DataGridViewComboBoxColumn Class

Note: This class is new in the .NET Framework version 2.0.

Represents a column of DataGridViewComboBoxCell objects.

Namespace: System.Windows.Forms
Assembly: System.Windows.Forms (in system.windows.forms.dll)

'Declaration
Public Class DataGridViewComboBoxColumn
	Inherits DataGridViewColumn
'Usage
Dim instance As DataGridViewComboBoxColumn

public class DataGridViewComboBoxColumn extends DataGridViewColumn
public class DataGridViewComboBoxColumn extends DataGridViewColumn

The DataGridViewComboBoxColumn class is a specialized type of DataGridViewColumn used to logically host cells that enable selection and editing. A DataGridViewComboBoxColumn has an associated DataGridViewComboBoxCell in every DataGridViewRow that intersects it.

The following steps describe a common way to use this class:

  1. Create a DataGridView.

  2. Set the DataSource property of the DataGridView.

  3. Create a DataGridViewComboBoxColumn.

  4. If the data source contains multiple properties or columns, set the DataPropertyName property to the name of the property or column for populating the cell values.

  5. Use the DataSource or Items properties to establish the selections.

  6. Use the ValueMember and DisplayMember properties to establish a mapping between cell values and what will be displayed on the screen.

The DataGridViewComboBoxColumn will only work properly if there is a mapping between all its cell values that are populated by the DataGridView.DataSource property and the range of choices populated either by the DataSource property or the Items property. If this mapping doesn't exist, the message "An Error happened Formatting, Display" will appear when the column is in view.

The default sort mode for this column type is NotSortable.

Notes to Inheritors When you derive from DataGridViewComboBoxColumn 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.

The following code example demonstrates how to use a DataGridViewComboBoxColumn to aid in entering data into the TitleOfCourtesy column.

Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Drawing

Public Class Employees
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

    Private WithEvents DataGridView1 As New DataGridView
    Private WithEvents DataGridView2 As New DataGridView

    <STAThreadAttribute()> _
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Try
            Application.EnableVisualStyles()
            Application.Run(New Employees())
        Catch e As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(e.Message & e.StackTrace)
        End Try
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
        ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load

        Try
            SetUpForm()
            SetUpDataGridView1()
            SetUpDataGridView2()
        Catch ex As SqlException
            MessageBox.Show("The connection string <" _
                & connectionString _
                & "> failed to connect.  Modify it to connect to " _
                & "a Northwind database accessible to your system.", _
                "ERROR", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation)
            Application.Exit()
        End Try
    End Sub

    Private Sub SetUpForm()
        Size = New Size(800, 600)
        Dim flowLayout As New FlowLayoutPanel()
        flowLayout.FlowDirection = FlowDirection.TopDown
        flowLayout.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
        Controls.Add(flowLayout)
        Text = "DataGridView columns demo"

        flowLayout.Controls.Add(DataGridView1)
        flowLayout.Controls.Add(DataGridView2)
    End Sub

    Private Sub SetUpDataGridView2()
        DataGridView2.Dock = DockStyle.Bottom
        DataGridView2.TopLeftHeaderCell.Value = "Sales Details"
        DataGridView2.RowHeadersWidthSizeMode = _
        DataGridViewRowHeadersWidthSizeMode.AutoSizeToAllHeaders
    End Sub

    Private Sub SetUpDataGridView1()
        ' Virtual mode is turned on so that the
        ' unbound DataGridViewCheckBoxColumn will
        ' keep its state when the bound columns are
        ' sorted.
        DataGridView1.VirtualMode = True

        DataGridView1.AutoSize = True
        DataGridView1.DataSource = _
            Populate("SELECT * FROM Employees")
        DataGridView1.TopLeftHeaderCell.Value = "Employees"
        DataGridView1.RowHeadersWidthSizeMode = _
            DataGridViewRowHeadersWidthSizeMode.AutoSizeToAllHeaders
        DataGridView1.ColumnHeadersHeightSizeMode = _
            DataGridViewColumnHeadersHeightSizeMode.AutoSize
        DataGridView1.AutoSizeColumnsMode = _
            DataGridViewAutoSizeColumnsMode.AllCells
        DataGridView1.AllowUserToAddRows = False
        DataGridView1.AllowUserToDeleteRows = False

        ' The below autogenerated column is removed so 
        ' a DataGridViewComboboxColumn could be used instead.
        DataGridView1.Columns.Remove( _
            ColumnName.TitleOfCourtesy.ToString())
        DataGridView1.Columns.Remove(ColumnName.ReportsTo.ToString())

        AddLinkColumn()
        AddComboBoxColumns()
        AddButtonColumn()
        AddOutOfOfficeColumn()
    End Sub

