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Applying Different User Interface Depending on the Cell Data Type

Please note that this control has been retired and is now obsolete to the XamDataGrid control, and as such, we recommend migrating to that control. It will not be receiving any new features, bug fixes, or support going forward. For help or questions on migrating your codebase to the XamDataGrid, please contact support.

Topic Overview

Purpose

This topic demonstrates how implicit data templates can be used to apply different visual representation of data types in cells in a TemplateColumn in the xamGrid™ control.

Using Implicit Data Templates on Different Data Types in a TemplateColumn

Introduction

The implicit data templates are applied on a specific data type. Instead of an x:Key property, a DataType property is set to the data template. This feature is available in Windows Presentation Foundation .

The procedure demonstrates the xamGrid support for implicit data templates.

The example code represents personal and business contacts with different templates. The personal and business contacts extend Contact model and are displayed in a ContactInfo TemplateColumn in the xamGrid control.

The ColumnInfo TemplateColumn is editable and sortable and implicit data templates are used to differentiate business from personal contacts.

Preview

The following screenshot is a preview of the final result.

xamGrid ImplicitDataTemplates 1.png

Steps

The following steps demonstrate how to apply implicit data templates in the TemplateColumn in the xamGrid control.

Create a Contact model

The Contact model is a base model that will be extended by the Personal and Business models.

It implements INotifyPropertyChanged and IComparable interfaces.

Create Personal and Business models

The Personal and Business models extend the Contact model.

  • Personal model

Personal contact model has two members – the inherited Name property and Phone property.

  • Business model

Business contact model has two members – the inherited Name property and Email property.

Create a model with a property of type Contact

This model has a property of type Contact to hold contact details. This model class may contain other properties that you want to display in the xamGrid control.

Create a ContactsViewModel view model

This class handles loading of the data. For the purposes of our example, the data is hard-coded.

Set the page DataContext property

Get the sample data collection and set it to the page DataContext property in the page loaded handler.

In C#:

ContactsViewModel _vm = new ContactsViewModel();
this.DataContext = _vm;

In Visual Basic:

Dim _vm As New ContactsViewModel()
Me.DataContext = _vm

Create an implicit data template for the Personal contacts

Create an implicit data template to be applied automatically to the Personal data type entries.

Create an implicit data template for the Business contacts

Create an implicit data template to be applied automatically to the Business data type entries.

Add a xamGrid control to your page

Add the xamGrid on a page with a TemplateColumn to display the contacts details. The data can be edited and sorted.

Code Examples

Overview

The following table lists the code examples included in this topic.

Example Description

Base model used in the example

These models extend the Contact model

The data model with a property of type Contact

The sample viewmodel class that deals with the data

The implicit data template that is applied to the cells of Personal type

The implicit data template that is applied to the cells of Business type

This is XAML code that adds editable xamGrid with a TemplateColumn.

Code Example: Contact model

Description

This class is the base data model. It implements INotifyPropertyChanged and IComparable interfaces in order to have editable and sortable data.

Code

In C#:

public class Contact : ObservableModel, IComparable<Contact>
{
    private string _name;
    public string Name
    {
        get { return _name; }
        set
        {
            if (_name != value)
            {
                _name = value;
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Name");
            }
        }
    }
    public int CompareTo(Contact other)
    {
        int result = 1;
        if (other != null)
        {
            result = this.Name.CompareTo(other.Name);
        }
        return result;
    }
}
public class ObservableModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
    protected void NotifyPropertyChanged(String info)
    {
        if (PropertyChanged != null)
        {
            PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(info));
        }
    }
}

In Visual Basic:

Public Class Contact
    Inherits ObservableModel
    Implements IComparable
    Private _name As String
    Public Property Name() As String
        Get
            Return _name
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            If _name <> value Then
                _name = value
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Name")
            End If
        End Set
    End Property
    Function CompareTo(ByVal obj As Object) As Integer
    Implements IComparable.CompareTo
        Dim contact As Contact = CType(obj, Contact)
        Return String.Compare(Me.Name, contact.Name)
    End Function
End Class
Public Class ObservableModel
    Implements INotifyPropertyChanged
    Public Event PropertyChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As PropertyChangedEventArgs) Implements INotifyPropertyChanged.PropertyChanged
    Protected Overridable Sub NotifyPropertyChanged(ByVal propertyName As String)
        RaiseEvent PropertyChanged(Me, New PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName))
    End Sub
End Class

Code Example: Personal and Business models

Description

These two classes extend the Contact class.

