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Context Menus

  • 8 minutes to read

The GridControl can display pop-up menus that allow users to manage data (apply grouping and sorting, display summaries, and so on) and customize the View (show or hide its UI elements). These context menus can be customized.

Context Menus Overview

Menu Type

Availability

Appearance

Item Names

Group Panel

IsGroupPanelMenuEnabled

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.FullExpand

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.FullCollapse

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.ClearGrouping

Column Header

IsColumnMenuEnabled

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SortAscending

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SortDescending

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.ClearSorting

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.GroupColumn

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.GroupBox

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.ColumnChooser

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.BestFit

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.BestFitColumns

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FilterEditor

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SearchPanel

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedStyle

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedNone

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedLeft

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedRight

Group Column Header

IsColumnMenuEnabled

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.FullExpand

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.FullCollapse

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SortAscending

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SortDescending

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.ClearSorting

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.UnGroupColumn

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.GroupBox

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.ColumnChooser

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.BestFitColumns

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.GroupSummaryEditor

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FilterEditor

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SearchPanel

Band Header

IsColumnMenuEnabled

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.GroupBox

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.ColumnChooser

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.BestFit

DefaultColumnMenuItemNames.BestFitColumns

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FilterEditor

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.SearchPanel

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedStyle

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedNone

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedLeft

DefaultColumnMenuItemNamesBase.FixedRight

Row Cell

IsRowCellMenuEnabled

-

-

Group Row

IsGroupRowMenuEnabled

-

-

Summary Panel

Group Footer

IsTotalSummaryMenuEnabled

IsGroupFooterMenuEnabled

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Sum

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Min

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Max

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Count

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Average

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize

Fixed Summary Panel

IsTotalSummaryMenuEnabled

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Count

DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize

To obtain the context menu displayed within a View, use the GridViewBase.GridMenu property.

Customize Context Menus

In XAML

Use the View’s properties:

Menu Type

Property

Group Panel

GridViewBase.GroupPanelMenuCustomizations

Column Header

DataViewBase.ColumnMenuCustomizations

Band Header

TableView.BandMenuCustomizations

Row Cell

DataViewBase.RowCellMenuCustomizations

Group Row

GridViewBase.GroupRowMenuCustomizations

Summary

DataViewBase.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations

Group Footer

GridViewBase.GroupFooterMenuCustomizations

Compact Panel

TableView

TableView.CompactModeFilterElementMenuCustomizations

TableView.CompactModeFilterMergeElementMenuCustomizations

TableView.CompactModeSortElementMenuCustomizations

TreeListView

TreeListView.CompactModeFilterElementMenuCustomizations

TreeListView.CompactModeFilterMergeElementMenuCustomizations

TreeListView.CompactModeSortElementMenuCustomizations

These properties return a BarManagerActionCollection object (bar items, links, and actions).

In Code

Handle the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event.

Examples

Bind to a Column, Row, and TableView in RowCellMenuCustomizations

To bind a cell’s context menu to a column, row, or TableView, use the default binding source or the attached GridPopupMenu.GridMenuInfo property.

<Window ...
        xmlns:dxg="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/grid"
        xmlns:dxb="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/bars">
<!-- ... -->
<dxg:TableView Tag="Test value">
    <dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=Column.FieldName}" />
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=Row.Row.Name}" />
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=View.Tag}" />
    </dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
</dxg:TableView>
<!-- OR -->
<dxg:TableView Tag="Test value">
    <dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=(dxg:GridPopupMenu.GridMenuInfo).Column.FieldName, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}" />
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=(dxg:GridPopupMenu.GridMenuInfo).Row.Row.Name, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}" />
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="{Binding Path=(dxg:GridPopupMenu.GridMenuInfo).View.Tag, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}" />
    </dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
</dxg:TableView>

Rename Standard Menu Items

The following example renames the “Customize…” item in the summary panel:

In XAML

Use the bar‘s UpdateAction and specify the item name.

<dxg:TableView.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations>
    <dxb:UpdateAction ElementName="{x:Static dxg:DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize}" PropertyName="Content" Value="Edit..." />
</dxg:TableView.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations>

In Code

Subscribe to the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event and change the item name.

<dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="ShowGridMenu" />
using DevExpress.Xpf.Grid;
using DevExpress.Xpf.Bars;
//...
void ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    if (e.MenuType != GridMenuType.TotalSummary)
        return;
    BarItem item = e.Items.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name == DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize);
    if (item != null)
        item.Content = "Edit...";
}

Add Cell and Column Menu Items to a Column

In XAML

Use the RowCellMenuCustomizations/ColumnMenuCustomizations properties and binding paths from the Bind to a Column, Row, and TableView in RowCellMenuCustomizations example.

<Window.Resources>
    <dxmvvm:ObjectToObjectConverter x:Key="fieldNameToVisibleConverter" DefaultTarget="False">
        <dxmvvm:MapItem Source="Visits" Target="True" />
    </dxmvvm:ObjectToObjectConverter>
</Window.Resources>
...
<dxg:TableView>
    <dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 1" IsVisible="{Binding Column.FieldName, Converter={StaticResource fieldNameToVisibleConverter}}" />
    </dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
    <dxg:TableView.ColumnMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 2" IsVisible="{Binding Column.FieldName, Converter={StaticResource fieldNameToVisibleConverter}}" />
    </dxg:TableView.ColumnMenuCustomizations>
</dxg:TableView>

In Code

Subscribe to the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event and specify e.MenuInfo.Column.FieldName in the event handler.

<dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="TableView_ShowGridMenu" />
void TableView_ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    if (e.MenuInfo.Column.FieldName != "Visits")
        return;
    switch (e.MenuType) {
        case GridMenuType.RowCell:
            e.Customizations.Add(new BarButtonItem { Content = "Item 1" });
            break;
        case GridMenuType.Column:
            e.Customizations.Add(new BarButtonItem { Content = "Item 2" });
            break;
    }
}

Show Different Cell Menu Items Depending on a Property Value

The following example demonstrates how to show the row cell’s context menu item if you sort data against the current column:

In XAML

Use RowCellMenuCustomizations and binding paths from the Bind to a Column, Row, and TableView in RowCellMenuCustomizations example.

<dxg:TableView>
    <dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 1" IsVisible="{Binding Column.IsSorted}" />
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 2" />
    </dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
</dxg:TableView>

In Code

Subscribe to the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event and get column objects from e.MenuInfo.

<dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="TableView_ShowGridMenu" />
void TableView_ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.MenuType != GridMenuType.RowCell)
        return;
    GridCellMenuInfo info = (GridCellMenuInfo)e.MenuInfo;
    ColumnBase item = (ColumnBase)info.Column;
    if (item.IsSorted)
        e.Customizations.Add(new BarButtonItem { Content = "Item 1" });
    e.Customizations.Add(new BarButtonItem { Content = "Item 2" });
}

Show Different Cell Menu Items Depending on a Node Level

The following example demonstrates how to show a row cell’s context menu for a node level:

In XAML

Use the RowCellMenuCustomizations property and bind the BarItem.IsVisible property to the current node’s level.

<Window.Resources>
    <dxmvvm:ObjectToObjectConverter x:Key="levelToVisibleConverter" DefaultTarget="False">
        <dxmvvm:MapItem Source="1" Target="True" />
    </dxmvvm:ObjectToObjectConverter>
</Window.Resources>
...
<dxg:TreeListView>
    <dxg:TreeListView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
        <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 1" IsVisible="{Binding Row.Level, Converter={StaticResource levelToVisibleConverter}}" />
    </dxg:TreeListView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
</dxg:TreeListView>

In Code

Subscribe to the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event and get the current node from the e.MenuInfo object.

<dxg:TreeListView ShowGridMenu="TreeListView_ShowGridMenu" />
void TreeListView_ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    if (e.MenuType != GridMenuType.RowCell)
        return;
    GridCellMenuInfo info = (GridCellMenuInfo)e.MenuInfo;
    TreeListRowData rowData = (TreeListRowData)info.Row;
    if (rowData.Level == 1)
        e.Customizations.Add(new BarButtonItem { Content = "Item 1" });
}

Remove Menu Items

The following example removes an item from the Total Summary panel‘s context menu:

Grid - Remove Items from the Context Menu

View Example: Customize the GridControl's Context Menu

In XAML

Add the RemoveBarItemAndLinkAction object to the DataViewBase.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations collection. Specify the BarItemActionBase.ItemName property with the menu item name from the DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames class.

<dxg:TableView.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations>
    <dxb:RemoveBarItemAndLinkAction ItemName="{x:Static dxg:DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize}"/>
</dxg:TableView.TotalSummaryMenuCustomizations>

In Code

Handle the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event.

<dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="ShowGridMenu"/>
void ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    if (e.MenuType == GridMenuType.TotalSummary) {
        e.Customizations.Add(new RemoveAction { ElementName = DefaultSummaryMenuItemNames.Customize });
    }
}

Add Menu Items to a Specific Position

The following example demonstrates how to add a custom menu item to a grid column’s context menu:

Grid - Add Items to the Context Menu

View Example: Customize the GridControl's Context Menu

In XAML

Add a bar item (for example, BarCheckItem) to the DataViewBase.ColumnMenuCustomizations collection and specify item properties. Attach the BarItemLinkActionBase.ItemLinkIndex property to this item to insert it into a specific position.

<dxg:TableView.ColumnMenuCustomizations>
    <dxb:BarCheckItem Content="Checked" IsChecked="True" dxb:BarItemLinkActionBase.ItemLinkIndex="0"/>
    <dxb:BarItemLinkSeparator dxb:BarItemLinkActionBase.ItemLinkIndex="1"/>
</dxg:TableView.ColumnMenuCustomizations>

In Code

Handle the ShowGridMenu event.

<dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="ShowGridMenu"/>
void ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    if (e.MenuType == GridMenuType.Column) {
        BarCheckItem item1 = new BarCheckItem { Content = "Checked", IsChecked = true };
        BarItemLinkActionBase.SetItemLinkIndex(item1, 0);
        e.Customizations.Add(item1);
        BarItemLinkSeparator item2 = new BarItemLinkSeparator();
        BarItemLinkActionBase.SetItemLinkIndex(item2, 1);
        e.Customizations.Add(item2);
    }
}

Add Custom Row Cell’s Context Menu

This example shows how to define a cell’s context menu. The context menu allows users to delete a row or copy its data to the clipboard.

Grid - Context Menu for Row Cells

View Example: Display a Context Menu for Data Cells

<dxg:GridControl.View>
    <dxg:TableView x:Name="view" AutoWidth="True">
        <dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
            <dxb:BarButtonItem Name="deleteRowItem" Content="Delete"
                               IsEnabled="{Binding Row.Row.CanBeDeleted}"
                               ItemClick="OnDeleteRow"/>
            <dxb:BarButtonItem Name="copyCellDataItem" Content="Copy" 
                               ItemClick="OnCopyRow" />
        </dxg:TableView.RowCellMenuCustomizations>
    </dxg:TableView>
</dxg:GridControl.View>
void OnCopyRow(object sender, ItemClickEventArgs e) {
    if (view.GridMenu.MenuInfo is GridCellMenuInfo menuInfo && menuInfo.Row != null)
        grid.CopyCurrentItemToClipboard();
}
void OnDeleteRow(object sender, ItemClickEventArgs e) {
    if (view.GridMenu.MenuInfo is GridCellMenuInfo menuInfo && menuInfo.Row != null)
        view.DeleteRow(menuInfo.Row.RowHandle.Value);
}

Add a Context Menu to an Empty Grid

The following example shows how to add a context menu for an empty GridControl:

  1. Create the BarManager.DXContextMenu object.
  2. Create a new instance of the PopupMenu class and assign it to the BarManager.DXContextMenu object.
  3. Add bar items (for example, BarButtonItem objects) to the PopupMenu.Items collection.
<Window xmlns:dxg="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/grid"
        xmlns:dxb="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/bars">
    <dxg:GridControl ...>
        <dxb:BarManager.DXContextMenu>
            <dxb:PopupMenu>
                <dxb:PopupMenu.Items>
                    <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 1"/>
                    <dxb:BarButtonItem Content="Item 2"/>
                </dxb:PopupMenu.Items>
            </dxb:PopupMenu>
        </dxb:BarManager.DXContextMenu>
    </dxg:GridControl>
</Window>

Disable all the GridControl’s Context Menus

If you do not want to display any of the GridControl‘s context menus, follow the steps below:

  1. Handle the DataViewBase.ShowGridMenu event.
  2. In the event handler, set the e.Handled property to true.
<dxg:GridControl.View>
    <dxg:TableView ShowGridMenu="view_ShowGridMenu"/>
</dxg:GridControl.View>
void view_ShowGridMenu(object sender, GridMenuEventArgs e) {
    e.Handled = true;
}