>>I have concluded that DataAdapter is a useless beast and further, does nothing that you cannot do better yourself.
>
>One thing that is does do better is allow working with data access visually in the IDE.

The problem is that you need to add data components visually, which has the downside of combining services from multiple tiers. With the method I show, you can still bind to a dataset. The improvments I am looking for will allow you to deal with data components in a separate tier, but still get the visual UI benefits.

>>The Fill, and data modification methods of the dataadpater are too black box.
>
>"Too" black box? How so?

You are forced to get into an elaborate set of table mappings, which requires a lot of code. The fact is, the data adapter is nothing more than a confederation of command objects with some public methods that brokers access to the various command objects. I don't see the data adapter as a value added component, at least not at this stage. Being the open minded person I am, I am always ready to entertain a compelling technical argument that would justify its use.