How can I bind the datagrid to a datasource without using any wizards?

Here is a really simple data binding sample. Just drag and drop a datagrid onto a default Windows Forms application. Follow the steps below to bind this grid to the NorthWind db in SQL server.

Complete Sample: simpledata.zip

// Create a connection
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection(this.GetConnectionString());

// Create a data adapter. Think of the data adapter as an object that knows how to get the data from the
// data source into a dataset
SqlDataAdapter dataAdapter = new SqlDataAdapter(this.GetCommandText(), connection);

// fill the dataset using the data adapter
DataSet dataSet = new DataSet(''Customers'');
dataAdapter.Fill(this.dataSet, ''Customers'');

// bind to the grid
grid.DataSource = this.dataSet; // the big picture  
grid.DataMember = ''Customers''; // the specific table that we want to bind to

// The connection text looks like this
// If your SQL server is running on the default port, you can remove the port attribute.
private string GetConnectionString()
    {
      

                                                string server = ''your_server_name'';
      string serverPort = ''port_address'';
      string catalog = ''NorthWind'';
      string password = ''user_pass'';
      string userId =  ''user_name'';

      string connectionString = ''data source={0},{1};initial catalog={2};'' +
                    ''password={3}; user id={4}; packet size=4096'';
      
      return string.Format(connectionString, 
        server, serverPort, catalog, password, userId);
    }



// The command text looks like this

private string GetCommandText()
    {
      string commandText = ''Select * from customers'';
      return commandText;
    }