SQLXML Import/Export - vb.net

Question

I have a SQL DB from which I export data as XML using VB.Net code. The code is relatively simple, works quickly, and formats the XML beautifully. The code is:
Dim connetionString As String
Dim connection As SqlConnection
Dim adapter As SqlDataAdapter
Dim ds As New DataSet
Dim sql As String
connetionString = "**connectionstring**"
connection = New SqlConnection(connetionString)
sql = "select * from costdata"
Try
connection.Open()
adapter = New SqlDataAdapter(sql, connection)
adapter.Fill(ds)
connection.Close()
ds.WriteXml("**PATH**")
MsgBox("Done")
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.ToString)
End Try
The problem I'm having is loading this data back in. It seems like it should be as easy as the above, but I can't seem to get a simple way to do it.
It's my understanding that I can use an XMLReader coupled with ADO.NET, but in that case I need to define the columns for the DataTable to insert the XML Data into before I import it all into the DB.
Is there any way to keep from having to hard-code column values in the DataTable, and have the exported XML data import in similar fashion to the above?

Answer 1

Though it's not automated by column name, I decided that hardcoding the mappings wasn't too big a hassle. I'm all ears for an automated way, however. My solution:
Dim connectionString As String = "Data Source=(localdb)\v11.0;Initial Catalog=localACETest;Integrated Security=True"
Try
Using sqlconn As New SqlConnection(connectionString)
Dim ds As New DataSet()
Dim sourcedata As New DataTable()
ds.ReadXml("C:\Users\coopere.COOPERE-PC\Desktop\Test.xml")
sourcedata = ds.Tables(0)
sqlconn.Open()
Using bulkcopy As New SqlBulkCopy(sqlconn)
bulkcopy.DestinationTableName = "ScheduleData"
bulkcopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Id", "Id")
bulkcopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Period", "Period")
...
bulkcopy.WriteToServer(sourcedata)
End Using
sqlconn.Close()
End Using
MsgBox("Done")
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.ToString)
End Try

Answer 2

Here is a way to automate column mappings ... it assumes the table exists with the same structure in the target database. Cheers :-)
Public Shared Function BulkCopyXML( _
path_ As String, _
connection_string_ As String, _
messages_ As List(Of String), _
exceptions_ As List(Of Exception) _
) As Boolean
Dim result_ As Boolean = False
Try
Dim dataset_ As New DataSet()
dataset_.ReadXml(path_)
Dim datatable_ As DataTable = Nothing
Using connection_ As SqlClient.SqlConnection = New SqlClient.SqlConnection(connection_string_)
connection_.Open()
Using bulkCopy_ As SqlClient.SqlBulkCopy = New SqlClient.SqlBulkCopy(connection_)
For Each datatable_ In dataset_.Tables()
messages_.Add(datatable_.TableName)
bulkCopy_.DestinationTableName = datatable_.TableName
bulkCopy_.ColumnMappings.Clear()
For Each dataColumn_ As DataColumn In datatable_.Columns
bulkCopy_.ColumnMappings.Add(dataColumn_.ColumnName, dataColumn_.ColumnName)
Next
bulkCopy_.WriteToServer(datatable_)
Next
End Using
End Using
result_ = True
Catch exception_ As Exception
If exceptions_ Is Nothing Then
Throw exception_
Else
exceptions_.Add(exception_)
End If
Finally
End Try
Return result_
End Function