How to add typed Dataset to visual studio project programmatically and keep design support

Question

After having created a Typed DataSet for a given set of database tables (using System.Data.Design.TypedDataSetGenerator).

I can attach the generated C# file with

// VsProj is of type VsLangProj.VSProject for the current project

// artifactPath is the path to the newly created C# artifact with the

// typeddataset generated

// code.

VsProj.Project.ProjectItems.AddFromFile(artifactPath);

However when trying to open this in the designer it fails (it is certainly missing the .xsd, .xsc, .xss files). Is there a documented way to get the .xsc / .xss files?

Answer 1

Ok, I found it, instead of using System.Data.Design.TypedDataSetGenerator, just set some magic properties for the ProjectItem and voila:

// xsdPath is a path to a .xsd file which was generated with System.Data.DataSet.WriteXmlSchema.

ProjectItem pi = _vsProj.Project.ProjectItems.AddFromFile(xsdPath);

// this little magic replaces having to use System.Data.Design.TypedDataSetGenerator pi.Properties.Item("SubType").Value = "Designer";

pi.Properties.Item("CustomTool").Value = "MSDataSetGenerator";

(Of course if you were outside of Visual Studio, then it's better the previous method).