    ' Using an enum provides some abstraction between column index
    ' and column name along with compile time checking, and gives
    ' a handy place to store the column names.
    Enum ColumnName
        EmployeeId
        LastName
        FirstName
        Title
        TitleOfCourtesy
        BirthDate
        HireDate
        Address
        City
        Region
        PostalCode
        Country
        HomePhone
        Extension
        Photo
        Notes
        ReportsTo
        PhotoPath
        OutOfOffice
    End Enum

    Private Sub AddComboBoxColumns()
        Dim comboboxColumn As New DataGridViewComboBoxColumn()
        comboboxColumn = CreateComboBoxColumn()
        SetAlternateChoicesUsingDataSource(comboboxColumn)
        comboboxColumn.HeaderText = _
            "TitleOfCourtesy (via DataSource property)"
        DataGridView1.Columns.Insert(0, comboboxColumn)

        comboboxColumn = CreateComboBoxColumn()
        SetAlternateChoicesUsingItems(comboboxColumn)
        comboboxColumn.HeaderText = _
            "TitleOfCourtesy (via Items property)"
        ' Tack this example column onto the end.
        DataGridView1.Columns.Add(comboboxColumn)
    End Sub

    Private Sub AddLinkColumn()

        Dim links As New DataGridViewLinkColumn()
        With links
            .HeaderText = ColumnName.ReportsTo.ToString()
            .DataPropertyName = ColumnName.ReportsTo.ToString()
            .ActiveLinkColor = Color.White
            .LinkBehavior = LinkBehavior.SystemDefault
            .LinkColor = Color.Blue
            .TrackVisitedState = True
            .VisitedLinkColor = Color.YellowGreen
        End With
        DataGridView1.Columns.Add(links)
    End Sub

    Private Shared Sub SetAlternateChoicesUsingItems( _
        ByRef comboboxColumn As DataGridViewComboBoxColumn)

        With comboboxColumn
            .Items.AddRange(New String() _
                    {"Mr.", "Ms.", "Mrs.", "Dr."})
        End With
    End Sub

    Private Function CreateComboBoxColumn() _
        As DataGridViewComboBoxColumn
        Dim column As New DataGridViewComboBoxColumn()

        With column
            .DataPropertyName = ColumnName.TitleOfCourtesy.ToString()
            .HeaderText = ColumnName.TitleOfCourtesy.ToString()
            .DropDownWidth = 160
            .Width = 90
            .MaxDropDownItems = 3
            .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Flat
        End With
        Return column
    End Function

    Private Sub SetAlternateChoicesUsingDataSource( _
        ByRef comboboxColumn As DataGridViewComboBoxColumn)
        With comboboxColumn
            .DataSource = RetrieveAlternativeTitles()
            .ValueMember = ColumnName.TitleOfCourtesy.ToString()
            .DisplayMember = .ValueMember
        End With
    End Sub

    Private Function RetrieveAlternativeTitles() As DataTable
        Return Populate( _
            "SELECT distinct TitleOfCourtesy FROM Employees")
    End Function

    Private connectionString As String = _
            "Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;" _
            & "Initial Catalog=Northwind;Data Source=localhost"

    Private Function Populate(ByVal sqlCommand As String) As DataTable
        Dim northwindConnection As New SqlConnection(connectionString)
        northwindConnection.Open()

        Dim command As New SqlCommand(sqlCommand, _
            northwindConnection)
        Dim adapter As New SqlDataAdapter()
        adapter.SelectCommand = command
        Dim table As New DataTable()
        table.Locale = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture
        adapter.Fill(table)

        Return table
    End Function

    Private Sub AddButtonColumn()
        Dim buttons As New DataGridViewButtonColumn()
        With buttons
            .HeaderText = "Sales"
            .Text = "Sales"
            .UseColumnTextForButtonValue = True
            .AutoSizeMode = DataGridViewAutoSizeColumnMode.DisplayedCells
            .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Standard
            .CellTemplate.Style.BackColor = Color.Honeydew
            .DisplayIndex = 0
        End With

        DataGridView1.Columns.Add(buttons)

    End Sub

    Private Sub AddOutOfOfficeColumn()
        Dim column As New DataGridViewCheckBoxColumn()
        With column
            .HeaderText = ColumnName.OutOfOffice.ToString()
            .Name = ColumnName.OutOfOffice.ToString()
            .AutoSizeMode = DataGridViewAutoSizeColumnMode.DisplayedCells
            .FlatStyle = FlatStyle.Standard
            .CellTemplate = New DataGridViewCheckBoxCell()
            .CellTemplate.Style.BackColor = Color.Beige
        End With

        DataGridView1.Columns.Insert(0, column)
    End Sub

    Private Sub PopulateSales( _
        ByVal buttonClick As DataGridViewCellEventArgs)

        Dim employeeId As String = _
            DataGridView1.Rows(buttonClick.RowIndex). _
            Cells(ColumnName.EmployeeId.ToString()).Value().ToString()
        DataGridView2.DataSource = Populate( _
            "SELECT * FROM Orders WHERE EmployeeId = " & employeeId)
    End Sub

