I would like to save out the
information it contains to xml (or anything else I guess) that can then
easily be imported into Excel for example.

Any pointers? I see DataSets have a WriteXML method which should be fine,
I've used it before, but I can't figure out how to get the Listview contents
into the dataset!

Thanks

 

[Marc Gravell]

So just reverse the logic... I've used DataTable here, but "csv" or
"tsv" would be better choices if Excel is your intent (I didn't spot
this until just now) - plus they're very easy to construct (much
easier than DataTable)...

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Xml;
using System.Data;

class Program {
static void Main() {
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
using(Form f = new Form())
using (ListView lv = new ListView())
using (Button b = new Button()) {
lv.Columns.Add("Bloop");
lv.Columns.Add("Blap");
lv.Columns.Add("Blip Blop");
lv.View = View.Details;
int j = 1;
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
string[] items = {j++.ToString(), j++.ToString(),
j++.ToString()};
lv.Items.Add(new ListViewItem(items));
}

b.Click += delegate {
DataTable dt = new DataTable("MyData");
foreach (ColumnHeader col in lv.Columns) {
dt.Columns.Add(col.Text, typeof(string));
}
object[] vals = new object[lv.Columns.Count];
foreach (ListViewItem item in lv.Items) {
ListViewItem.ListViewSubItemCollection items =
item.SubItems;
for (int i = 0; i < vals.Length; i++) {
vals = items.Text;
}
dt.Rows.Add(vals);
}
dt.WriteXml(@"c:\out_dt.xml");
};
b.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
lv.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
f.Controls.Add(b);
f.Controls.Add(lv);
Application.Run(f);
}
}
}

 

[JamesB]

So just reverse the logic... I've used DataTable here, but "csv" or "tsv"
would be better choices if Excel is your intent (I didn't spot this until
just now) - plus they're very easy to construct (much easier than
DataTable)...

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Xml;
using System.Data;

class Program {
static void Main() {
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
using(Form f = new Form())
using (ListView lv = new ListView())
using (Button b = new Button()) {
lv.Columns.Add("Bloop");
lv.Columns.Add("Blap");
lv.Columns.Add("Blip Blop");
lv.View = View.Details;
int j = 1;
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
string[] items = {j++.ToString(), j++.ToString(),
j++.ToString()};
lv.Items.Add(new ListViewItem(items));
}

b.Click += delegate {
DataTable dt = new DataTable("MyData");
foreach (ColumnHeader col in lv.Columns) {
dt.Columns.Add(col.Text, typeof(string));
}
object[] vals = new object[lv.Columns.Count];
foreach (ListViewItem item in lv.Items) {
ListViewItem.ListViewSubItemCollection items =
item.SubItems;
for (int i = 0; i < vals.Length; i++) {
vals = items.Text;
}
dt.Rows.Add(vals);
}
dt.WriteXml(@"c:\out_dt.xml");
};
b.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
lv.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
f.Controls.Add(b);
f.Controls.Add(lv);
Application.Run(f);
}
}
}

That seemed to work a treat!
Thanks

James