Customize the UI programmatically

You can manipulate the controls easily with two powerful extension methods:

• ParentOfType<>
• ChildrenOfType<>.

You can access all items currently available in RadGridView through RadGridView.Items collection.

Generally we do not recommend working with the visual elements as RadGridView is a virtualized control and its elements are reused as they go in and out the visual area. You can check the topic on UI virtualization for further information.

Here are several small demos for RadGridView:

• Get all grid rows:

var rows = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewRow>(); 

• Get all grid cells:

var cells= RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>(); 

• Get all grid header cells:

var headerCells = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewHeaderCell>(); 

• Get (and show) new row:

var newRow = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewNewRow>().First(); 
newRow.Visibility = Visibility.Visible; 

• Find the grid vertical scrollbar and scroll the grid to bottom:

var verticalScrollBar = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<ScrollBar>().Where(s=>s.Orientation == Orientation.Vertical).First(); 
verticalScrollBar.Value = verticalScrollBar.Maximum; 

• Select specific row(s):

var row = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewRow>().Where(r => r.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Content.ToString() == "ALFKI").Any()).First(); 
row.IsSelected = true; 

• Change specific cell(s) content:

var cell = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Content.ToString() == "ALFKI").First(); 
cell.Content = "Changed!"; 

• Put specific cell in edit mode:

var cell = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Content.ToString() == "ALFKI").First(); 
cell.IsInEditMode = true; 

• Get visible rows count on scroll or size change:

void Window1_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) 
{ 
    var verticalScrollBar = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<ScrollBar>().Where(s => s.Orientation == Orientation.Vertical).First(); 
    verticalScrollBar.SizeChanged += new SizeChangedEventHandler(verticalScrollBar_SizeChanged); 
    verticalScrollBar.Scroll += new ScrollEventHandler(verticalScrollBar_Scroll); 
} 
void verticalScrollBar_SizeChanged(object sender, SizeChangedEventArgs e) 
{ 
    var visibleRowsCount = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewRow>().Where(r => r.Visibility == Visibility.Visible).Count(); 
} 
void verticalScrollBar_Scroll(object sender, ScrollEventArgs e) 
{ 
    var visibleRowsCount = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewRow>().Where(r => r.Visibility == Visibility.Visible).Count(); 
} 

• Perform conditional row(s) formatting:

var rows = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewRow>().Where(r => r.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Content.ToString() == "ALFKI"|| c.Content.ToString() == "AROUT").Any()).ToList(); 
rows.ForEach(r => r.Background = Brushes.Red); 

• Expand first row in case of hierarchy:

var expandableRow = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewExpandableRow>().First(); 
expandableRow.IsExpanded = true; 

• Collapse first group header row:

var groupHeader = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewGroupRow>().First(); 
groupHeader.ChildrenOfType<Expander>().First().IsExpanded = false; 

• Modify background for all cells in specific column:
  

var unitPriceCells = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Column.UniqueName == "UnitPrice").ToList(); 
unitPriceCells.ForEach(c => c.Background = Brushes.Orange); 

• Increase header row Height:
  

var headerRow = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewHeaderRow>().First(); 
headerRow.Height = 100; 

• Check all CheckBox controls in specific column:

var cells = RadGridView1.ChildrenOfType<GridViewCell>().Where(c => c.Column.UniqueName == "Test").ToList(); 
cells.ForEach(c => c.ChildrenOfType<CheckBox>().First().IsChecked = true); 

See Also

• UI Virtualization