Update: See the code for C#. I have also explained how to set the name property of each column in the DataGridView and its proper usage.
In this article, I am going to show you how to bind a .Net ComboBox control with a DataGridView. The ComboBox will show up in a Cell of a particular column when focus sets on that column. The combo box will allow the user to select value from a list of pre-define of items.
Windows Forms CheckedListBox Control – C# and Vb.Net
Start Microsoft Visual Studio and select a New Project from the File menu (Left Top Menu). From New Project templates, select Windows Forms Application and click OK.
01) A new project appears with a Blank Form. Click the Toolbox button and from the list of tools Double Click to add a DataGridView control on the form.
02) Select the DataGridView control and right click the mouse to choose Properties. In the Properties window, find the Columns property and open it. Add few columns to the Grid. (See the below Image).
To add the columns, you simply have to click the Add button, which will open the Add Column window. You will have to add values to the first and last fields, that is, Name and Header Text.
Please remember, the Present Address column is important for this example to work properly. Therefore, in the Header Text field add the text Present Address and in the Name field add PresentAddress (without any space).
03) Finally drag and drop a ComboBox control on the DataGridView. The ComboBox will have a list of Qualifications. So add a few items in the ComboBox. To add the values, right click the control and choose Properties. Find the Items property and add items to it.
Next, set the Visible property of the ComboBox as False. We don’t want the ComboBox to be visible when the form loads. The ComboBox will show up when the focus is on a Cell corresponding to the Qualification Column. Until then, it remains hidden.
Note: The “ComboBox” control should be placed on the “DataGridView” control.
Now, let’s write the code.
Code Behind (C#)
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WindowsFormsApplication1
{
public partial class frmDataGridView_Demo : Form
{
DataTable dtTable = new DataTable("Employee"); // CREATE A DATATABLE.
public frmDataGridView_Demo()
{
InitializeComponent();
AddRows(); // ADD FEW BLANK ROWS TO START WITH.
}
private void AddRows()
{
DataRow row = null;
row = dtTable.NewRow();
int iCntCol = 0;
for (iCntCol = 1; iCntCol <= 10; iCntCol++)
{
row = dtTable.NewRow(); // ADD BLANK ROWS TO THE DATATABLE.
dtTable.Rows.Add(row);
}
// ADD DATATABLE TO GRID. (WITH THE BLANK ROWS)
dataGridView1.DataSource = dtTable;
// ADD SOME COLOR TO THE GRID.
dataGridView1.GridColor = Color.FromArgb(211, 222, 229);
dataGridView1.BackgroundColor = Color.Wheat;
dataGridView1.RowsDefaultCellStyle.BackColor = Color.AliceBlue;
dataGridView1.RowsDefaultCellStyle.SelectionBackColor = Color.CornflowerBlue;
dataGridView1.RowsDefaultCellStyle.SelectionForeColor = Color.White;
}
// CONTROL THE KEY STROKES.
protected override bool ProcessCmdKey(ref System.Windows.Forms.Message msg,
System.Windows.Forms.Keys keyData)
{
if (keyData == Keys.Enter)
{
// ON ENTER KEY, GO TO THE NEXT CELL.
// WHEN THE CURSOR REACHES THE LAST COLUMN, CARRY IT ON TO THE NEXT ROW.
if (ActiveControl.Name == "DataGridView1")
{
// CHECK IF ITS THE LAST COLUMN
if (dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex == dataGridView1.ColumnCount - 1)
{
// GO TO THE FIRST COLUMN, NEXT ROW.
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.RowIndex + 1]
.Cells[0];
}
else
{
// NEXT COLUMN.
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index]
.Cells[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1];
}
return true;
}
else if (ActiveControl is DataGridViewTextBoxEditingControl)
{
// SHOW THE COMBOBOX WHEN FOCUS IS ON A CELL
CORRESPONDING TO THE "QUALIFICATION" COLUMN.
if (dataGridView1.Columns
[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex].Name == "PresentAddress")
{
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index]
.Cells[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1];
// SHOW COMBOBOX.
Show_Combobox(dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index,
dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex);
SendKeys.Send("{F4}"); // DROP DOWN THE LIST.
return true;
}
else
{
// CHECK IF ITS THE LAST COLUMN.
if (dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex ==
dataGridView1.ColumnCount - 1)
{
// GO TO THE FIRST COLUMN, NEXT ROW.
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.RowIndex + 1]
.Cells[0];
}
else
{
// NEXT COLUMN.
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index]
.Cells[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1];
}
return true;
}
}
else if (ActiveControl.Name == "ComboBox1")
{
// HIDE THE COMBOBOX AND ASSIGN COMBO'S VALUE TO THE CELL.
comboBox1.Visible = false;
dataGridView1.Focus();
// ONCE THE COMBO IS SET AS INVISIBLE, SET FOCUS BACK TO THE GRID.
(IMPORTANT)
dataGridView1[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex,
dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index].Value = comboBox1.Text;
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentRow.Index]
.Cells[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1];
}
else
{
SendKeys.Send("{TAB}");
}
return true;
}
else if (keyData == Keys.Escape) // PRESS ESCAPE TO HIDE THE COMBOBOX.
{
if (ActiveControl.Name == "ComboBox1")
{
comboBox1.Text = "";
comboBox1.Visible = false;
dataGridView1.CurrentCell =
dataGridView1.Rows[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.RowIndex]
.Cells[dataGridView1.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex];
dataGridView1.Focus();
}
return true;
}
else
{
return base.ProcessCmdKey(ref msg, keyData);
}
}
private void Show_Combobox(int iRowIndex, int iColumnIndex)
{
// DESCRIPTION: SHOW THE COMBO BOX IN THE SELECTED CELL OF THE GRID.
