• DevExpress .NET XtraGrid Overview

    The following is a summary of the features available to you in the XtraGrid Suite:



    Data Specifics
    • Full ADO+ Support - The XtraGrid takes full advantage of ADO+. Using this data access architecture and the separation of internal data modules from data presentation, the XtraGrid does not use any extra buffers in any of its modes. Even when grouping columns, the XtraGrid will use a minimum of memory and perform the operation as fast as the data source can supply the data.

    • Support for Data Lists - The XtraGrid works with any source which supports the IList, ITypedList or IBindingList interface plus all inherited interfaces.

    • Unbound Columns - It's possible to combine bound and unbound data modes. Just add unbound columns and supply data via an event. End-users can edit the values within unbound columns and the changes can then be saved to a custom data source.

    • True Master-Detail Support - The XtraGrid allows you to establish and present master-detail information in either bound or unbound mode. You can even use the drill down mode to zoom into each detail level, allowing even the most complicated sets of relationships to be manipulated easily.

    • Server-side Data Management - The GridControl and GridLookUpEdit controls support a new data-binding mode, called Server Mode, which has been specifically designed to support large data sets (consisting of 50,000 records and even more). Loading data from a data store in small portions, when required, and performing all data-aware operations on the server side are the key features of this data binding that ensure quick access to data, even if the sorting, grouping, filtering and summary features are used. See Server Mode for more details.



    Data Representation Specifics
    • View Based Architecture - Every level in the XtraGrid can be represented by a different View. The XtraGrid comes with five Views: Grid View that displays data using the standard row and column layout, Layout View that displays records as cards supporting multiple layouts, Card View that displays data records as cards using a simple layout, and Banded Grid View and Advanced Banded Grid View, that are similar to the Grid View, but support arranging columns into bands. Views can even be changed on the fly.

    • View Repository - You can create Views, and then assign them to particular levels as your needs dictate (at design time or runtime).
    • Multiple detail Views for Each Level - You can incorporate as many details Views into each level as you require. If more then one View is available at a level, users can select the desired View via selectable tool tips or tab controls.

    • Automatic Creation of detail Views for Properties Implementing the IList Interface - If a specific property in the grid's data source implements the IList interface, a detail View will be created automatically to display the contents of the list referenced by this property.

    • Displaying Only Predefined Master-Detail Relationships - It's possible to display all or only specific master-detail relationships from the data source.



    In-place Editing
    • 25+ Data Editors, which can be used as standalone or in-place within the XtraGrid.

    • Editor Repository - You can setup a single in-place editor, for instance a pick image edit, as an editor for a payment type field, and use it for as many grids as you wish. When you use the repository and you have to add a different credit card payment type, you need only change one in-place editor.

    • Multiple Editors per Column - The XtraGrid's flexibility is demonstrated by its ability to use different individual editors for the same column.
    Views Specifics

    • Automatic Column Sorting for Any Datasource - With the XtraGrid, you can sort against an unlimited number of columns, without writing a single line of code.

    • Automatic Data Filtering for Any Datasource (Including IList) - Via its Excel(R) Style Filtering feature, you can filter data based upon the contents of a column. The filter expression is even displayed at the bottom, keeping your users informed of exactly what they are looking at. You can even create your own custom filter dialog to adapt the filtering feature to meet the needs of your end-users.

    • Sorting by Values and Display Text - For each column you can specify how the column's data should be sorted - by the edit values or displayed values. Moreover, the columns that use LookupEdit and ImageComboBox in-place editors are sorted by default by the displayed values, while other columns are sorted by edit values.

    • Custom Sorting - You can implement a custom sorting algorithm by handling a specific event.

    • Row's Visibility - Use an event to hide records or make them visible regardless of a View's filter.

    • Filter History - Views and columns support Filter History which allows end-users to apply the most recently used filter criteria to the values displayed within the grid.

    • Filter Editor - This embedded control provides advanced capabilities to create complex filter criteria for the grid control. Also, if you apply a filter to the grid in some other way, the Filter Editor will parse the criteria and present them in a well-structured form - as individual filter conditions combined by logical operators.

    • Custom Text for Cells via Events - You can provide custom display text for any column, and this will be used when printing or exporting the grid or when sorting by display text is applied against a column.

    • Single and Multiple Record Selection

    • Zooming Detail Views in Master-Detail Mode.



    Grid View (and Descendants) Specifics
    • Automatic Data Grouping for Any Datasource - Allow your users to group the data stored in the XtraGrid against an unlimited number of columns, giving them an unprecedented ability to analyze and edit information.

    • Grouping by Intervals - When grouping against a column that stores date/time values the rows can be grouped by the date, month, or year part of the column's values, or in a more comprehensive manner (Today, Tomorrow, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Next Week, Next Month, Last Week, Last Month, ...).

    • Custom Grouping - The XtraGrid provides an event to implement custom grouping logic.

    • Full Data Summaries - Summaries allow you to present statistical information such as MIN, MAX, AVG, SUM, and COUNT directly in the grid itself, without having to resort to the age-old ugly work around of using an individual edit control. Even better: You can handle summary specific events to implement complex functions with ease. Standard deviation, and all sorts of other statistical formulas are now available.

