Visual Basic programmers look high and low for the perfect ActiveX/OLE Control to use in their next client/server project. Protoview's DataTable OLE control is one such ActiveX/OLE control. The DataTable control falls into the grid/spreadsheet class of ActiveX/OLE controls and has a boatload of features to allow for a multitude of presentation views and styles.

The use of panes, which were borrowed from the spreadsheet metaphor, is nicely done in the DataTable Control. Figure 1 has an example. This presentation style allows you to create multiple rows at any given time. One example that comes to mind is the spelling of names and addresses. For instance, my name is Jay D. Smith. Some people may just look for J in my first name as opposed to Jay, which may result in two distinct rows. Figure 1 also allows for viewing multiple columns at any given time. For example, if your column number exceeded the viewing area in use, a column pane to freeze the column and use another pane to scroll over to the desired column that may not have been visible. With these features alone, one can compare and contrast any row or column combination.

Protoview also allows for many other presentation styles such as using graphics as columns, check boxes, radio buttons and multiline rows within a single column. Figure 1 can be referred to for this example, also.

The DataTable Control is very easy to use. Aside from the ability to set properties in the standard property window of VB, the DataTable Control provides a custom window to modify an even more extensive set of properties. Those properties range from modifying the behavior of the current cell to modifying the colors and fonts to setting the row or column selection behavior. Figure 2 shows the properties.

It is obvious that Protoview paid attention to detail. By providing the ability to change every conceivable property a user may want in a column, a developer can be productive without any coding. All your basic properties like heading, length, width, color, fonts and preset data formats are included. But the development team added the ability to add your own formats, lock columns, multiline, hidden, default values, sorting and row selection to name a few. To top these features off, Protoview added owner-drawn cells. According to the supplied help file, "The DataTable has an owner draw feature that lets the parent (or owner) window draw whatever it wants in a DataTable cell." This ability increases one's presentation at least twofold.

Being a database-bounded control, the DataTable Control provides for quick prototyping of various projects. To do this, all you needed to do is place a VB data control on a form and set the database name and the record source name. Then, after adding the DataTable Control, set the data control name and press the Autoconfig to Database' option. That's it.

The DataTable Control provides for advanced configuration of the visual interface and the data it handles. Protoview provides objects to access all aspects of the DataTable, ranging from the entire DataTable to all or a particular row or column and from all the DataTable cells to a particular cell or the current cell that has focus. With this ability, Protoview lets the user configure DataTable to their heart's content.

The DataTable Control is an enterprise-capable control. Protoview provides the ability for DataTable to maintain up to 2 million records of data using their built-in virtual memory ability. This feature alone is worth the cost of the control.

Programmatically, sorting and searching is very simple. In the custom properties, you can set the sort features and also code them. With the following few lines of code, you can add sort capability:

Set the key
DataTb1.ColumnSet.SortKey (sortPrimary) = 3
Disable the secondary key
DataTb1.ColumnSet.SortKey (sortSecondary) = -1
Set the sorting direction to descending
DataTb1.ColumnSet.SortAsc (sortPrimary) = FALSE

With one line of code, you can add search capability:

SearchItem is the search criteria
StartRow is the row to begin the search
Row is the row where the SearchItem was found
Row = DataTb1.ColumnSet(5).Search(SearchItem, StartRow)

Documentation is the map to using the Protoview's DataTable OCX Control. The documentation provided with this control is well-written. It contains everything from installation, getting started information and tutorials to detailed information to specific DataTable objects such as DataTable, Column, Row, Cell and Current Cell Objects. Protoview rounded off their documentation by adding a reference guide to the DataTable and an on-line help file.

The Getting Started information section of the manual includes an object hierarchy of the DataTable, which is useful for seeing how properties or methods may affect other objects. These objects include the DataTable, Rowset, ColumnSet, CellSet, CurrentCell, Row, Column and Cell. This section also includes detailed information on using the control in Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Delphi.

Protoview also provides tutorial applications for Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Delphi. The Visual Basic examples included a simple application that can handle arrays and a data bounded example. The data-bound example uses the standard bibio database included with Visual Basic. Protoview goes even further to make your development efforts easier by providing two more Visual Basic examples, one that shows how to do sorting and highlighting of rows along with other features and the other example related to Protoview's ability to use virtual memory within the Data- Table Control. For Visual C++ and Delphi, Protoview goes into further detail for installation, configuration and the how to's of using the DataTable Control in an application.

The User Guide section of the manual includes extensive information on using each object that makes up the object hierarchy of the DataTable. Another feature for getting the developer on the fast track is that each object has subtopics with potential functional tasks, including explanations, syntax for use and code snippets. For example, in the Row Object section, a subtopic exists for copying a row. The User Guide includes code snippets of Visual Basic and Visual C++ for each modifiable property and usable method.

The final major part of the manual is the Reference section. This section leaves nothing to question; the group by the object hierarchy explains each property and method in detail. Finally, the Reference Section has sections with all the possible constants with explanations used in the control.

In conclusion, Protoview's DataTable OCX Control is a control any VB programmer will love to have in their tool chest of ActiveX/OCX controls. The control and documentation are well written, easy to use and help the developer become productive from day one. Yet the control is so well written, it is advanced enough to make sure one stays productive throughout the life cycle of any supporting development effort.

One of the additions I would add to DataTable is a visual interface in the custom properties for creating the visual SQL that would attach to the Autoconfig to the Database'. The other addition would be properties/method extensions to link DataTable to Protoview's Data Explorer (another fine Protoview product). But who's asking me?