Overview of the Data Shaping Service for OLE DB
Important
This feature will be removed in a future version of Windows. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature. Instead, applications should use XML.
Who can use this provider
OLE DB developers who want to create rowset hierarchies can use the Data Shaping Service for OLE DB, also referred to as the Data Shaping Provider in this guide.
What this provider allows you to do
The Data Shaping Service for OLE DB allows an application to create relationships that had not previously existed between keys, fields, or rowsets. The provider supports the Shape language and any other command languages supported by your data provider. The Shape language allows you to define rowset hierarchies built from rowset data obtained from a data provider. By connecting to the Data Shaping Service for OLE DB, you can execute various SHAPE commands to establish relationships between retrieved result sets and, if desired, group those new rowsets within a hierarchical structure.
You can also perform aggregations on newly formed hierarchical structures, summing at any level and even skipping levels if desired.
It is possible to add to existing hierarchies. The reshaping facility can be used to give an existing rowset a new parent rowset. The reshaping facility will not alter the existing rowsets or any hierarchical relationships that may exist between them.
Data can be kept current by using the ADO Resync and Requery methods or by defining the hierarchy as parameter-based.
The Data Shaping Provider uses the Cursor Service for OLE DB as its rowset implementation.
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