How to: Bind a Chart to Data Using Series Templates (Runtime Sample)

• Nov 15, 2018
• 3 minutes to read

The following example demonstrates how to bind a chart to data at runtime using series templates. It uses the same approach as the design-time example, but another data table is generated in this code to simplify the example. For this example to work correctly, don’t forget to include all necessary assemblies to the References list of your project.

Note

A complete sample project is available at https://github.com/DevExpress-Examples/how-to-bind-a-chart-to-data-using-series-templates-e3

Form1.cs

using System;
using System.Data;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using DevExpress.XtraCharts;
// ...

namespace BindUsingTemplatesRuntimeCS {
    public partial class Form1 : Form {
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private DataTable CreateChartData() {
            // Create an empty table.
            DataTable table = new DataTable("Table1");

            // Add three columns to the table.
            table.Columns.Add("Month", typeof(String));
            table.Columns.Add("Section", typeof(String));
            table.Columns.Add("Value", typeof(Int32));

            // Add data rows to the table.
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Jan", "Section1", 10 });
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Jan", "Section2", 20 });
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Feb", "Section1", 20 });
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Feb", "Section2", 30 });
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "March", "Section1", 15 });
            table.Rows.Add(new object[] { "March", "Section2", 25 });

            return table;
        }

        private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
            // Create a chart.
            ChartControl chart = new ChartControl();

            // Generate a data table and bind the chart to it.
            chart.DataSource = CreateChartData();

            // Specify data members to bind the chart's series template.
            chart.SeriesDataMember = "Month";
            chart.SeriesTemplate.ArgumentDataMember = "Section";
            chart.SeriesTemplate.ValueDataMembers.AddRange(new string[] {"Value"});

            // Specify the template's series view.
            chart.SeriesTemplate.View = new StackedBarSeriesView();

            // Specify the template's name prefix.
            chart.SeriesNameTemplate.BeginText = "Month: ";

            // Dock the chart into its parent, and add it to the current form.
            chart.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
            this.Controls.Add(chart);
        }
    }
}

Form1.vb

Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic
Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports DevExpress.XtraCharts
' ...

Namespace BindUsingTemplatesRuntimeCS
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits Form
        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
        End Sub

        Private Function CreateChartData() As DataTable
            ' Create an empty table.
            Dim table As New DataTable("Table1")

            ' Add three columns to the table.
            table.Columns.Add("Month", GetType(String))
            table.Columns.Add("Section", GetType(String))
            table.Columns.Add("Value", GetType(Int32))

            ' Add data rows to the table.
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "Jan", "Section1", 10 })
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "Jan", "Section2", 20 })
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "Feb", "Section1", 20 })
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "Feb", "Section2", 30 })
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "March", "Section1", 15 })
            table.Rows.Add(New Object() { "March", "Section2", 25 })

            Return table
        End Function

        Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
            ' Create a chart.
            Dim chart As New ChartControl()

            ' Generate a data table and bind the chart to it.
            chart.DataSource = CreateChartData()

            ' Specify data members to bind the chart's series template.
            chart.SeriesDataMember = "Month"
            chart.SeriesTemplate.ArgumentDataMember = "Section"
            chart.SeriesTemplate.ValueDataMembers.AddRange(New String() {"Value"})

            ' Specify the template's series view.
            chart.SeriesTemplate.View = New StackedBarSeriesView()

            ' Specify the template's name prefix.
            chart.SeriesNameTemplate.BeginText = "Month: "

            ' Dock the chart into its parent, and add it to the current form.
            chart.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
            Me.Controls.Add(chart)
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Tip

A complete sample project is available in the DevExpress Code Examples database at http://www.devexpress.com/example=E3.