Data Binding

• Feb 20, 2024
• 9 minutes to read

DevExpress data-aware controls are compatible with any data access technology (ADO.NET, Entity Framework, XPO, etc.) and can display data from any data source that implements the IList, IBindingList, or ITypedList interface. Refer to these help topics for more details: Traditional Data Binding Methods and Data Binding Common Concepts. Note that Server and Instant Feedback Modes impose certain restrictions on data binding.

Data Grid (or any other DevExpress data-aware control) shows data from its source as is. If you need to display initially filtered or sorted records, or merge multiple data sources into one, do so at the data source level before you bind a data-aware control to this source.

Create a New Data Source

The quickest way to set up a new data source is to utilize the Data Source Configuration Wizard.

Important

The DevExpress Data Source Wizard calls the standard Visual Studio Data Source Configuration Wizard that is not available in .NET projects. You should create datasets, binding sources, and table adapters manually (or you can generate them in a .NET Framework project and add to the .NET project).

Important Notes Related to Design-Time Customization in .NET Apps

Click the Data Grid’s smart tag or click the icon in the Grid’s bottom left corner (see the image below).

The Wizard allows you to bind a control to the following supported sources:

• ADO.NET Data
• SQL Data
• Excel workbooks and CSV files
• JSON Data
• Entity Framework
• Entity Framework Core
• LINQ to SQL Classes
• Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services
• Open Data v4 Services
• DevExpress ORM Tool (XPO)
• Data Created at Runtime (IList, IEnumerable, etc.)
• XML Data
• Custom data with no strongly typed data set available

The UnboundSource component allows you to mix different data source types or add virtual rows to a bound Data Grid.

For code-first data sources, it is possible to mark data class properties with Data Annotation Attributes to pre-customize a Grid (for example, prevent a column from being generated for a specific data field or change the type of its in-place editor).

• Data Annotation Attributes
• Tutorial: Create and Manage Data in Code and Apply Data Annotation Attributes

Choose an Existing Data Source

If you already have a data source ready, use the Data Grid smart tag to select this source in the “Choose Data Source” editor.

In code, assign a valid source to the GridControl.DataSource property.

C#

using System.Data.OleDb;
// ... 
// Create a connection object. 
OleDbConnection connection = new OleDbConnection(
  "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=E:\\DBs\\NWIND.MDB");

// Create a data adapter. 
OleDbDataAdapter adapter = new OleDbDataAdapter("SELECT * FROM Products", connection);

// Create and fill a dataset. 
DataSet sourceDataSet = new DataSet();
adapter.Fill(sourceDataSet);

// Specify the data source for the grid control. 
gridControl1.DataSource = sourceDataSet.Tables[0];

VB.NET

Imports System.Data.OleDb
' ... 
' Create a connection object. 
Dim Connection As New OleDbConnection( _
  "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=E:\\DBs\\NWIND.MDB")

' Create a data adapter. 
Dim Adapter As New OleDbDataAdapter("SELECT * FROM Products", Connection)

' Create and fill a dataset. 
Dim SourceDataSet As New DataSet()
Adapter.Fill(SourceDataSet)

' Specify the data source for the grid control. 
GridControl1.DataSource = SourceDataSet.Tables(0)

Bind to BindingList Source

The following example demonstrates how to bind the Grid control to a BindingList source with Record objects. The Record class implements the INotifyPropertyChanged interface to notify the Grid control that a property value has changed.

Note

The WinForms Grid control can be bound to public properties only.

C#

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.ComponentModel;
using DevExpress.XtraEditors;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

namespace DXApplication1 {
    public partial class Form1 : XtraForm {
        BindingList<Record> records;
        public Form1() {
            InitializeComponent();
            records = new BindingList<Record>() {
                new Record(){ CompanyName = "Hanari Carnes", Price = 19.99 },
                new Record(){ CompanyName = "Romero y tomillo", Price = 28.99 },
                new Record(){ CompanyName = "Reggiani Caseifici", Price = 14.99 },
                new Record(){ CompanyName = "Maison Dewey", Price = 32.99 }
            };
            gridControl1.DataSource = records;
            textEdit1.DataBindings.Add(new Binding("EditValue", records, "CompanyName"));
            textEdit1.Properties.ValidateOnEnterKey = true;
        }
    }

    public class Record : INotifyPropertyChanged {
        private Guid idValue = Guid.NewGuid();
        [Display(Order = -1)]
        public Guid ID {
            get { return this.idValue; }
        }

        string text;
        [DisplayName("Company")]
        public string CompanyName {
            get { return text; }
            set {
                if (text != value) {
                    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
                        throw new Exception();
                    text = value;
                    OnPropertyChanged();
                }
            }
        }
        double? val;
        [DataType(DataType.Currency)]
        public double? Price {
            get { return val; }
            set {
                if (val != value) {
                    val = value;
                    OnPropertyChanged();
                }
            }
        }
        public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
        protected void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName] string propertyName = "") {
            if (PropertyChanged != null)
                PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
        }
    }
}

