How to use ItemPanel Data-Binding Features

How to use ItemPanel Data-Binding Features – WinForms

Tags: ItemPanel, WinForms Categories: DotNetBar for Windows Forms, How To

DotNetBar for Windows Forms ItemPanel control starting with 10.1.0.6 release includes support for data-binding. To bind ItemPanel to your data source follow these steps:

Set DataSource property to the source of your data. This can be array of custom objects or data set.
Set ItemTemplate property to the item which will act as template for each data row from data source. The ItemTemplate is an BaseItem inherited item that is repeated for each data row. In VS.NET designer you can invoke drop-down to create desired item to use as template.
Set ItemTemplateBindings collection with the list of bindings that are applied on the ItemTemplate. ItemTemplateBindings collection accepts BindingDef type which describes the single binding. Two key properties on BindingDef must be set: DataMember – which is name of the field from your data-source that provides the data for PropertyName – which specifies the property on ItemTemplate which receives data.
Please note that if you are changing ItemTemplateBindings collection after the DataSource is assigned, you should call RefreshItems() to re-generate the visual data representation.

You can add following code to the form which has itemPanel1 control added to it to demo the data-binding (note that code assumes your form is named Form1 and ItemPanel is named itemPanel1):

C#:

public Form1()
{
    InitializeComponent();
 
    // Create custom data
    List<CustomClass> items = new List<CustomClass>();
    for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++)
    {
        items.Add(new CustomClass("Item " + i.ToString(), "Name " + i.ToString()));
    }
    // Create template used for each data row
    MetroTileItem template = new MetroTileItem();
    template.TileColor = eMetroTileColor.Magenta;
    itemPanel1.ItemTemplate = template;
    // Define bindings
    itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Clear();
    // Bind MetroTileItem.Text to CustomClass.Text
    itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Add(new BindingDef("Text", "Text"));
    // Bind MetroTileItem.TitleText to CustomClass.Name
    itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Add(new BindingDef("TitleText", "Name"));
    // Assign data source
    itemPanel1.DataSource = items;
}
 
public class CustomClass : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public CustomClass()
    {
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Initializes a new instance of the CustomClass class.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="text"></param>
    /// <param name="name"></param>
    public CustomClass(string text, string name)
    {
        _Text = text;
        _Name = name;
    }
 
    private string _Text;
    public string Text
    {
        get { return _Text; }
        set
        {
            _Text = value;
            OnPropertyChanged(new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Text"));
        }
    }
 
    private string _Name;
    public string Name
    {
        get { return _Name; }
        set
        {
            _Name = value;
            OnPropertyChanged(new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Name"));
        }
    }
 
    #region INotifyPropertyChanged Members
    /// <summary>
    /// Raises the PropertyChanged event.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="e">Provides event arguments.</param>
    protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
        if (handler != null) handler(this, e);
    }
    /// <summary>
    /// Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.
    /// </summary>
    [Description("Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.")]
    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
 
    #endregion
}

VB:

Public Sub New()
	' Create custom data
	Dim items As New List(Of CustomClass)()
	For i As Integer = 0 To 19
		items.Add(New CustomClass("Item " & i.ToString(), "Name " & i.ToString()))
	Next
	' Create template used for each data row
	Dim template As New MetroTileItem()
	template.TileColor = eMetroTileColor.Magenta
	itemPanel1.ItemTemplate = template
	' Define bindings
	itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Clear()
	' Bind MetroTileItem.Text to CustomClass.Text
	itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Add(New BindingDef("Text", "Text"))
	' Bind MetroTileItem.TitleText to CustomClass.Name
	itemPanel1.ItemTemplateBindings.Add(New BindingDef("TitleText", "Name"))
	' Assign data source
	itemPanel1.DataSource = items
End Sub
 
Public Class CustomClass
	Implements INotifyPropertyChanged
	Public Sub New()
	End Sub
	''' <summary>
	''' Initializes a new instance of the CustomClass class.
	''' </summary>
	''' <param name="text"></param>
	''' <param name="name"></param>
	Public Sub New(text As String, name As String)
		_Text = text
		_Name = name
	End Sub
 
	Private _Text As String
	Public Property Text() As String
		Get
			Return _Text
		End Get
		Set
			_Text = value
			OnPropertyChanged(New PropertyChangedEventArgs("Text"))
		End Set
	End Property
 
	Private _Name As String
	Public Property Name() As String
		Get
			Return _Name
		End Get
		Set
			_Name = value
			OnPropertyChanged(New PropertyChangedEventArgs("Name"))
		End Set
	End Property
 
	#Region "INotifyPropertyChanged Members"
	''' <summary>
	''' Raises the PropertyChanged event.
	''' </summary>
	''' <param name="e">Provides event arguments.</param>
	Protected Overridable Sub OnPropertyChanged(e As PropertyChangedEventArgs)
		Dim handler As PropertyChangedEventHandler = PropertyChanged
		RaiseEvent handler(Me, e)
	End Sub
	''' <summary>
	''' Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.
	''' </summary>
	<Description("Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.Occurs when property on BindingDef object has changed.")> _
	Public Event PropertyChanged As PropertyChangedEventHandler
 
	#End Region
End Class
 
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How to use ItemPanel Data-Binding Features – WinForms