Code

In C#:

public class Personal : Contact
{
    private string _phone;
    public string Phone
    {
        get { return _phone; }
        set
        {
            if (_phone != value)
            {
                _phone = value;
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Phone");
            }
        }
    }
}
public class Business : Contact
{
    private string _email;
    public string Email
    {
        get { return _email; }
        set
        {
            if (_email != value)
            {
                _email = value;
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Email");
            }
        }
    }
}

In Visual Basic:

Public Class Personal
    Inherits Contact
    Private _phone As String
    Public Property Phone() As String
        Get
            Return _phone
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            If _phone <> value Then
                _phone = value
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Phone")
            End If
        End Set
    End Property
End Class
Public Class Business
    Inherits Contact
    Private _email As String
    Public Property Email() As String
        Get
            Return _email
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            If _email <> value Then
                _email = value
                NotifyPropertyChanged("Email")
            End If
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Code Example: ContactDetails model

Description

This model has a property of type Contact to hold contact details. This model class may contain other properties that you want to display in the xamGrid control.

Code

In C#:

public class ContactDetails : ObservableModel
{
    private Contact _contactInfo;
    public Contact ContactInfo
    {
        get { return _contactInfo; }
        set
        {
            if (_contactInfo != value)
            {
                _contactInfo = value;
                NotifyPropertyChanged("ContactInfo");
            }
        }
    }
}

In Visual Basic:

Public Class ContactDetails
    Inherits ObservableModel
    Private _contactInfo As Contact
    Public Property ContactInfo() As Contact
        Get
            Return _contactInfo
        End Get
        Set(value As Contact)
            If _contactInfo IsNot value Then
                _contactInfo = value
                NotifyPropertyChanged("ContactInfo")
            End If
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Code Example: ContactsViewModel

Description

This is a viewmodel class that loads a hard-coded data.

Code

In C#:

public class ContactsViewModel
{
    public ContactsViewModel()
    {
        // Load sample data
        this.ContactsDetails = LoadContacts();
    }
    private ObservableCollection<ContactDetails> _contacts = new ObservableCollection<ContactDetails>();
    public ObservableCollection<ContactDetails> ContactsDetails { get; set; }
    public ObservableCollection<ContactDetails> LoadContacts()
    {
        ObservableCollection<ContactDetails> collection = new ObservableCollection<ContactDetails>();
        collection.Add(new ContactDetails
        {
            ContactInfo = new Personal
            {
                Name = "Mary Smith",
                Phone = "(512) 345-6789"
            }
        });
        collection.Add(new ContactDetails
        {
            ContactInfo = new Personal
            {
                Name = "David Simson",
                Phone = "(512) 345-6789"
            }
        });
        collection.Add(new ContactDetails
        {
            ContactInfo = new Personal
            {
                Name = "Bob Jonson",
                Phone = "(358) 161-6620"
            }
        });
        collection.Add(new ContactDetails
        {
            ContactInfo = new Business
            {
                Name = "Kim Peterson",
                Email = "kim@vvv.net"
            }
        });
        collection.Add(new ContactDetails
        {
            ContactInfo = new Business
            {
                Name = "Alex Richardson",
                Email = "alex@vvv.net"
            }
        });
        return collection;
    }
}

In Visual Basic:

Public Class ContactsViewModel
    Public Sub New()
        ' Load sample data
        Me.ContactsDetails = LoadContacts()
    End Sub
    Private _contacts As New ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails)()
    Public Property ContactsDetails() As ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails)
        Get
            Return m_ContactsDetails
        End Get
        Set(value As ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails))
            m_ContactsDetails = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_ContactsDetails As ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails)
    Public Function LoadContacts() As ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails)
        Dim collection As New ObservableCollection(Of ContactDetails)()
        Dim tempCD = New ContactDetails
        Dim tempPerson = New Personal
        tempPerson.Name = "Mary Smith"
        tempPerson.Phone = "(512) 345-6789"
        tempCD.ContactInfo = tempPerson
        collection.Add(tempCD)
        tempCD = New ContactDetails
        tempPerson = New Personal
        tempPerson.Name = "David Simson"
        tempPerson.Phone = "(512) 345-6789"
        tempCD.ContactInfo = tempPerson
        collection.Add(tempCD)
        tempCD = New ContactDetails
        tempPerson = New Personal
        tempPerson.Name = "Bob Jonson"
        tempPerson.Phone = "(358) 161-6620"
        tempCD.ContactInfo = tempPerson
        collection.Add(tempCD)
        tempCD = New ContactDetails
        Dim tempBusiness = New Business
        tempBusiness.Name = "Kim Peterson"
        tempBusiness.Email = "kim@vvv.net"
        tempCD.ContactInfo = tempBusiness
        collection.Add(tempCD)
        tempCD = New ContactDetails
        tempBusiness = New Business
        tempBusiness.Name = "Alex Richardson"
        tempBusiness.Email = "alex@vvv.net"
        tempCD.ContactInfo = tempBusiness
        collection.Add(tempCD)
        Return collection
    End Function
End Class