VB.NET

Imports System
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports DevExpress.XtraEditors
Imports System.Runtime.CompilerServices
Imports System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations

Namespace DXApplication1
    Partial Public Class Form1
        Inherits XtraForm

        Private records As BindingList(Of Record)
        Public Sub New()
            InitializeComponent()
            records = New BindingList(Of Record)() From {
                New Record() With {
                    .CompanyName = "Hanari Carnes",
                    .Price = 19.99
                },
                New Record() With {
                    .CompanyName = "Romero y tomillo",
                    .Price = 28.99
                },
                New Record() With {
                    .CompanyName = "Reggiani Caseifici",
                    .Price = 14.99
                },
                New Record() With {
                    .CompanyName = "Maison Dewey",
                    .Price = 32.99
                }
            }
            gridControl1.DataSource = records
            textEdit1.DataBindings.Add(New Binding("EditValue", records, "CompanyName"))
            textEdit1.Properties.ValidateOnEnterKey = True
        End Sub
    End Class

    Public Class Record
        Implements INotifyPropertyChanged

        Private idValue As Guid = Guid.NewGuid()
        <Display(Order := -1)>
        Public ReadOnly Property ID() As Guid
            Get
                Return Me.idValue
            End Get
        End Property

        Private text As String
        <DisplayName("Company")>
        Public Property CompanyName() As String
            Get
                Return text
            End Get
            Set(ByVal value As String)
                If text <> value Then
                    If String.IsNullOrEmpty(value) Then
                        Throw New Exception()
                    End If
                    text = value
                    OnPropertyChanged()
                End If
            End Set
        End Property
        Private val? As Double
        <DataType(DataType.Currency)>
        Public Property Price() As Double?
            Get
                Return val
            End Get
            Set(ByVal value? As Double)
                If Not val.Equals(value) Then
                    val = value
                    OnPropertyChanged()
                End If
            End Set
        End Property
        Public Event PropertyChanged As PropertyChangedEventHandler Implements INotifyPropertyChanged.PropertyChanged
        Protected Sub OnPropertyChanged(Optional <CallerMemberName> ByVal propertyName As String = "")
            RaiseEvent PropertyChanged(Me, New PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName))
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Switch to Another Data Source

Once you have chosen a data source for the first time, the Data Grid automatically generates all required columns. Should you choose another data source later, previously created columns remain. These columns should be updated manually. To do so, launch the Data Grid Designer, switch to the “Columns” tab, and click the “Retrieve Fields” button.

If you need to change a data source in code, reset the GridControl.DataSource property to null (Nothing in Visual Basic), and assign a new data source object to this property. It is recommended that you enclose this code within the BeginUpdate() and EndUpdate() method calls.

C#

gridControl1.BeginUpdate();
try {
    gridView1.Columns.Clear();
    gridControl1.DataSource = null;
    gridControl1.DataSource = < newDataSource >;
}
finally {
    gridControl1.EndUpdate();
}

VB.NET

gridControl1.BeginUpdate()
Try
    gridView1.Columns.Clear()
    gridControl1.DataSource = Nothing
    gridControl1.DataSource = (Of newDataSource )
Finally
    gridControl1.EndUpdate()
End Try

Post Changes to a Source

For most data source types, the Data Grid allows users to edit data at runtime, but these changes are not automatically saved to an underlying data source. Refer to the following topic to learn how to post changes to a data source: Post Data to an Underlying Data Source.

Clear the Grid

Set the GridControl.DataSource property to null (Nothing in VB.NET) and call the View’s Columns.Clear() method.

