How does DataSet.ReadXml() deserialize XML into the current dataset instance?

[cjard]

In mimicking the dataset's serializee and deserialize, i'm trying to make a sub called ReadXml that will take a stream to read from, and deserialize all the data into the current instance upon which readxml is called.

For serializing, this was easy:

Dim xs as XmlSerializer
xs.Serialize(theStream, Me, blahblah)

but how does the reverse work, populating an existing instance rather than creating a new one?
I can happily make a factory that will read the stream and crank out a new object, i just not sure how to make the existing object get populated, seeing as Deserialize() returns a newly deserialized object?

Does dataset deserialize and capture the new object, then manually clone all the entries into itself?

 

[JohnH]

Have you tried Reflector looking through the code for Dataset class? (hint, it also uses a friend helper class XmlDataLoader)