The In-Memory data source is not associated with a file. It allows you to read and write cases just as you can to file-based data sources, with the cases persisting in memory for the duration of the running application, or until the data source is closed. This data source is useful for performing temporary case-related calculations or management.

The initial behavior of the In-Memory data source is as if a file were opened with no cases. After writing a case, the data source will report that it has a case and loading that specific case will succeed. When used as the data source attached to the main dictionary of a data entry application, cases added will show in the case listing, but these cases will not exist once the program closes.

A similar data source, None, is also not associated with a data file, but cases do not persist in memory.

Typically CSPro uses a file extension to determine what kind of data source to open, but because there is no file associated with an In-Memory data source, you must use the connection string to specify that you want to use an In-Memory data source. For example, the following connection string, specified in a data entry PFF, would result in the main dictionary being attached to an In-Memory data source:

The In-Memory data source supports the following features:

See also: Data Sources