Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Xceed Grid for .NET DevelopersXceed Grid for .NET is a powerful, feature-rich data grid control that helps developers build rich data-driven desktop and web applications. Whether you’re creating enterprise data-entry forms, financial dashboards, or complex editor UIs, knowing the right techniques can dramatically improve performance, usability, and maintainability. Below are ten practical tips and tricks—each with concrete examples and best practices—to help you get the most from Xceed Grid for .NET.
1. Choose the Right Grid Mode and Data Binding Strategy
Xceed Grid supports multiple approaches to populating and working with data (in-memory collections, data sources, virtual mode, etc.). Select the mode that best fits your scenario.
- For small-to-medium datasets, bind directly to a DataTable, DataView, or collection (BindingList
) for simplicity. - For very large datasets or when rows are loaded on demand, use virtual mode or implement custom paging to avoid loading everything into memory.
- Use two-way binding when the UI must update the underlying model; use one-way binding for read-only displays to avoid unnecessary change propagation.
Example: Binding a BindingList
var list = new BindingList<Customer>(GetCustomers()); gridControl.DataSource = list; 2. Optimize Performance by Controlling Virtualization and Redraws
Large grids can become slow if the control is forced to recalculate layout or redraw frequently.
- Enable row and column virtualization to limit rendering to visible cells only.
- Defer layout updates while performing batch changes using BeginUpdate/EndUpdate or SuspendLayout/ResumeLayout where supported.
- Use the grid’s built-in caching options for cell values and templates.
Example: Wrapping bulk updates:
gridControl.BeginUpdate(); try { // bulk changes: add/remove rows, update many cells } finally { gridControl.EndUpdate(); } 3. Use Custom Cell Editors and Templates to Improve UX
Default editors may not match your data types or desired UX. Create custom cell editors for specific types (date/time pickers, masked inputs, dropdowns with search).
- Use templates or editor factories to reuse editor logic across columns.
- For combo boxes with many items, implement autocomplete or incremental search to make selection faster.
- For hierarchical or complex objects, show a concise summary in the cell and provide a detail editor on double-click or via a popup.
Example: Assigning a DateTimePicker editor to a date column:
var column = gridControl.Columns["OrderDate"]; column.Editor = new Xceed.Wpf.Toolkit.DateTimePicker(); 4. Implement Sorting, Filtering, and Grouping Intuitively
Users expect powerful data manipulation features.
- Expose multi-column sorting and remember user preferences if appropriate.
- Provide server-side filtering for large datasets; client-side filtering for smaller sets is often fine.
- Use grouping to organize rows by category, and allow users to collapse groups to focus on relevant data.
Example: Enabling built-in sorting and grouping in code or via property settings; consider saving group/sort state in user profile.
5. Leverage Row and Cell Styles for Readability and Data Insights
Visual cues help users scan and understand data quickly.
- Apply alternating row styles (zebra striping) to improve readability.
- Use conditional formatting to highlight outliers, errors, or important thresholds (e.g., negative values in red).
- Use icons or small inline visuals for status indicators.
Example: Conditional styling with a style selector or value converter:
if(cellValue < 0) { cell.Style.ForeColor = Color.Red; } 6. Handle Editing, Validation, and Transactions Carefully
Data integrity matters more than convenience. Use the grid’s validation hooks and transaction features.
- Validate entries at cell or row level and provide clear inline feedback.
- Use BeginEdit/EndEdit properly and integrate with your domain validation to prevent invalid data commits.
- For complex edits, wrap changes in a transaction so you can rollback on failure.
Example: Row-level validation event:
gridControl.RowValidating += (s, e) => { if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(e.Row["Name"].ToString())) e.Cancel = true; // prevent leaving row until corrected }; 7. Customize Keyboard and Mouse Interaction to Match User Expectations
Productivity power users rely on efficient keyboard shortcuts and predictable mouse behavior.
- Implement common shortcuts: Enter to move to next cell, Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y for undo/redo if supported, Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V for copying and pasting cell ranges.
- Add row reordering by drag-and-drop where it makes sense.
- For accessibility, ensure keyboard focus, tab order, and screen-reader friendliness are supported.
Example: Intercept keystrokes to implement custom navigation:
gridControl.PreviewKeyDown += (s, e) => { if(e.Key == Key.Enter) { // move to next editable cell e.Handled = true; } }; 8. Support Copy/Paste, Export, and Print Scenarios
Users expect to move data between applications quickly.
- Implement multi-cell copy/paste with proper delimiters (tab/newline) so pasted data works in Excel.
- Provide export-to-Excel/CSV/PDF features; for large exports, do this on a background thread or server process.
- Offer print previews and page setup options to control pagination, headers/footers, and column widths.
Example: Exporting visible rows to CSV:
using(var writer = new StreamWriter("export.csv")) { foreach(var row in gridControl.VisibleRows) { writer.WriteLine(string.Join(",", row.Cells.Select(c => EscapeCsv(c.Value)))); } } 9. Use Events and Commands to Keep UI and Business Logic Separated
Maintainability improves when you avoid coupling grid internals with business rules.
- Wire view logic through commands or event handlers that call into services or view models.
- For MVVM apps, use binding-friendly wrappers and ICommand implementations instead of code-behind.
- Keep formatting, validation, and persistence logic in separate layers.
Example MVVM pattern: expose SelectedItem and SelectedItems properties on the ViewModel and bind them to the grid’s selection.
10. Monitor, Profile, and Test Grid Behavior in Realistic Conditions
Don’t assume behavior in production: test with real data volumes and patterns.
- Profile UI performance using performance tools and measure repaint times, memory, and CPU.
- Create automated UI tests that exercise sorting, filtering, editing, and export.
- Collect telemetry (errors, slow operations) so you can iterate on hot spots.
Example: Load-test with a large dataset in a staging environment to ensure responsiveness and acceptable memory usage.
Conclusion
Mastering Xceed Grid for .NET is about matching the control’s capabilities to your app’s needs: pick the right binding mode, optimize rendering, provide tailored editors and keyboard navigation, and keep business logic separate from UI code. Apply these ten tips—performance tuning, user-focused customization, robust validation, export/printing support, and solid testing—and your grid-based apps will be faster, friendlier, and easier to maintain.
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