Code Example: Personal Implicit Data Template

Description

The following code demonstrates the implicit data template that will be applied to the Personal data type entries. You should add a namespace reference named models to the Personal model and after that use it in the template, as follows:

  • In a WPF application, you set DataType="{x:Type models:Personal}"

Code

In XAML:

<SolidColorBrush Color="#FF216e99" x:Key="ForegroundColor_Friends"/>
<DataTemplate DataType="models:Personal">
    <Grid>
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition Height="30" />
            <RowDefinition Height="30" />
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
            <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
            <ColumnDefinition Width="120" />
            <ColumnDefinition Width="120" />
        </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <TextBlock Text="Personal"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Friends}"
                   FontStyle="Italic"
                   Margin="3"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
                   Grid.RowSpan="2"/>
        <TextBlock Text="Name" Margin="3"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Friends}"
                   FontWeight="Bold"
                   Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="0"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom" />
        <TextBox Text="{Binding Name, Mode=TwoWay}"
                 Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Friends}"
                 Margin="3"
                 MaxHeight="24"
                 MaxWidth="120"
                 Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1"/>
        <TextBlock Text="Phone"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Friends}"
                   Grid.Column="2" Grid.Row="0"
                   Margin="3"
                   FontWeight="Bold"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom"/>
        <ig:XamMaskedInput Text="{Binding Phone, Mode=TwoWay}"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Friends}"
                   Margin="3"
                   Mask="(###) ###-####"
                   Grid.Column="2"
                   Grid.Row="1"
                   MaxWidth="120"
                   MaxHeight="24"/>
    </Grid>
</DataTemplate>

Code Example: Business Implicit Data Template

Description

The following code demonstrates the implicit data template that will be applied to the Business data type entries. You should add a namespace reference named models to the Business mode and after that use it in the template, as follows:

  • In a WPF application, you set DataType="{x:Type models:Business}"

Code

In XAML:

<SolidColorBrush Color="#FFc62d36" x:Key="ForegroundColor_Business"/>
<DataTemplate DataType="models:Business">
    <Grid>
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition Height="30" />
            <RowDefinition Height="30" />
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
            <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
            <ColumnDefinition Width="120" />
            <ColumnDefinition Width="120" />
        </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <TextBlock Text="Business"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Business}"
                   FontStyle="Italic"
                   Margin="3"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
                   Grid.RowSpan="2"/>
        <TextBlock Text="Name"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Business}"
                   Margin="3"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
                   FontWeight="Bold"
                   Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="0"/>
        <TextBox Text="{Binding Name, Mode=TwoWay}"
                 Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Business}"
                 Margin="3"
                 MaxHeight="22"
                 MaxWidth="120"
                 Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1"/>
        <TextBlock Text="Email"
                   Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Business}"
                   FontWeight="Bold"
                   Grid.Column="2" Grid.Row="0"
                   Margin="3"
                   VerticalAlignment="Bottom"/>
        <TextBox Text="{Binding Email, Mode=TwoWay}"
                 Foreground="{StaticResource ForegroundColor_Business}"
                 Margin="3"
                 Grid.Column="2"
                 Grid.Row="1"
                 MaxWidth="120"/>
    </Grid>
</DataTemplate>

Code Example: Adding the xamGrid Control

Description

The following code adds a xamGrid with a TemplateColumn that holds the contact details. The editing feature is enabled.

Code

In XAML:

<ig:XamGrid ItemsSource="{Binding ContactsDetails}"
            AutoGenerateColumns="False" >
    <ig:XamGrid.Columns>
        <ig:TemplateColumn Key="ContactInfo"
                           HeaderText="Contact Information" />
    </ig:XamGrid.Columns>
    <ig:XamGrid.EditingSettings>
        <ig:EditingSettings AllowEditing="Cell"
                            IsMouseActionEditingEnabled="DoubleClick" />
    </ig:XamGrid.EditingSettings>
</ig:XamGrid>

Related Content

Topics

The following topics provide additional information related to this topic.

Topic Purpose

This topic demonstrates how to display custom content with a TemplateColumn column.