>I have a hunch this is easier than I am making it out to be. I have successfully used the data adapter in ADO.NET using C# to hook up to a SQL Server database and view the data on a simple C# DataGrid. I have successfully ported some VC++ code into managed C++ and used good old ADO to hook to the same data source. Now what I want to do is use the managed C++ code that has my form ( UI per se ) and call a dll ( assembly ) that contains my C# and ADO.NET code and use it to see if I can pass the DataSet reference from the data adapter in the C# code back to my managed C++ code and display it. I am using a 3rd party grid written in VC++ ( MFC ) that I have converted to managed C++ and I want to keep using it if possible . A good test of the CLR claim.

What exactly do you want to do? Use an MFC front end to a .NET component?

You won't be able to mix your MFC and .NET UI I don't think, unless the unmanaged UI is exposed via ActiveX.