TcxCustomGridTableItem Class

The base class for all data items in Table, Banded Table, Card, Layout, and WinExplorer grid Views.

Declaration

TcxCustomGridTableItem = class(
    TcxComponent,
    IcxEditRepositoryItemListener,
    IcxStoredObject,
    IdxScaleFactor,
    IdxFilterableComponent,
    IdxFilterImagesProvider,
    IdxExcelFilterableComponent,
    IdxCustomFunctionContainer,
    IdxCustomFunctionFilterableComponent,
    IdxDateTimeHandling,
    IdxFilteringDateTimeHandling,
    IdxGroupingDateTimeHandling,
    IcxDataControllerSpreadSheetExpressionItem
)

Remarks

The TcxCustomGridTableItem class implements core functionality common to data items in all grid Views except for Chart in all supported data access modes. A data item is designed to display data of the same type. In bound and server data access modes, a data item corresponds to an individual dataset field.

Data Item Types

Data items are main visual elements of all grid Views. Depending on the View type, data items describe different View elements:

Column

In a Table or Banded Table View, data items are columns that populate the View from left to right.

VCL Data Grid: A Column

Card Row

In a Card View, items are card rows arranged vertically.

VCL Data Grid: A Card Row

Layout Data Item

A layout data item is embedded into a layout container.

VCL Data Grid: A Layout Item

WinExplorer Data Item

A WinExplorer data item is an image, text, check box, or group associated with a dataset field.

VCL Data Grid: A WinExplorer Data Item

In-Place Editors

A data item can use any editor shipped with the ExpressEditors Library as an in-place editor for cell edit operations. An in-place editor instance exists (and, therefore, has its own WinAPI handle) only when a data item cell is being edited. Otherwise, the data item displays a static editor image for resource usage optimization.

VCL Data Grid: An In-Place Spin Editor

To switch between available in-place editors, you can use the PropertiesClass property. Use the Properties property to configure the in-place editor associated with the data item.

In-Place Editors and Repository Items

Alternatively, you can assign an edit repository item component to the RepositoryItem property, and use the repository item to define the active in-place editor and customize its settings.

Note

If an edit repository item is assigned to the RepositoryItem property, Properties, PropertiesClass, and PropertiesClassName properties have no effect.

Multiple In-Place Editors in One Data Item

You can handle OnGetProperties and OnGetPropertiesForEdit events to dynamically change the assigned in-place editor and its settings based on custom conditions.

VCL Data Grid: Multiple In-Place Editors Per Data Item

Important

Do not change PropertiesClass, PropertiesClassName, and Properties property values directly in OnGetProperties and OnGetPropertiesForEdit event handlers.

To change the active editor and modify its settings safely within these event handlers, use the RepositoryItem property and TcxEditRepositoryItem class descendants.

Main API Members

The list below outlines key members of the TcxCustomGridTableItem class that allow you to configure columns, card rows, as well as layout and WinExplorer items in corresponding grid Views.

Appearance Customization

ApplyBestFit | BestFitMaxWidth: Allow you to adjust the data item width to display content in full and limit the maximum data item width in this mode.
Caption | AlternateCaption: Specify main and alternative captions for the data item. An alternative data item caption can replace the main caption in customization dialogs, filter panels, etc.
HeaderAlignmentHorz | HeaderAlignmentVert: Position the data item header horizontally and vertically.
MinWidth: Specifies the minimum data item width, in pixels.
OnCustomDrawCell: Allows you to override or complement data item draw routines.
OnGetDisplayText | OnGetFilterDisplayText: Allow you to customize display text and data item captions displayed in a filter drop-down window.
OnGetFilterImages | OnGetFilterValues: Allow you to customize the data item’s filter drop-down window.
Styles: Allows you to customize the appearance of different data item elements.

In-Place Editor Settings

Editing: Specifies if the assigned in-place cell editor is active.
OnGetProperties: Allows you to display different in-place editors for different records or customize editor settings based on custom conditions.
OnGetPropertiesForEdit: Allows you to change the assigned in-place editor and customize its settings when a user invokes the editor.
Properties: Provides access to the settings of the assigned in-place editor.
PropertiesClass: Specifies the active in-place editor class. At design time, you can use the Properties node in the Object Inspector to assign an in-place editor to the data item and configure the editor.
RepositoryItem: Allows you to associate the data item with a repository item that defines the required in-place editor and its settings.

Tip
Repository items are particularly useful if you need to share in-place editor settings between multiple grid View items or customize editor settings in OnGetProperties and OnGetPropertiesForEdit event handlers.

Data Management

DataBinding: Provides access to data binding settings.
GroupIndex: Allows you to group data items in the parent grid View by the current data item.
SortIndex | SortOrder: Allow you to sort data in the parent grid View against the current data item.

Focused: Specifies if the data item has focus.
Index: Defines the data item position in its parent grid View.
IsFirst | IsLast: Identify if the data item is the first or last in the parent grid View’s collection of visible data items.
MakeVisible: Scrolls the parent grid View to display the current data item.

General-Purpose API Members

Editable: Allows you to identify if the data item is editable.
GridView: Provides access to the grid View to which the data item belongs.
Options: Allows you to configure general data item settings.
RestoreDefaults: Restores the default values of data item type-specific settings, such as Caption and Width. TcxCustomGridTableItem class descendants override this procedure with data item type-specific implementations.
ShowExpressionEditor: Invokes the Expression Editor dialog.
Visible: Specifies if the data item is visible.