    • Sorting Group Rows by Summary Values.

    • Fixed Column and Band Support - Designed to help data entry, this feature allows you to freeze columns and bands on the left or right side of the XtraGrid

    • Intelligent Column Resizing - With the AutoWidth and BestFit options, your end-users can manage and control the widths of columns as their needs dictate.

    • Cell Merging - With this feature enabled, cells with matching values in adjacent rows will be merged.

    • Custom Cell Merging - Just handle the event to control how cells are merged.

    • Preview Pane - With the preview pane, you can let your end-users View large text or memo fields directly in the Grid, without the need to open an external editor or drop-down window.

    • New Item Row - Using the New-Item row, you can provide consistent insert functionality for end-users. This row can be displayed at the top or bottom of a View.

    • Auto Filter Row - This allows end-users to filter data on the fly - by typing values directly within this row.
    • Row Separators - This feature allows you to fully control indentation between individual rows with a single property setting.

    • Custom Row Height and Runtime Row Resizing

    • Multiple Cell Selection Mode - Use the CTRL and SHIFT keys.

    • Incremental Searching - This allows end-users to locate information within the XtraGrid on the fly.

    • Runtime Column Customization - With the XtraGrid, your end-users can control the appearance of the grid as they wish, by adding and removing columns using drag and drop.

    • Multiple Data Scrolling Modes.

    • Joined Group Panel - With this feature, your end-users can group against any detail View without having to display the data grouping pane within the detail View itself.



    Layout View Specifics
    • Multiple Card Layouts - One or multiple columns, one or multiple rows, carousel mode, etc.

    • Customizable Card Field Layouts

    • Support for Automatic Filtering and Sorting

    • Support for Multiple Card Selection.

    • Card Collapsing/Expanding



    Card View Specifics
    • Support of Automatic Filtering and Sorting - End-users can apply filtering and sort order settings for Card Views via the Customize button.

    • Support of Multiple Selection of Cards.

    • Cards Can Be Expanded/Collapsed.

    • Card Field Visibility - End-users are able to specify the visibility of specific card fields via the Customize button.



    Painting Specifics
    • Extended Look and Feel Support. Built-in XP Theme Support.

    • Various Paint Styles in Views (Office2003, Web, Flat, WindowsXP, Style3D, etc).

    • Skins Support - Skins will bring a striking look and feel to your applications, far beyond the normal painting standards.

    • Office 2003 Style for Group Rows.

    • Appearances - A powerful mechanism to control the entire look and feel of the grid. You can customize the appearance of almost any visual element of the XtraGrid, and even apply them conditionally to reflect certain states, such as errors. The XtraGrid ships with an easy to use Appearance editor.

    • Extended Gradient and AlphaBlending Support - With the XtraGrid, you can apply gradient and alpha blending to any grid element via the design time property settings.

    • Custom Draw - allows you to paint almost any of the XtraGrid's elements, as your needs dictate.



    Design-Time
    • Advanced Design-Time Support - The XtraGrid provides an advanced design time editor and Level Designer that allow you to control virtually every aspect of the XtraGrid, without having to write a single line of code. Instead of writing code to manage the appearance, you can instead, concentrate on writing code to handle the really "interesting" tasks. Using Advanced design time support, you can manage such advanced features as levels, styles, columns, and summaries.

    • Assign Views from the Repository to Levels - In the Level Designer you can assign a specific View from the repository to a level. The View currently assigned to the level is not disposed of.

    • Feature Browser - This design-time facility provides a quick and intuitive interface to modify options which correspond to a specific feature. Use this browser to locate only those settings that affect a specific feature.

    • Advanced Appearance Designer - It's very easy to customize appearance settings for the grid with this designer. If you need to set the appearance of a specific element, simply click the required element in the Preview window, and the associated appearance objects will be displayed.

    • Design-time column/band selection - Not only can you select a column/band in the properties grid, but you can also select it directly in the XtraGrid at design time.

    • Design-Time Card Field Selection in Card Views.



    Miscellaneous
    • Built-in Menus - Grid control menus let you put the power and flexibility of the XtraGrid at your user's finger tips by using a set of standard popup menus that you can enable or disable at will. With these popup menus, your end-users can invoke column customizations, apply sorting, grouping, and even create summaries.

    • Column Header and Cell Hint Support.

    • Embedded Data Navigator - The XtraGrid Suite allows you to include a built-in data navigator similar to the Microsoft(R) Access(R) data grid.

    • Custom Buttons in the Embedded Navigator - You can add custom buttons to the embedded navigator to implement custom functionality.

    • ErrorInfo Support - The XtraGrid supports the standard IDataErrorInfo interface.

    • Save and Load View Layouts - The XtraGrid allows you to save and load View layouts at both runtime and design time.

    • Export to TXT, HTML, XML and MS Excel (R) formats.

    • Printing (via the XtraPrinting Library).

    • Localization of Every Interface Element.

    Source of Information : DevExpress Documentation


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