How to: Customize Cells and Columns in the Windows Forms DataGridView Control by Extending Their Behavior and Appearance

  • Article

The DataGridView control provides a number of ways to customize its appearance and behavior using properties, events, and companion classes. Occasionally, you may have requirements for your cells that go beyond what these features can provide. You can create your own custom DataGridViewCell class to provide extended functionality.

You create a custom DataGridViewCell class by deriving from the DataGridViewCell base class or one of its derived classes. Although you can display any type of cell in any type of column, you will typically also create a custom DataGridViewColumn class specialized for displaying your cell type. Column classes derive from DataGridViewColumn or one of its derived types.

In the following code example, you will create a custom cell class called DataGridViewRolloverCell that detects when the mouse enters and leaves the cell boundaries. While the mouse is within the cell's bounds, an inset rectangle is drawn. This new type derives from DataGridViewTextBoxCell and behaves in all other respects as its base class. The companion column class is called DataGridViewRolloverColumn.

To use these classes, create a form containing a DataGridView control, add one or more DataGridViewRolloverColumn objects to the Columns collection, and populate the control with rows containing values.

NoteNote

This example will not work correctly if you add empty rows. Empty rows are created, for example, when you add rows to the control by setting the RowCount property. This is because the rows added in this case are automatically shared, which means that DataGridViewRolloverCell objects are not instantiated until you click on individual cells, thereby causing the associated rows to become unshared.

Because this type of cell customization requires unshared rows, it is not appropriate for use with large data sets. For more information about row sharing, see Best Practices for Scaling the Windows Forms DataGridView Control.

NoteNote

When you derive from DataGridViewCell or DataGridViewColumn and add new properties to the derived class, be sure to override the Clone method to copy the new properties during cloning operations. You should also call the base class's Clone method so that the properties of the base class are copied to the new cell or column.

To customize cells and columns in the DataGridView control

  1. Derive a new cell class, called DataGridViewRolloverCell, from the DataGridViewTextBoxCell type.

    Public Class DataGridViewRolloverCell
    Inherits DataGridViewTextBoxCell

...
End Class

    public class DataGridViewRolloverCell : DataGridViewTextBoxCell
{

...
}

  2. Override the Paint method in the DataGridViewRolloverCell class. In the override, first call the base class implementation, which handles the hosted text box functionality. Then use the control's PointToClient method to transform the cursor position (in screen coordinates) to the DataGridView client area's coordinates. If the mouse coordinates fall within the bounds of the cell, draw the inset rectangle.

    Protected Overrides Sub Paint( _
    ByVal graphics As Graphics, _
    ByVal clipBounds As Rectangle, _
    ByVal cellBounds As Rectangle, _
    ByVal rowIndex As Integer, _
    ByVal elementState As DataGridViewElementStates, _
    ByVal value As Object, _
    ByVal formattedValue As Object, _
    ByVal errorText As String, _
    ByVal cellStyle As DataGridViewCellStyle, _
    ByVal advancedBorderStyle As DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle, _
    ByVal paintParts As DataGridViewPaintParts)

    ' Call the base class method to paint the default cell appearance.
    MyBase.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex, elementState, _
        value, formattedValue, errorText, cellStyle, _
        advancedBorderStyle, paintParts)

    ' Retrieve the client location of the mouse pointer.
    Dim cursorPosition As Point = _
        Me.DataGridView.PointToClient(Cursor.Position)

    ' If the mouse pointer is over the current cell, draw a custom border.
    If cellBounds.Contains(cursorPosition) Then
        Dim newRect As New Rectangle(cellBounds.X + 1, _
            cellBounds.Y + 1, cellBounds.Width - 4, _
            cellBounds.Height - 4)
        graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Red, newRect)
    End If

End Sub

    protected override void Paint(
    Graphics graphics,
    Rectangle clipBounds,
    Rectangle cellBounds,
    int rowIndex,
    DataGridViewElementStates cellState,
    object value,
    object formattedValue,
    string errorText,
    DataGridViewCellStyle cellStyle,
    DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle advancedBorderStyle,
    DataGridViewPaintParts paintParts)
{
    // Call the base class method to paint the default cell appearance.
    base.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex, cellState,
        value, formattedValue, errorText, cellStyle,
        advancedBorderStyle, paintParts);

    // Retrieve the client location of the mouse pointer.
    Point cursorPosition =
        this.DataGridView.PointToClient(Cursor.Position);

    // If the mouse pointer is over the current cell, draw a custom border.
    if (cellBounds.Contains(cursorPosition))
    {
        Rectangle newRect = new Rectangle(cellBounds.X + 1,
            cellBounds.Y + 1, cellBounds.Width - 4,
            cellBounds.Height - 4);
        graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Red, newRect);
    }
}

  3. Override the OnMouseEnter and OnMouseLeave methods in the DataGridViewRolloverCell class to force cells to repaint themselves when the mouse pointer enters or leaves them.

    ' Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer enters it.
Protected Overrides Sub OnMouseEnter(ByVal rowIndex As Integer)
    Me.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(Me)
End Sub

' Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer leaves it.
Protected Overrides Sub OnMouseLeave(ByVal rowIndex As Integer)
    Me.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(Me)
End Sub

    // Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer enters it.
protected override void OnMouseEnter(int rowIndex)
{
    this.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(this);
}

// Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer leaves it.
protected override void OnMouseLeave(int rowIndex)
{
    this.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(this);
}

  4. Derive a new class, called DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn, from the DataGridViewColumn type. In the constructor, assign a new DataGridViewRolloverCell object to its CellTemplate property.

