A function to return a DataTable of metadata about a DataTable

GetMetadataDataTable.vb

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Returns a DataTable containing metadata about the structure of the submitted DataTable
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="InputDataTable">DataTable to describe.</param>
    ''' <returns>DataTable</returns>
    Public Function GetMetadataDataTable(InputDataTable As DataTable) As DataTable
        Dim ColumnsDataTable As New DataTable("Columns")


        'column names column
        Dim ColumnNameColumn As New DataColumn
        With ColumnNameColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Column name"
            .ColumnName = "ColumnName"
        End With

        'ColumnDescription column
        Dim ColumnDescriptionColumn As New DataColumn
        With ColumnDescriptionColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Description"
            .ColumnName = "ColumnDescription"
        End With

        'data type column
        Dim DataTypeColumn As New DataColumn
        With DataTypeColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Data type"
            .ColumnName = "DataType"
        End With

        'units column
        Dim UnitsColumn As New DataColumn
        With UnitsColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Units"
            .ColumnName = "Units"
        End With

        'allowdbnull column
        Dim AllowDBNullColumn As New DataColumn
        With AllowDBNullColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "AllowDBNULL"
            .ColumnName = "AllowDBNull"
        End With

        'AutoIncrement column
        Dim AutoIncrementColumn As New DataColumn
        With AutoIncrementColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "AutoIncrement"
            .ColumnName = "AutoIncrement"
        End With

        'AutoIncrementSeed column
        Dim AutoIncrementSeedColumn As New DataColumn
        With AutoIncrementSeedColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "AutoIncrementSeed"
            .ColumnName = "AutoIncrementSeed"
        End With

        'AutoIncrementStep column
        Dim AutoIncrementStepColumn As New DataColumn
        With AutoIncrementStepColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "AutoIncrementStep"
            .ColumnName = "AutoIncrementStep"
        End With

        'Caption column
        Dim CaptionColumn As New DataColumn
        With CaptionColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Caption"
            .ColumnName = "Caption"
        End With

        'ColumnMapping column
        Dim ColumnMappingColumn As New DataColumn
        With ColumnMappingColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "ColumnMapping"
            .ColumnName = "ColumnMapping"
        End With

        'DateTimeMode column
        Dim DateTimeModeColumn As New DataColumn
        With DateTimeModeColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "DateTimeMode"
            .ColumnName = "DateTimeMode"
        End With

        'DefaultValue column
        Dim DefaultValueColumn As New DataColumn
        With DefaultValueColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "DefaultValue"
            .ColumnName = "DefaultValue"
        End With

        'Expression column
        Dim ExpressionColumn As New DataColumn
        With ExpressionColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Expression"
            .ColumnName = "Expression"
        End With

        'ExtendedProperties column
        'Dim ExtendedPropertiesColumn As New DataColumn
        'With ExtendedPropertiesColumn
        '    .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
        '    .Caption = "ExtendedProperties"
        '    .ColumnName = "ExtendedProperties"
        'End With

        'MaxLength column
        Dim MaxLengthColumn As New DataColumn
        With MaxLengthColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "MaxLength"
            .ColumnName = "MaxLength"
        End With

        'Table column
        Dim TableColumn As New DataColumn
        With TableColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Table"
            .ColumnName = "Table"
        End With

        'Unique column
        Dim UniqueColumn As New DataColumn
        With UniqueColumn
            .DataType = System.Type.GetType("System.String")
            .Caption = "Unique"
            .ColumnName = "Unique"
        End With

        'add the columns to the datatable
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(ColumnNameColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(CaptionColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(DataTypeColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(ColumnDescriptionColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(UnitsColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(AllowDBNullColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(UniqueColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(DefaultValueColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(AutoIncrementColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(AutoIncrementSeedColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(AutoIncrementStepColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(ColumnMappingColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(ExpressionColumn)
        'ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(ExtendedPropertiesColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(MaxLengthColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(TableColumn)
        ColumnsDataTable.Columns.Add(DateTimeModeColumn)

        Try
            'load the columns data table with info about the input data table
            For Each Column As DataColumn In InputDataTable.Columns
                Dim NewRow As DataRow = ColumnsDataTable.NewRow
                NewRow.Item("ColumnName") = Column.ColumnName
                NewRow.Item("DataType") = Column.DataType.ToString.Replace("System.", "")
                NewRow.Item("AllowDBNull") = Column.AllowDBNull
                NewRow.Item("DefaultValue") = Column.DefaultValue
                NewRow.Item("AutoIncrement") = Column.AutoIncrement
                NewRow.Item("AutoIncrementSeed") = Column.AutoIncrementSeed
                NewRow.Item("AutoIncrementStep") = Column.AutoIncrementStep
                NewRow.Item("Caption") = Column.Caption
                NewRow.Item("ColumnDescription") = Column.Caption
                NewRow.Item("ColumnMapping") = Column.ColumnMapping
                NewRow.Item("Expression") = Column.Expression
                'NewRow.Item("ExtendedProperties") = Column.ExtendedProperties
                NewRow.Item("MaxLength") = Column.MaxLength
                NewRow.Item("Table") = Column.Table
                NewRow.Item("Unique") = Column.Unique
                NewRow.Item("DateTimeMode") = Column.DateTimeMode

                'add the row to the table
                ColumnsDataTable.Rows.Add(NewRow)

            Next
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try

        'return the metadata datatable
        Return ColumnsDataTable
    End Function