[RESOLVED] Design question.

I'll try to give you a short explanation of my problem; if you need more information, please feel free to ask here, and I'll provide it asap.

I'm basically implementing a user-interface on a database, that will allow the user to interact with the database without actually having access to it. There are 4 major tables of information:
* Persons (containing basic information about Persons - BIG)
* Clubs (containing basic information about Clubs - SMALL)
* Members (joining Persons and Clubs to keep track of memberships - BIG)
* Logins (keeping track of Member visits to Clubs - ENORMOUS)

Usually when implementing such systems, I'll make a main window with a tab-strip for each part (table in this case) of the data. Each tab-strip will contain a list of commands available on the data and a readonly datagrid for displaying searchresults and allowing for selections to be edited/deleted through pop-up windows. My concern is though, that several datagrids containing huge amounts of information, will take it's toll on the system ressources, and perhaps my approach should be different in this case. I'd like inputs as to how you usually implement such systems.

Further info:
* Persons - approximately 120 bytes information each ~ 10,000 entries
* Clubs - approximately 40 bytes information each ~ 25 entries
* Members - approximately 20 bytes information each ~ 3,000 entries
* Logins - approximately 30 bytes information each ~ 200,000+ entries
All tables are indexed on one or more fields to allow for fast searching.
The Login table will never be used in it's entirity but the other tables may.

Any/all inputs appreciated - even if you never implemented anything similar.
[The core of the question is probably whether a datagrid will load assigned query-data in it's entirity or retrieve it on an 'as-needed' basis.]

Regards Tom

I'm not sure how the framework's DataGridView performs with such large number of items, but the only grid I've ever used (a third party grid from Infragistics) does it just fine. I've seen it handle up to 500.000 items simulatenously. Sorting, grouping, scrolling, filtering, all happens instantly. If this project is your own project then maybe getting a third party grid (it's not free) isn't an option, but if you are doing this for some company then you might want to consider it.

That said, if the framework's grid has the same performance (I honestly don't know) then it might not be worth it either. But this grid has some pretty great functionality, like I mentioned before sorting, filtering, grouping, multiple views, all out of the box without having to write a single line of code.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NickThissen

I'm not sure how the framework's DataGridView performs with such large number of items, but the only grid I've ever used (a third party grid from Infragistics) does it just fine. I've seen it handle up to 500.000 items simulatenously. Sorting, grouping, scrolling, filtering, all happens instantly. If this project is your own project then maybe getting a third party grid (it's not free) isn't an option, but if you are doing this for some company then you might want to consider it.

That said, if the framework's grid has the same performance (I honestly don't know) then it might not be worth it either. But this grid has some pretty great functionality, like I mentioned before sorting, filtering, grouping, multiple views, all out of the box without having to write a single line of code.

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Thank you very much for the input. However getting any 3rd party software or even spending anything except time on this is out of the question, since I'm implementing it as a favor to my boss along with software for online login service and online database access (which is the essential part and already completed :check:). I don't even work as a programmer anymore (and haven't for many years) and atm I'm only doing freelance assignments (for free :ehh:).

Tom

SQL Server Management Studio is a .NET application, so it uses the DataGridView control itself. If you find performance becomes a problem because of large amounts of data, you can look into the virtualisation support built into the DataGridView.

Ah, I just noticed that you're using .NET 1.x, which supports the DataGrid but not the DataGridView. Is that a requirement, or could you upgrade to a more recent version of VS? The Express editions are free and would most likely provide everything you need.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jmcilhinney

Ah, I just noticed that you're using .NET 1.x, which supports the DataGrid but not the DataGridView. Is that a requirement, or could you upgrade to a more recent version of VS? The Express editions are free and would most likely provide everything you need.

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I am indeed using an older (and smaller) version of .NET and I use the early versions of DataGrid. If I can upgrade it for free to get some added functionality (including the interesting DataGridView), I most certainly will, since getting a newer version might not be in the near future (it's expensive as hell here).
The only thing that's really bugged me about the DataGrid though, is the inability to select chunks of lines and columns for copy/pasting into for example Excel. Hopefully DataGridView supports this and hopefully my old .NET version will support an upgrade.

Oh and thanks again for the information - I really appreciate you guys taking the time to help an old-timer come to grasp with all this new stuff :).

Regards Tom

P.S. Will update this thread on the possibility of an upgrade, and will not deem it solved just yet.

#EDIT: Dosen't seem like my version will allow for updates. I'm not surprised either - got it in a university bookstore as a limited edition with manual for only $200 (1,100 danish kr.) which was a bargain considering all the output it has produced :).

#EDIT2: Downloaded the free trial of VS2010 and oh man the improvements are tremendous. I guess I have no choice but to buy it now :)

I think you misunderstood. You can get a free version of Visual Studio, either for VB.NET or for C#.NET (but not combined), and it's called either Visual Basic Express 2010 or Visual C# Express 2010.

Visual Studio is the non-free version and combines both VB and C# into a single IDE, along with some other more advanced features that the free Express versions don't have. But you most probably don't need any of those features.

So just download Visual Basic 2010 Express, for free, and you will be up to date.

I think Visual Basic Express is considered part of Visual Studio. At least I have Visual Studio folders on my computer and I have never purchased VB or VS.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NickThissen

I think you misunderstood. You can get a free version of Visual Studio, either for VB.NET or for C#.NET (but not combined), and it's called either Visual Basic Express 2010 or Visual C# Express 2010.

Visual Studio is the non-free version and combines both VB and C# into a single IDE, along with some other more advanced features that the free Express versions don't have. But you most probably don't need any of those features.

So just download Visual Basic 2010 Express, for free, and you will be up to date.

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Oh my god you guys are great :wave:. Express now runs smoothly on the machine, and I can't wait to crank out some code. No longer having to use manifest files to use XP+ style controls, and getting all those new features is just excellent. Why it's free is beyond me, but I'm not complaining :thumb:

I'll convert the projects into VB2010 and try to implement the server_maintenance software using virtualisation on the DataGridView as suggested (call this solved for now).

So glad I joined this forum :)