    Public Class DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn
    Inherits DataGridViewColumn

    Public Sub New()
        Me.CellTemplate = New DataGridViewRolloverCell()
    End Sub

End Class

    public class DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn : DataGridViewColumn
{
    public DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn()
    {
        this.CellTemplate = new DataGridViewRolloverCell();
    }
}

Example

The complete code example includes a small test form that demonstrates the behavior of the custom cell type.

Imports System
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Class Form1
    Inherits Form

    <STAThreadAttribute()> _
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Application.Run(New Form1())
    End Sub

    Public Sub New()
        Dim dataGridView1 As New DataGridView()
        Dim col As New DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn()
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(col)
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(New String() {""})
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(New String() {""})
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(New String() {""})
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(New String() {""})
        Me.Controls.Add(dataGridView1)
        Me.Text = "DataGridView rollover-cell demo"
    End Sub

End Class

Public Class DataGridViewRolloverCell
    Inherits DataGridViewTextBoxCell

    Protected Overrides Sub Paint( _
        ByVal graphics As Graphics, _
        ByVal clipBounds As Rectangle, _
        ByVal cellBounds As Rectangle, _
        ByVal rowIndex As Integer, _
        ByVal elementState As DataGridViewElementStates, _
        ByVal value As Object, _
        ByVal formattedValue As Object, _
        ByVal errorText As String, _
        ByVal cellStyle As DataGridViewCellStyle, _
        ByVal advancedBorderStyle As DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle, _
        ByVal paintParts As DataGridViewPaintParts)

        ' Call the base class method to paint the default cell appearance.
        MyBase.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex, elementState, _
            value, formattedValue, errorText, cellStyle, _
            advancedBorderStyle, paintParts)

        ' Retrieve the client location of the mouse pointer.
        Dim cursorPosition As Point = _
            Me.DataGridView.PointToClient(Cursor.Position)

        ' If the mouse pointer is over the current cell, draw a custom border.
        If cellBounds.Contains(cursorPosition) Then
            Dim newRect As New Rectangle(cellBounds.X + 1, _
                cellBounds.Y + 1, cellBounds.Width - 4, _
                cellBounds.Height - 4)
            graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Red, newRect)
        End If

    End Sub

    ' Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer enters it.
    Protected Overrides Sub OnMouseEnter(ByVal rowIndex As Integer)
        Me.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(Me)
    End Sub

    ' Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer leaves it.
    Protected Overrides Sub OnMouseLeave(ByVal rowIndex As Integer)
        Me.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(Me)
    End Sub

End Class

Public Class DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn
    Inherits DataGridViewColumn

    Public Sub New()
        Me.CellTemplate = New DataGridViewRolloverCell()
    End Sub

End Class

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class Form1 : Form
{
    [STAThreadAttribute()]
    public static void Main()
    {
        Application.Run(new Form1());
    }

    public Form1()
    {
        DataGridView dataGridView1 = new DataGridView();
        DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn col =
            new DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn();
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(col);
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(new string[] { "" });
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(new string[] { "" });
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(new string[] { "" });
        dataGridView1.Rows.Add(new string[] { "" });
        this.Controls.Add(dataGridView1);
        this.Text = "DataGridView rollover-cell demo";
    }
}

public class DataGridViewRolloverCell : DataGridViewTextBoxCell
{
    protected override void Paint(
        Graphics graphics,
        Rectangle clipBounds,
        Rectangle cellBounds,
        int rowIndex,
        DataGridViewElementStates cellState,
        object value,
        object formattedValue,
        string errorText,
        DataGridViewCellStyle cellStyle,
        DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle advancedBorderStyle,
        DataGridViewPaintParts paintParts)
    {
        // Call the base class method to paint the default cell appearance.
        base.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex, cellState,
            value, formattedValue, errorText, cellStyle,
            advancedBorderStyle, paintParts);

        // Retrieve the client location of the mouse pointer.
        Point cursorPosition =
            this.DataGridView.PointToClient(Cursor.Position);

        // If the mouse pointer is over the current cell, draw a custom border.
        if (cellBounds.Contains(cursorPosition))
        {
            Rectangle newRect = new Rectangle(cellBounds.X + 1,
                cellBounds.Y + 1, cellBounds.Width - 4,
                cellBounds.Height - 4);
            graphics.DrawRectangle(Pens.Red, newRect);
        }
    }

    // Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer enters it.
    protected override void OnMouseEnter(int rowIndex)
    {
        this.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(this);
    }

    // Force the cell to repaint itself when the mouse pointer leaves it.
    protected override void OnMouseLeave(int rowIndex)
    {
        this.DataGridView.InvalidateCell(this);
    }

}

public class DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn : DataGridViewColumn
{
    public DataGridViewRolloverCellColumn()
    {
        this.CellTemplate = new DataGridViewRolloverCell();
    }
}

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

  • References to the System, System.Windows.Forms, and System.Drawing assemblies.

For information about building this example from the command line for Visual Basic or Visual C#, see Building from the Command Line (Visual Basic) or Command-Line Building. You can also build this example in Visual Studio by pasting the code into a new project. How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio

See Also

Reference

DataGridView
DataGridViewCell
DataGridViewColumn

Concepts

DataGridView Control Architecture (Windows Forms)
Column Types in the Windows Forms DataGridView Control
Best Practices for Scaling the Windows Forms DataGridView Control

Other Resources

Customizing the Windows Forms DataGridView Control