Is there anything like the VFP sqlexec command in the dataset, tableadapter world?

I have a database with 2 tables; parent/child.

I have managed with help from all here and Google, to create a form that uses tableadapters which allows me to navigate through the parent and child using a pick list box with parent data bound to fields on the form and a grid for the child records. I can edit and add parent data and even batch update the child table.

Now I want to allow the user to right click on the batch update button and display a dialog form that is populated with distinct dates of when updates were performed so they may revert one of the batch updates.

I need to be able to get a distinct list of the dates from the child table. Childs play (ugh sorry couldn’t resist) in vfp where I could use sqlexec to select distinct or group by and get a result to throw into a pick list. But if I create a new fillbydistinctdate method in my dataset/tableadapter I get a message warning me the schema does not match what I already have and if I continue my original form is toast.

If I try to use the select method of the datatable I get an error at run time that indicates “distinct” is not allowed.

drfound = dSRA.RATRANS.Select("distinct transdate”);
and
drfound = dSRA.RATRANS.Select("distinct transdate >= #01/01/2007#");

both return ‘missing opperand after transdate’

Thanks again.