#Region "SQL Error handling"
    Private Sub DataGridView1_DataError(ByVal sender As Object, _
    ByVal e As DataGridViewDataErrorEventArgs) _
    Handles DataGridView1.DataError

        MessageBox.Show("Error happened " _
            & e.Context.ToString())

        If (e.Context = DataGridViewDataErrorContexts.Commit) _
            Then
            MessageBox.Show("Commit error")
        End If
        If (e.Context = DataGridViewDataErrorContexts _
            .CurrentCellChange) Then
            MessageBox.Show("Cell change")
        End If
        If (e.Context = DataGridViewDataErrorContexts.Parsing) _
            Then
            MessageBox.Show("parsing error")
        End If
        If (e.Context = _
            DataGridViewDataErrorContexts.LeaveControl) Then
            MessageBox.Show("leave control error")
        End If

        If (TypeOf (e.Exception) Is ConstraintException) Then
            Dim view As DataGridView = CType(sender, DataGridView)
            view.Rows(e.RowIndex).ErrorText = "an error"
            view.Rows(e.RowIndex).Cells(e.ColumnIndex) _
                .ErrorText = "an error"

            e.ThrowException = False
        End If
    End Sub
#End Region

    Private Sub DataGridView1_CellContentClick(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As DataGridViewCellEventArgs) _
        Handles DataGridView1.CellContentClick

        If IsANonHeaderLinkCell(e) Then
            MoveToLinked(e)
        ElseIf IsANonHeaderButtonCell(e) Then
            PopulateSales(e)
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub MoveToLinked(ByVal e As DataGridViewCellEventArgs)
        Dim employeeId As String
        Dim value As Object = DataGridView1.Rows(e.RowIndex). _
            Cells(e.ColumnIndex).Value
        If value.GetType Is GetType(DBNull) Then Return

        employeeId = CType(value, String)
        Dim boss As DataGridViewCell = _
            RetrieveSuperiorsLastNameCell(employeeId)
        If Not boss Is Nothing Then
            DataGridView1.CurrentCell = boss
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Function IsANonHeaderLinkCell(ByVal cellEvent As _
        DataGridViewCellEventArgs) As Boolean

        If TypeOf DataGridView1.Columns(cellEvent.ColumnIndex) _
            Is DataGridViewLinkColumn _
            AndAlso Not cellEvent.RowIndex = -1 Then _
            Return True Else Return False

    End Function

    Private Function IsANonHeaderButtonCell(ByVal cellEvent As _
        DataGridViewCellEventArgs) As Boolean

        If TypeOf DataGridView1.Columns(cellEvent.ColumnIndex) _
            Is DataGridViewButtonColumn _
            AndAlso Not cellEvent.RowIndex = -1 Then _
            Return True Else Return (False)

    End Function

    Private Function RetrieveSuperiorsLastNameCell( _
        ByVal employeeId As String) As DataGridViewCell

        For Each row As DataGridViewRow In DataGridView1.Rows
            If row.IsNewRow Then Return Nothing
            If row.Cells(ColumnName.EmployeeId.ToString()). _
                Value.ToString().Equals(employeeId) Then
                Return row.Cells(ColumnName.LastName.ToString())
            End If
        Next
        Return Nothing
    End Function

#Region "checkbox state"
    Dim inOffice As New Dictionary(Of String, Boolean)
    Private Sub DataGridView1_CellValuePushed(ByVal sender As Object, _
     ByVal e As DataGridViewCellValueEventArgs) _
        Handles DataGridView1.CellValuePushed

        If IsCheckBoxColumn(e.ColumnIndex) Then
            Dim employeeId As String = GetKey(e)
            If Not inOffice.ContainsKey(employeeId) Then
                inOffice.Add(employeeId, CType(e.Value, Boolean))
            Else
                inOffice.Item(employeeId) = CType(e.Value, Boolean)
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Function GetKey(ByVal cell As DataGridViewCellValueEventArgs) As String
        Return DataGridView1.Rows(cell.RowIndex).Cells( _
            ColumnName.EmployeeId.ToString()).Value().ToString()
    End Function

    Private Sub DataGridView1_CellValueNeeded(ByVal sender As Object, _
     ByVal e As DataGridViewCellValueEventArgs) _
        Handles DataGridView1.CellValueNeeded

        If IsCheckBoxColumn(e.ColumnIndex) Then
            Dim employeeId As String = GetKey(e)
            If Not inOffice.ContainsKey(employeeId) Then
                Dim defaultValue As Boolean = False
                inOffice.Add(employeeId, defaultValue)
            End If

            e.Value = inOffice.Item(employeeId)
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Function IsCheckBoxColumn(ByVal columnIndex As Integer) As Boolean
        Dim outOfOfficeColumn As DataGridViewColumn = _
            DataGridView1.Columns(ColumnName.OutOfOffice.ToString())
        If DataGridView1.Columns(columnIndex) Is outOfOfficeColumn Then
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function
#End Region

End Class

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Windows 98, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 2.0

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