DataColumn.Expression Property
Definition
Important
Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.
Gets or sets the expression used to filter rows, calculate the values in a column, or create an aggregate column.
public:
property System::String ^ Expression { System::String ^ get(); void set(System::String ^ value); };
public string Expression { get; set; }
[System.Data.DataSysDescription("DataColumnExpressionDescr")]
public string Expression { get; set; }
member this.Expression : string with get, set
[<System.Data.DataSysDescription("DataColumnExpressionDescr")>]
member this.Expression : string with get, set
Public Property Expression As String
Property Value
An expression to calculate the value of a column, or create an aggregate column. The return type of an expression is determined by the DataType of the column.
- Attributes
Exceptions
The AutoIncrement or Unique property is set to true
.
When you are using the CONVERT function, the expression evaluates to a string, but the string does not contain a representation that can be converted to the type parameter.
When you are using the CONVERT function, the requested cast is not possible. See the Conversion function in the following section for detailed information about possible casts.
When you use the SUBSTRING function, the start argument is out of range.
-Or-
When you use the SUBSTRING function, the length argument is out of range.
When you use the LEN function or the TRIM function, the expression does not evaluate to a string. This includes expressions that evaluate to Char.
Examples
The following example creates three columns in a DataTable. The second and third columns contain expressions; the second calculates tax using a variable tax rate, and the third adds the result of the calculation to the value of the first column. The resulting table is displayed in a DataGrid control.
private void CalcColumns()
{
DataTable table = new DataTable ();
// Create the first column.
DataColumn priceColumn = new DataColumn();
priceColumn.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal");
priceColumn.ColumnName = "price";
priceColumn.DefaultValue = 50;
// Create the second, calculated, column.
DataColumn taxColumn = new DataColumn();
taxColumn.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal");
taxColumn.ColumnName = "tax";
taxColumn.Expression = "price * 0.0862";
// Create third column.
DataColumn totalColumn = new DataColumn();
totalColumn.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal");
totalColumn.ColumnName = "total";
totalColumn.Expression = "price + tax";
// Add columns to DataTable.
table.Columns.Add(priceColumn);
table.Columns.Add(taxColumn);
table.Columns.Add(totalColumn);
DataRow row = table.NewRow();
table.Rows.Add(row);
DataView view = new DataView(table);
dataGrid1.DataSource = view;
}
Private Sub CalcColumns()
Dim rate As Single = .0862
Dim table As New DataTable()
' Create the first column.
Dim priceColumn As New DataColumn()
With priceColumn
.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal")
.ColumnName = "price"
.DefaultValue = 50
End With
' Create the second, calculated, column.
Dim taxColumn As New DataColumn()
With taxColumn
.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal")
.ColumnName = "tax"
.Expression = "price * 0.0862"
End With
' Create third column
Dim totalColumn As New DataColumn()
With totalColumn
.DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.Decimal")
.ColumnName = "total"
.Expression = "price + tax"
End With
' Add columns to DataTable
With table.Columns
.Add(priceColumn)
.Add(taxColumn)
.Add(totalColumn)
End With
Dim row As DataRow= table.NewRow
table.Rows.Add(row)
Dim view As New DataView
view.Table = table
DataGrid1.DataSource = view
End Sub
Remarks
For more information about this API, see Supplemental API remarks for DataColumn.Expression.