Randomizing datarow location when merging datatables 1

[DotNetBlocks]

Hello,
How can I merge 3 data.datatables so that all the datarows are mixed up together?

Example:

table 1
tr1
tr2
tr3
tr4
tr5

table2
te1
te2
te3
te4
te5

table 3
tb1
tb2
tb3
tb4

Result:
----------
merged table
te5
tb1
tr3
tr5
te2
tb4
tb3
tr1
te3
te1
tb2
tr2
tr4
tb3
tb5

Babloome

 

[DotNetBlocks]

I almost forgot. I am using vb.net 2005

Babloome

 

[earthandfire]

The order in which records are stored in the underlying table is never guaranteed in a relational database, so you could:

Add an additional row in the merged table in which you store a random number and then base usage of the merged table on a sort by the random number field.


Hope this helps.

 

[earthandfire]

Sorry:

[tt]Add an additional row in the merged table [/tt]

should have been:

[tt]Add an additional column in the merged table [/tt]


Hope this helps.

 

[DotNetBlocks]

How do you set a sort order once I have the random number in the new column?

Babloome

 

[earthandfire]

If the new column is called RandNumCol and the main column is called MainCol then your SQL statement needs to be something like:

[tt]SELECT MainCol FROM MyMergergedTable ORDER BY RandNumCol[/tt]


Hope this helps.

 

[DotNetBlocks]

got the sort.


myDVM.DataViewSettings["Customers"].Sort =
"CompanyName DESC"

 

[earthandfire]

... and if I could spell [tt]merged[/tt] properly that would have been so much better.

 

[DotNetBlocks]

Cool, Thanks.

Babloome