The MVP, model view presenter design pattern

Hi TheLearnedOne,

So I have an interface with a method:
DataTable SetBusinessProfileDataSource { set; }

My aspx page (the view)  implements this interface like so:
public DataTable SetBusinessProfileDataSource { set { this.ddlBusinessProfile.DataSource = value; } }

My presenter class does the work, i.e. creates the datatable from the database and calls SetBusinessProfileDataSource on the view. something like

view.SetBusinessProfileDataSource = model.GetDataTable

The aspx view, presenter and model are on different layers
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So my question is (from my above post)
I do not want my view layer to have any knowledge of system.data so how can I set the datasourse of my dropDownList?

The only thing I can think of is having a return type of Object then just letting my Presenter set a datatable as my datasourse and that might work.

Also having a Domain Object and using that as the data source of my dropDownList, but I would prefer to use a datatable as I don't want to write a domain object each time I want to do something like this

Any suggestions or best practices?

Thanks for your help

Ok, let me ask a better question.  Are you using classes to define your model?  With the MVC pattern, you define the model using classes to represent the data.  The Controller (Presenter), knows about the model and the view, and is the bridge between the two.  The generalized approach is to use event handlers in the Controller to detect changes in the model, and update the view.  The view and the model should be separated.  You can define multiple views for the same model.

Bob

You ask if I am using classes to define my model

My model is my database and there is a Data Abstract Layer sitting on top of the database (so this DAL is my model). My controller takes data from the DAL and sends it to the view in the form of a datatable.

So I guess the answer to your question is No, I am using datatables to define my model. i.e. the format that the data come out of the DAL is in the form of a datatable.

So are you saying that I should use Classes (i.e. Domain Objects or DAO's) instead of datatables to return the data to the View? So I should take the data from the database, stick the data into a collection of classes, then return the data. Then my controller can send the data to the presenter in the form of these classes and hence the View never has to know about anything in system.data?

Will this not slow down the system i.e. making all these classes while I could just use a data table and avoid the excess computation?