How can I put a checkbox in a column of my DataGrid?

 

You create a custom DataTableStyle that contains column styles for each column you want to display. You add the column styles in the order you want them to appear. Here are the steps to add an string column, an int column and a bool check column to a DataGrid. You can also download a working project.

// code assumes you have a DataSet named myDataSet, a table named "EastCoastSales" and a DataGrid myDataGrid
//STEP 1: Create a DataTable style object and set properties if required.
     DataGridTableStyle ts1 = new DataGridTableStyle();

     //specify the table from dataset (required step)
     ts1.MappingName = "EastCoastSales";
     
     // Set other properties (optional step)
     ts1.AlternatingBackColor = Color.LightBlue;

//STEP 2: Create a string column and add it to the tablestyle
     DataGridColumnStyle TextCol = new DataGridTextBoxColumn();
     TextCol.MappingName = "custName"; //from dataset table
     TextCol.HeaderText = "Customer Name";
     TextCol.Width = 250;
     ts1.GridColumnStyles.Add(TextCol);

//STEP 3: Create an int column style and add it to the tablestyle
     //this requires setting the format for the column through its property descriptor
     PropertyDescriptorCollection pdc = this.BindingContext
           [myDataSet, "EastCoastSales"].GetItemProperties();

     //now created a formated column using the pdc
     DataGridDigitsTextBoxColumn csIDInt =
           new DataGridDigitsTextBoxColumn(pdc["CustID"], "i", true);
     csIDInt.MappingName = "CustID";
     csIDInt.HeaderText = "CustID";
     csIDInt.Width = 100;
     ts1.GridColumnStyles.Add(csIDInt);

//STEP 4: Add the checkbox
     DataGridColumnStyle boolCol = new DataGridBoolColumn();
     boolCol.MappingName = "Current";
     boolCol.HeaderText = "Info Current";

//uncomment this line to get a two-state checkbox
     //((DataGridBoolColumn)boolCol).AllowNull = false;

     boolCol.Width = 150;
     ts1.GridColumnStyles.Add(boolCol);

//STEP 5: Add the tablestyle to your datagrid's tablestlye collection
     myDataGrid.TableStyles.Add(ts1);

 

5.16 How can I restrict the keystrokes that will be accepted in a column of my datagrid?

You can create a custom column style and handle the KeyPress event of its TextBox member. Below is the code showing how this might be done. You can also download a sample project (C#, VB) that shows an implementation of this idea.

public class DataGridDigitsTextBoxColumn : DataGridTextBoxColumn
{
     public DataGridDigitsTextBoxColumn(System.ComponentModel.PropertyDescriptor pd, string format, bool b)
               : base(pd, format, b)
     {
          this.TextBox.KeyPress += new System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventHandler(HandleKeyPress);
     }

     private void HandleKeyPress(object sender, System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventArgs e)
     {
          //ignore if not digit or control key
          if(!char.IsDigit(e.KeyChar) && !char.IsControl(e.KeyChar))
               e.Handled = true;

          //ignore if more than 3 digits
          if(this.TextBox.Text.Length >= 3 && !char.IsControl(e.KeyChar))
               e.Handled = true;
     }

     protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
     {
          if(disposing)
               this.TextBox.KeyPress -= new System.Windows.Forms.KeyPressEventHandler(HandleKeyPress);

          base.Dispose(disposing);
     }
}