A grid control simply and efficiently presents and visualizes the data to the user. With this control data is more accessible to the end user. Grid is an advanced customizable control that allows data to be present in many different views. Data source can be bind to a grid with almost no effort just by setting few properties.

Control Grid is intended for displaying but not for editing data. With the help of this control data is presented to the user in an unlimited number of columns, giving the user an unprecedented ability to analyze information. The control also provides a number of ways to customize look and feel of created applications.

Data can be displayed in a grid with five views: Grid View, Card View, Banded Grid View, Advanced Banded Grid View and custom view. Each of them presents data in its unique style, therefore offering the user more diversity when designing the user interface and the whole application.

Personalization

Grid control offers many useful features for arranging data, grouping data, filtering data, etc. Control is fully customizable in runtime. User can personalize the appearance of the control and the data in the control. Personalization can also be stored and distribute throughout the whole system. Personalization can be defined for individual user, group of users and many other entities.

In order to print the data user can avail Print Preview feature. Print preview document is customizable to a state so that it can be used as a report. Title can be defined, short description, company logo, etc.

Security

Control supports extensive MX-Frame security model. Security can be defined for individual statement. This applies for both readable and writable statements. Therefore it is possible to deny access to the data for a particular user, group of users or any other standard security entity.

In addition to the standard security, data security can also be specified. This means that user can only have access to a specific data.

To learn more about security see chapter Security.

Runtime Localization

Control supports runtime localization. The name of all the columns can be localized for any language in runtime. This feature provides the administrator of the system yet another useful mean of customizing an application or a system. To learn more about runtime localization see chapter Localization.

Properties

Control has many properties that define the appearance and the behaviour of the control and the data displayed in the control. Defining properties it is possible to determine everything from data bindings, useful customization features and control’s navigation. To learn more about control’s properties see chapter Grid Properties.

Example (MxSpace)

To see the implementation of Grid control open MxSpace solution project in Visual Studio. In Solution Explorer expand node Parts and double click ArticlesPart.cs. See the Grid control used for displaying articles.

To implement Grid control

In Solution Explorer open the desired MxPart component (ArticlesPart) and add Grid control from the Toolbox on the canvas to a desired location.
Select the control and open Property Window.
In Adapter property select the desired adapter.
In DataSourceName property select the data source containing the field whose value will be displayed.
In ShowNavigator property define whether the navigation is visible in the control.