BaseView.SaveLayoutToXml(String) Method

Saves a View’s layout to a specific XML file.

Namespace: DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Base

Assembly: DevExpress.XtraGrid.v24.2.dll

Declaration

C#

public void SaveLayoutToXml(
    string xmlFile
)

VB.NET

Public Sub SaveLayoutToXml(
    xmlFile As String
)

Parameters

Name	Type	Description
xmlFile	String	A string value specifying the path to the file where a View layout should be stored. If an empty string is specified, an exception is raised.

Remarks

Use the SaveLayoutToXML method to save a View’s layout to a specific XML file at runtime. You can then restore saved settings using the BaseView.RestoreLayoutFromXml method.

The ColumnView.OptionsLayout property controls which settings should be saved to the file.

Important

The Document Manager identifies its child documents by names of controls hosted within these documents. Thus, it is recommended that you set unique names for these controls. Failure to comply with this recommendation will result in an exception for certain scenarios (e.g., saving and restoring a View layout by using the SaveLayoutToXml method).

Tip

You can utilize the Persistence Behavior or Workspace Manager component to save and restore layouts for all supported DevExpress controls at once.

Example

This example shows how to save and restore the layout of the GridControl.MainView between application runs. The form’s Load event is handled to restore the layout previously saved to an XML file. The form’s Closing event is handled to save the current layout to the specified file.

Note that the GridControl.ForceInitialize method is called before the layout is restored in the Form.Load event. This method needs to be called before a grid’s settings are changed in the Form.Load event. It finishes the control’s initialization and thus ensures that all the changes that will be made do not conflict with the options that have been customized at design time.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraGrid;
// ...
string fileName = "c:\\XtraGrid_SaveLayoutToXML.xml";

private void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e) {
   gridControl1.ForceInitialize();
   // Restore the previously saved layout
   gridControl1.MainView.RestoreLayoutFromXml(fileName);
}

private void Form1_Closing(object sender, System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs e) {
   // Save the layout to an XML file
   gridControl1.MainView.SaveLayoutToXml(fileName);
}

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid
' ...
Dim fileName As String = "c:\XtraGrid_SaveLayoutToXML.xml"

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
  Handles MyBase.Load
   GridControl1.ForceInitialize()
   ' Restore the previously saved layout
   GridControl1.MainView.RestoreLayoutFromXml(fileName)
End Sub

Private Sub Form1_Closing(ByVal sender As Object, _
  ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs) Handles MyBase.Closing
   ' Save the layout to an XML file
   GridControl1.MainView.SaveLayoutToXml(fileName)
End Sub

Related GitHub Examples

The following code snippet (auto-collected from DevExpress Examples) contains a reference to the SaveLayoutToXml(String) method.

Note

The algorithm used to collect these code examples remains a work in progress. Accordingly, the links and snippets below may produce inaccurate results. If you encounter an issue with code examples below, please use the feedback form on this page to report the issue.

C#

winforms-grid-implement-serializable-column-property/CS/Q242361/Form1.cs#L25

{
    myGridView1.SaveLayoutToXml(LayoutPath);
}

VB.NET

winforms-grid-implement-serializable-column-property/VB/Q242361/Form1.vb#L26

Private Sub simpleButton1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    myGridView1.SaveLayoutToXml(LayoutPath)
End Sub