Data Grid Extensions for WPF

Data Grid Extensions provides several modular features for the WPF DataGrid (System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid):

• Filtering: Add text or boolean filtering capabilities.
• Sorting: Apply initial sorting to columns.
• Editing Mode Control: Disable other controls while a cell is in editing mode.
• Column Events: Provides additional events for DataGrid columns.
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Start editing a cell using Ctrl+Enter.
• Column Sizing: Provides extended star-size column behavior.
• Excel-like Copy/Paste: Methods to easily implement copy and paste functionality.

The Data Grid Extensions component is a collection of features designed to extend the standard behavior of the DataGrid, enhancing usability through additional filtering, editing behaviors, and utility tools.

Key feature categories include:

• Filtering: Advanced filtering capabilities.
• Behaviors: Custom interaction patterns like Begin Edit On Ctrl+Enter, Disable Target While Editing, and Extended Star Size Behavior.
• Tools: Utility enhancements such as Additional Events, Apply Initial Sorting, Force Commit On Lost Focus, and Multi Line Editing.

You can add specialized behaviors to a DataGrid by attaching them to the i:Interaction.Behaviors collection. This allows you to extend the default functionality of the grid, such as modifying keyboard shortcuts, column resizing logic, or controlling external UI elements during edit mode.

To use these behaviors, ensure you have the appropriate namespaces for i:Interaction (typically from Microsoft.Xaml.Behaviors.Wpf) and dgx: (the Data Grid Extensions namespace) defined in your XAML.

<DataGrid ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
  <i:Interaction.Behaviors>
    <dgx:BeginEditOnCtrlEnterBehavior/>
    <dgx:ExtendedStarSizeBehavior/>
    <dgx:DisableTargetWhileEditingBehavior Target="{Binding ElementName=ToolBar}"/>
  </i:Interaction.Behaviors>
</DataGrid>

Data Grid Extensions provides modular extensions for the WPF System.Windows.Controls.DataGrid. Instead of requiring a new derived class, it attaches features transparently to your existing DataGrid. You can install the binaries via NuGet.

NuGet package: DataGridExtensions

You can customize the appearance and behavior of a specific column's filter by providing a custom template via the dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template attached property on the column.

<DataGridTextColumn Header="Double/Custom" 
                    Binding="{Binding Probability, Mode=OneWay}" 
                    dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template="{StaticResource FilterWithPopup}"/>

When using a DataGridTemplateColumn, you must specify the SortMemberPath to indicate which property of the underlying data item should be used for filtering and sorting operations. You can also apply a custom filter template to the template column using dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template.

<DataGridTemplateColumn Header="Template" 
                        SortMemberPath="Column5" 
                        dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template="{StaticResource MultipleChoiceFilter}"> 
    <DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate> 
        <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type basicSample:DataItem}" > 
            <TextBox Text="{Binding Column5}"/> 
        </DataTemplate> 
    </DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate> 
</DataGridTemplateColumn>

You can add filtering capabilities to your DataGrid by setting the dgx:DataGridFilter.IsAutoFilterEnabled attached property to True. The extension automatically provides text filters for string columns or boolean filters for boolean columns.

<DataGrid ItemsSource="{Binding Items}" 
          dgx:DataGridFilter.IsAutoFilterEnabled="True"/>

To customize the appearance or behavior of a specific column's filter, you can override its template using the dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template attached property on the column definition.

<DataGridTextColumn Header="Double/Custom" 
                    Binding="{Binding Probability, Mode=OneWay}" 
                    dgx:DataGridFilterColumn.Template="{StaticResource FilterWithPopup}"/>

To enable filtering in a DataGrid, attach the dgx:DataGridFilter.IsAutoFilterEnabled property and set it to True. The library automatically provides text filters for string columns and boolean filters for boolean columns based on the column type.

<DataGrid ItemsSource="{Binding Items}" 
          dgx:DataGridFilter.IsAutoFilterEnabled="True"/>

When a DataGrid loses focus (for example, when switching tabs in a TabControl) while a cell is in edit mode, uncommitted changes may be lost. To prevent this, set dgx:Tools.ForceCommitOnLostFocus="True" on the specific DataGridTextColumn to trigger an automatic commit of the cell or row when focus is lost.

<DataGridTextColumn dgx:Tools.ForceCommitOnLostFocus="True" />

To allow users to enter multiple lines of text within a column, set dgx:Tools.IsMultilineEditingEnabled="True" on a DataGridTextColumn.

Usage Note: Users can create a new line within the cell by pressing Ctrl+Enter.

<DataGridTextColumn dgx:Tools.IsMultilineEditingEnabled="True" />

By default, if you define a SortDirection on a DataGridTextColumn, the column header will show the sorting icon, but the underlying data will not be sorted. To ensure the data is actually sorted according to the initial column definitions, set the dgx:Tools.ApplyInitialSorting attached property to True on the DataGrid element.

<DataGrid dgx:Tools.ApplyInitialSorting="True">
  <DataGrid.Columns>
    <DataGridTextColumn Header="Initially sorted"
                        SortDirection="Descending" />
  </DataGrid.Columns>
</DataGrid>