Well, all I can think of is that there's something funky with the DataSet that affects it's serialization/deserialization when being passed by the WS. I don't have a clue what it might be at this point, but given the fact that you're getting the XML from VFP, it might have something to do with the format of the XML (VFP doesn't always generate "standard" XML, if I recall correctly).

I suggest doing this: look at XML generated by .NET with DataSet.GetXML() and look at the XML generated by VFP's CursorToXML() and see what the difference is. It might give you a clue as to what's going on.

~~Bonnie

>>OK, now I'm confused ... why do you mention VFP's CursorToXML()?? I thought this was all .NET ...
>
>The Web Service, ASP.NET WS, is only a wrapper. There isn't any data query at that level. It fires an XML request to a VFP server. So, that VFP server is doing all that data query and sends back to the WS an XML string.
>
>At that level, without changing anything at the WS level, the .NET client is receiving an XML string. The .NET client can then do the ImportXML() call to turn it into a DataSet. That part is working. But, we need to do the same conversion at the WS level. So, instead of returning an XML string, we are now returning a DataSet. However, doing the same approach at the WS level makes the client not able to view the data anymore. That assumes the client is now reading directly a DataSet and doesn't do any conversion as this is now done at the WS level. The WS has a new method. So, the previous method which returns an XML string still exists for specific users. Those who wish to have a DataSet can now call a new method.