[c#] Storing and retrieving datatable from session

How to store a datatable in session and to retrieve the values from the session in c#.net?

To store DataTable in Session:

DataTable dtTest = new DataTable();
Session["dtTest"] = dtTest; 

To retrieve DataTable from Session:

DataTable dt = (DataTable) Session["dtTest"];

this is just as a side note, but generally what you want to do is keep size on the Session and ViewState small. I generally just store IDs and small amounts of packets in Session and ViewState.

for instance if you want to pass large chunks of data from one page to another, you can store an ID in the querystring and use that ID to either get data from a database or a file.

PS: but like I said, this might be totally unrelated to your query :)

A simple solution for a very common problem

                 // DECLARATION
                HttpContext context = HttpContext.Current;
                DataTable dt_ShoppingBasket = context.Session["Shopping_Basket"] as DataTable;

                // TRY TO ADD rows with the info into the DataTable
                try
                {
                    // Add new Serial Code into DataTable dt_ShoppingBasket
                    dt_ShoppingBasket.Rows.Add(new_SerialCode.ToString());

                    // Assigns new DataTable to Session["Shopping_Basket"]
                    context.Session["Shopping_Basket"] = dt_ShoppingBasket;
                }
                catch (Exception)
                {
                    // IF FAIL (EMPTY OR DOESN'T EXIST) - 
                    // Create new Instance, 
                    DataTable dt_ShoppingBasket= new DataTable();

                    // Add column and Row with the info
                    dt_ShoppingBasket.Columns.Add("Serial");
                    dt_ShoppingBasket.Rows.Add(new_SerialCode.ToString());

                    // Assigns new DataTable to Session["Shopping_Basket"]
                    context.Session["Shopping_Basket"] = dt_PanierCommande;
                }



                // PRINT TESTS
                DataTable dt_To_Print = context.Session["Shopping_Basket"] as DataTable;

                foreach (DataRow row in dt_To_Print.Rows)
                {
                    foreach (var item in row.ItemArray)
                    {
                        Debug.WriteLine("DATATABLE IN SESSION: " + item);
                    }
                }

You can do it like that but storing a DataSet object in Session is not very efficient. If you have a web app with lots of users it will clog your server memory really fast.

If you really must do it like that I suggest removing it from the session as soon as you don't need the DataSet.