How to: Create and customize a LayoutView in code

• Nov 13, 2018
• 3 minutes to read

The following example shows how to create and customize a Layout View in code. In the example, a template card is created, consisting of six fields arranged as in the image below:

Before arranging layout fields in code, ensure that corresponding columns are visible (see LayoutViewColumn.Visible and GridColumnCollection.AddVisible).

C#

using DevExpress.XtraGrid;
using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Layout;
using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Columns;
using DevExpress.XtraLayout;
using DevExpress.XtraLayout.Customization;
using DevExpress.XtraLayout.Utils;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors.Repository;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors.Controls;

GridControl grid = new GridControl();
LayoutView lView = new LayoutView(grid);
grid.MainView = lView;
lView.OptionsBehavior.AutoPopulateColumns = false;

grid.DataSource = employeesBindingSource;
this.Controls.Add(grid);
grid.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;

// Create columns.
LayoutViewColumn colFirstName = lView.Columns.AddVisible("FirstName") as LayoutViewColumn;
LayoutViewColumn colLastName = lView.Columns.AddVisible("LastName") as LayoutViewColumn;
LayoutViewColumn colAddress = lView.Columns.AddVisible("Address") as LayoutViewColumn;
LayoutViewColumn colCity = lView.Columns.AddVisible("City") as LayoutViewColumn;
LayoutViewColumn colCountry = lView.Columns.AddVisible("Country") as LayoutViewColumn;
LayoutViewColumn colPhoto = lView.Columns.AddVisible("Photo") as LayoutViewColumn;

// Access corresponding card fields.
LayoutViewField fieldFirstName = colFirstName.LayoutViewField;
LayoutViewField fieldLastName = colLastName.LayoutViewField;
LayoutViewField fieldAddress = colAddress.LayoutViewField;
LayoutViewField fieldCity = colCity.LayoutViewField;
LayoutViewField fieldCountry = colCountry.LayoutViewField;
LayoutViewField fieldPhoto = colPhoto.LayoutViewField;

// Position the FirstName field to the right of the Photo field.
fieldFirstName.Move(new LayoutItemDragController(fieldFirstName, fieldPhoto,
    InsertLocation.After, LayoutType.Horizontal));

// Position the LastName field below the FirstName field.
fieldLastName.Move(new LayoutItemDragController(fieldLastName, fieldFirstName,
    InsertLocation.After, LayoutType.Vertical));

// Create an Address Info group.
LayoutControlGroup groupAddress = new LayoutControlGroup();
groupAddress.Text = "Address Info";
groupAddress.Name = "addressInfoGroup";

// Move the Address, City and Country fields to this group.
groupAddress.AddItem(fieldAddress);
fieldCity.Move(fieldAddress, InsertType.Bottom);
fieldCountry.Move(fieldCity, InsertType.Bottom);

lView.TemplateCard.AddGroup(groupAddress, fieldLastName, InsertType.Bottom);

// Assign editors to card fields.
RepositoryItemPictureEdit riPictureEdit = grid.RepositoryItems.Add("PictureEdit") as RepositoryItemPictureEdit;
riPictureEdit.SizeMode = PictureSizeMode.Squeeze;
colPhoto.ColumnEdit = riPictureEdit;

// Customize card field options.
colFirstName.Caption = "First Name";
colLastName.Caption = "Last Name";
// Set the card's minimum size.
lView.CardMinSize = new Size(250, 180);

fieldPhoto.TextVisible = false;
fieldPhoto.SizeConstraintsType = SizeConstraintsType.Custom;
fieldPhoto.MaxSize = fieldPhoto.MinSize = new Size(150, 150);

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors.Controls
Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors.Repository
Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid
Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Columns
Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Layout
Imports DevExpress.XtraLayout
Imports DevExpress.XtraLayout.Customization
Imports DevExpress.XtraLayout.Utils

Dim grid As GridControl = New GridControl()
Dim lView As LayoutView = New LayoutView(grid)
grid.MainView = lView
lView.OptionsBehavior.AutoPopulateColumns = False
grid.DataSource = employeesBindingSource
Me.Controls.Add(grid)
grid.Dock = DockStyle.Fill

' Create columns.
Dim colFirstName As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("FirstName"), LayoutViewColumn)
Dim colLastName As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("LastName"), LayoutViewColumn)
Dim colAddress As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("Address"), LayoutViewColumn)
Dim colCity As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("City"), LayoutViewColumn)
Dim colCountry As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("Country"), LayoutViewColumn)
Dim colPhoto As LayoutViewColumn = TryCast(lView.Columns.AddVisible("Photo"), LayoutViewColumn)

' Access corresponding card fields.
Dim fieldFirstName As LayoutViewField = colFirstName.LayoutViewField
Dim fieldLastName As LayoutViewField = colLastName.LayoutViewField
Dim fieldAddress As LayoutViewField = colAddress.LayoutViewField
Dim fieldCity As LayoutViewField = colCity.LayoutViewField
Dim fieldCountry As LayoutViewField = colCountry.LayoutViewField
Dim fieldPhoto As LayoutViewField = colPhoto.LayoutViewField

' Position the FirstName field to the right of the Photo field.
fieldFirstName.Move(New LayoutItemDragController(fieldFirstName, fieldPhoto, InsertLocation.After, LayoutType.Horizontal))
' Position the LastName field below the FirstName field.
fieldLastName.Move(New LayoutItemDragController(fieldLastName, fieldFirstName, InsertLocation.After, LayoutType.Vertical))

' Create an Address Info group.
Dim groupAddress As LayoutControlGroup = New LayoutControlGroup()
groupAddress.Text = "Address Info"
groupAddress.Name = "addressInfoGroup"
groupAddress.AddItem(fieldAddress)
' Move the Address, City and Country fields to this group.
fieldCity.Move(fieldAddress, InsertType.Bottom)
fieldCountry.Move(fieldCity, InsertType.Bottom)
lView.TemplateCard.AddGroup(groupAddress, fieldLastName, InsertType.Bottom)

' Assign editors to card fields.
Dim riPictureEdit As RepositoryItemPictureEdit = TryCast(grid.RepositoryItems.Add("PictureEdit"), RepositoryItemPictureEdit)
riPictureEdit.SizeMode = PictureSizeMode.Squeeze
colPhoto.ColumnEdit = riPictureEdit

' Customize card field options
colFirstName.Caption = "First Name"
colLastName.Caption = "Last Name"
' Set the card's minimum size.
lView.CardMinSize = New Size(350, 200)

fieldPhoto.TextVisible = False
fieldPhoto.SizeConstraintsType = SizeConstraintsType.Custom
fieldPhoto.MaxSize = New Size(150, 150)
fieldPhoto.MinSize = fieldPhoto.MaxSize