How do you Sort a DataTable given column and direction?

Question

I need to resort, in memory, a DataTable based on a column and direction that are coming from a GridView. The function needs to look like this:

public static DataTable resort(DataTable dt, string colName, string direction) {     DataTable dtOut = null;      .... } 

I need help filling in this function. I think I can use a Select statement but I am not sure how. I can't click on Comments because of this browser but you can show me an in-place or new DataTable solution, either one. For the people showing me pointers, please, I need a coded function similar to the one prototyped.

How about:

// ds.Tables[0].DefaultView.Sort="au_fname DESC";    public static void Resort(ref DataTable dt, string colName, string direction)    {         string sortExpression = string.Format("{0} {1}", colName, direction);         dt.DefaultView.Sort = sortExpression;    } 

Answer 1

I assume "direction" is "ASC" or "DESC" and dt contains a column named "colName"

public static DataTable resort(DataTable dt, string colName, string direction) {     DataTable dtOut = null;     dt.DefaultView.Sort = colName + " " + direction;     dtOut = dt.DefaultView.ToTable();     return dtOut; } 

OR without creating dtOut

public static DataTable resort(DataTable dt, string colName, string direction) {     dt.DefaultView.Sort = colName + " " + direction;     dt = dt.DefaultView.ToTable();     return dt; } 

Answer 2

If you've only got one DataView, you can sort using that instead:

table.DefaultView.Sort = "columnName asc"; 

Haven't tried it, but I guess you can do this with any number of DataViews, as long as you reference the right one.