How to: Bind a Grid to an XML File

• Jun 07, 2019
• 2 minutes to read

This example demonstrates how to read data from an XML file and display it using the GridControl. If required, the changes made can be saved back to an XML file by clicking the button displayed below the grid.

View Example

Window1.xaml

<Window x:Class="DXGrid_BindingToXML.Window1"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" 
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" 
        xmlns:dxg="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/grid"
        Title="Window1">
    <Grid>
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition />
            <RowDefinition Height="30" />
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>

        <dxg:GridControl 
            x:Name="grid" 
            VerticalAlignment="Top">
            <dxg:GridControl.Columns>
                <dxg:GridColumn FieldName="FirstName" />
                <dxg:GridColumn FieldName="LastName" />
                <dxg:GridColumn FieldName="Company" />
                <dxg:GridColumn FieldName="City" />
            </dxg:GridControl.Columns>
            <dxg:GridControl.View>
                <dxg:TableView AutoWidth="True" />
            </dxg:GridControl.View>
        </dxg:GridControl>
        <Button Margin="5" Grid.Row="1" Click="Button_Click" 
                VerticalAlignment="Bottom" HorizontalAlignment="Left" 
                Content="Post Data to an XML File"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>

Window1.xaml.cs

using System.Windows;
using System.Data;

namespace DXGrid_BindingToXML {

    public partial class Window1 : Window {
        static string path = @"..\..\Contacts.xml";
        public Window1() {
            InitializeComponent();
            grid.ItemsSource = GetDataFromXML();
        }
        private DataTable GetDataFromXML() {
            DataSet ds = new DataSet();
            ds.ReadXml(path);
            return ds.Tables[0];
        }
        private void PostDataToXML() {
            ((DataTable)grid.ItemsSource).DataSet.WriteXml(path);
        }

        private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
            PostDataToXML();
            MessageBox.Show("Changes have been successfully saved to an XML file.", "Info");
        }
    }

}

Window1.xaml.vb

Imports System.Windows
Imports System.Data

Namespace DXGrid_BindingToXML

    Partial Public Class Window1
        Inherits Window

        Private Shared path As String = "..\..\Contacts.xml"
        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
            grid.ItemsSource = GetDataFromXML()
        End Sub
        Private Function GetDataFromXML() As DataTable
            Dim ds As New DataSet()
            ds.ReadXml(path)
            Return ds.Tables(0)
        End Function
        Private Sub PostDataToXML()
            CType(grid.ItemsSource, DataTable).DataSet.WriteXml(path)
        End Sub

        Private Sub Button_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
            PostDataToXML()
            MessageBox.Show("Changes have been successfully saved to an XML file.", "Info")
        End Sub
    End Class

End Namespace