Entity Framework is a data mapper example. Using a framework like this saves you a lot of time and many headaches.
Just to show you the kind of fun you're in for without a mapping framework, this is a simple read-only data mapping example (without using entity framework):
public class MyTableEntryObject
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Name { get; set; }
...
}
var thisIsMapped = new List<MyTableEntryObject>();
using(var conn = new SqlConnection("MyServerName"))
{
using(var command = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM tbl.myTable",conn))
{
using(var reader = SqlCommand.ExecuteReader())
{
if(read.HasRows)
{
while(reader.Read())
{
var mappedObject = new MyTableEntryObject();
mappedObject.Id= reader.GetInt32(0);
mappedObject.Name = reader.GetString(1);
...
}
}
}
}
}
</pre>