C#

gridControl1.DataSource = null;  
gridView1.Columns.Clear(); 

VB.NET

gridControl1.DataSource = Nothing
gridView1.Columns.Clear()

If you need to clear the Data Grid temporarily and restore its data later, switch the control to an empty View.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid;  

object ds;  // Data source

// Clear  
ds = gridControl1.DataSource;  
gridControl1.DataSource = null;  
GridView view = new GridView(gridControl1);  
view.OptionsView.ShowGroupPanel = false;  
view.OptionsView.ShowColumnHeaders = false;  
gridControl1.MainView = view;  

// Restore  
gridControl1.MainView = gridView1;  
gridControl1.DataSource = ds; 

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid

Private ds As Object ' Data source

' Clear  
ds = gridControl1.DataSource
gridControl1.DataSource = Nothing
Dim view As New GridView(gridControl1)
view.OptionsView.ShowGroupPanel = False
view.OptionsView.ShowColumnHeaders = False
gridControl1.MainView = view

' Restore  
gridControl1.MainView = gridView1
gridControl1.DataSource = ds

Fluent API Support

The traditional way to customize grid columns or bind them to data assumes that you access columns by their string field names. If it is not possible to populate grid columns at runtime or you need custom logic to obtain column settings, you can use a fluent API instead. In Visual Studio, IntelliSense allows you to observe all data source properties and bind the required fields to grid columns.

This technique creates fail-safe code when you modify the data source structure (for example, remove a data source field) or when there is a typo in a field name (for instance, an attempt to access a field that does not exist). These actions immediately cause an exception that cannot be missed. The traditional technique can ignore such errors in certain cases, creating ‘dead’ code that is hard to detect.

To use this functionality, refer to the XtraGrid.Extension namespace from your code.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Extensions;

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Extensions

You can now call the ColumnView.With method to add and configure columns. The following code snippet illustrates an example:

C#

gridView1.With<Customer>(settings => {
                settings.Columns
                    .Add(f => f.ContactName, col => {
                        col.Caption = "Contact";
                        col.SortOrder = DevExpress.Data.ColumnSortOrder.Descending;
                        col.SortIndex = 0;
                    })
                    .Add((f => f.Phone), c => { c.Caption = "Phone Number"; })
                    .Add(p => p.CompanyName)
                        .WithCaption("Company Name")
                        .WithGrouping()
                        .With(col => { });
 });

VB.NET

gridView1.With(Of Customer)(Sub(settings)
    settings.Columns.Add(Function(f) f.ContactName, Sub(col)
            col.Caption = "Contact"
            col.SortOrder = DevExpress.Data.ColumnSortOrder.Descending
            col.SortIndex = 0
        End Sub).Add((Function(f) f.Phone), Sub(c) c.Caption = "Phone Number").Add(Function(p) p.CompanyName).WithCaption("Company Name").WithGrouping().With(Sub(col)
    End Sub)
End Sub)

With a fluent API, you can use the ColumnView.GetColumnViewSettings method to obtain existing columns and modify their settings. For instance, the following code is the GridView.RowCellStyle event handler that identifies the column related to the row cell and fills it in red if the column is ‘Phone’:

C#

void gridView1_RowCellStyle(object sender, DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid.RowCellStyleEventArgs e) {
    GridColumn col = (sender as ColumnView).GetColumnViewSettings<Customer>().Columns[c => c.Phone].AsColumn();
        if((col!=null) && (e.Column == col)) {
        e.Appearance.BackColor = Color.Red;
    }
}

VB.NET

Private Sub gridView1_RowCellStyle(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid.RowCellStyleEventArgs)
    Dim col As GridColumn = (TryCast(sender, ColumnView)).GetColumnViewSettings(Of Customer)().Columns(Function(c) c.Phone).AsColumn()
        If (col IsNot Nothing) AndAlso (e.Column Is col) Then
        e.Appearance.BackColor = Color.Red
        End If
End Sub

Cheat Sheets and Best Practices

DevExpress WinForms UI controls share the same data binding techniques. Read the following quick-reference guides for detailed information and examples:

• Supported Data Access Technologies and Data Sources
• Display Data From a Large Database or Data Storage
• Show Values from External Sources. Calculated Field Values. Unbound Mode.
• Master-Detail Mode in WinForms Data Grid
• How to Update a Database
• Update and Load Data from non UI Threads. Deal with Frequently Updated Data

Troubleshooting

Data binding issues are not usually related to DevExpress UI components directly. Read the following article for information on how to fix known issues:

Data Binding - DevExpress WinForms Troubleshooting