// PARAMETERS: iRowIndex - THE ROW ID OF THE GRID.
// iColumnIndex - THE COLUMN ID OF THE GRID.
int x = 0;
int y = 0;
int Width = 0;
int height = 0;
// GET THE ACTIVE CELL'S DIMENTIONS TO BIND THE COMBOBOX WITH IT.
Rectangle rect = default(Rectangle);
rect = dataGridView1.GetCellDisplayRectangle(iColumnIndex, iRowIndex, false);
x = rect.X + dataGridView1.Left;
y = rect.Y + dataGridView1.Top;
Width = rect.Width;
height = rect.Height;
comboBox1.SetBounds(x, y, Width, height);
comboBox1.Visible = true;
comboBox1.Focus();
}
}
}How to Copy Data from One DataGridView to Another using C# and Vb.Net
Vb.Net
Option Explicit On
Public Class frmDataGridView_Demo
Dim dtTable As New DataTable("Employee") ' CREATE A DATATABLE.
Private Sub frmDataGridView_Demo_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
AddRows() ' ADD FEW BLANK ROWS TO START WITH.
End Sub
Private Sub AddRows()
Dim row As DataRow
row = dtTable.NewRow
For iCntCol = 1 To 10
row = dtTable.NewRow ' ADD BLANK ROWS TO THE DATATABLE.
dtTable.Rows.Add(row)
Next
With DataGridView1
.DataSource = dtTable ' ADD DATATABLE TO GRID. (WITH THE BLANK ROWS)
' JUST FOR THE LOOKS.
.GridColor = Color.FromArgb(211, 222, 229)
.BackgroundColor = Color.Wheat
.RowsDefaultCellStyle.BackColor = Color.AliceBlue
.RowsDefaultCellStyle.SelectionBackColor = Color.CornflowerBlue
.RowsDefaultCellStyle.SelectionForeColor = Color.White
End With
End Sub
' CONTROL THE KEY STROKES.
Protected Overrides Function ProcessCmdKey(ByRef msg As System.Windows.Forms.Message, _
ByVal keyData As System.Windows.Forms.Keys) As Boolean
If keyData = Keys.Enter Then
' ON ENTER KEY, GO TO THE NEXT CELL.
' WHEN THE CURSOR REACHES THE LAST COLUMN, CARRY IT ON TO THE NEXT ROW.
If ActiveControl.Name = "DataGridView1" Then
With DataGridView1
If .CurrentCell.ColumnIndex = .ColumnCount - 1 Then ' CHECK IF ITS THE LAST COLUMN
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentCell.RowIndex + 1).Cells(0) ' GO TO THE FIRST COLUMN, NEXT ROW.
Else
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentRow.Index).Cells(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1) ' NEXT COLUMN.
End If
End With
ElseIf TypeOf ActiveControl Is DataGridViewTextBoxEditingControl Then
' SHOW THE COMBOBOX WHEN FOCUS IS ON A CELL CORRESPONDING TO THE "QUALIFICATION" COLUMN.
With DataGridView1
If .Columns(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex).Name = "PresentAddress" Then
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentRow.Index).Cells(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1)
' SHOW COMBOBOX.
Show_Combobox(.CurrentRow.Index, .CurrentCell.ColumnIndex)
SendKeys.Send("{F4}") ' DROP DOWN THE LIST.
Else
If .CurrentCell.ColumnIndex = .ColumnCount - 1 Then ' CHECK IF ITS THE LAST COLUMN
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentCell.RowIndex + 1).Cells(0) ' GO TO THE FIRST COLUMN, NEXT ROW.
Else
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentRow.Index).Cells(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1) ' NEXT COLUMN.
End If
End If
End With
ElseIf ActiveControl.Name = "ComboBox1" Then
' HIDE THE COMBOBOX AND ASSIGN COMBO'S VALUE TO THE CELL.
ComboBox1.Visible = False
With DataGridView1
.Focus() ' ONCE THE COMBO IS SET AS INVISIBLE, SET FOCUS BACK TO THE GRID. (IMPORTANT)
.Item(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex, .CurrentRow.Index).Value = Trim(ComboBox1.Text)
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentRow.Index).Cells(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex + 1)
End With
Else
SendKeys.Send("{TAB}")
End If
Return True
ElseIf keyData = Keys.Escape Then ' PRESS ESCAPE TO HIDE THE COMBOBOX.
If ActiveControl.Name = "ComboBox1" Then
ComboBox1.Text = "" : ComboBox1.Visible = False
With DataGridView1
.CurrentCell = .Rows(.CurrentCell.RowIndex).Cells(.CurrentCell.ColumnIndex)
.Focus()
Return True
End With
End If
Else
Return MyBase.ProcessCmdKey(msg, keyData)
End If
End Function
Private Sub Show_Combobox(ByVal iRowIndex As Integer, ByVal iColumnIndex As Integer)
' DESCRIPTION: SHOW THE COMBO BOX IN THE SELECTED CELL OF THE GRID.
' PARAMETERS: iRowIndex - THE ROW ID OF THE GRID.
' iColumnIndex - THE COLUMN ID OF THE GRID.
Dim x As Integer = 0
Dim y As Integer = 0
Dim Width As Integer = 0
Dim height As Integer = 0
' GET THE ACTIVE CELL'S DIMENTIONS TO BIND THE COMBOBOX WITH IT.
Dim rect As Rectangle
rect = DataGridView1.GetCellDisplayRectangle(iColumnIndex, iRowIndex, False)
x = rect.X + DataGridView1.Left
y = rect.Y + DataGridView1.Top
Width = rect.Width
height = rect.Height
With ComboBox1
.SetBounds(x, y, Width, height)
.Visible = True
.Focus()
End With
End Sub
End ClassWell, that's it. Thanks for reading. ☺