Is it possible to issue SQL Style Commands to manipulate data from XML Files

ie. SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE

The reason i ask is the i want to write an appliclation that will store the database with the application but with out the user needing to have MSAssess (for MDB or ACCDB files) installed

I have used MDBs, ACCDBs, SQL and SQLExpress before but
SQL is for Network apps
SQLExpress is for Local PC Data based apps

MDB & ACCDB can be used to transfer the data along with the app but require the users PC to have MSAccess installed



so is there any way to use SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE statments with XML, If not is there any other datasource type that will

Yes, it is possible to save and load Datasets to and from xml.
And after loading you can manipulate the dataset as you would after filling it with data from any database.

Here is how you can use the Select.
Load your XML file into DataSet and Select() method to select from your XML.

The only issue I found with this approach is that, you have to load the entire xml file into your dataset. wich could be a problem when your database gets to a larger size. I would still use SQL Server, XML requires you to load ALL the data first before being able to query it. At least with SQL server you can query the exact id you want. With increase in the XML file size there will be performance issues too.

Data Backup and reliability is also high on SQL. But as you want to go without any DB software. It can be either XML or .dat files.

Thanks binjo_daniel,
I was looking at using dataset.readxml & datatable.readxml but i wanted to use SQL Statements to filter the data

I will look into .dat files but i think dataset.readxml & datatable.readxml will work for some small apps


I hope that VB.NET 2008 has SQL Statments for XML Queries as i work with SQL every day and much prefer to have the control that the SQL Statments bring over DataAdapter.update and Datatable.WriteXML


Thanks

Hope they include something to support your requirement in Orcas. Code Name for VS 2008

Good thing LINQ came around then

Yes, LINQ is defintely a good evolution for dynamic queries.