Getting Started with the Gantt

This tutorial explains how to set up the Telerik UI for ASP.NET Core Gantt and highlights the major steps in the configuration of the component.

You will declare a view model for the Gantt, initialize the UI component by adding a data source, configure the columns, and enable a few optional Gantt features. Finally, you will handle a Gantt JavaScript event and reference an existing instance of the component.

After completing this guide, you will achieve the following results:

Prerequisites

To successfully complete the tutorial, you need a project that is already configured to use the Telerik UI for ASP.NET Core components:

• To create a new pre-configured project for the Telerik UI for ASP.NET Core components, you can use a project template.

• To manually configure an existing project, follow the First Steps on Windows or First Steps on Mac articles.

1. Prepare the CSHTML File

The first step is to add the required directives at the top of the .cshtml document:

• To use the Telerik UI for ASP.NET Core HtmlHelpers:

  @using Kendo.Mvc.UI
  

• To use the Telerik UI for ASP.NET Core TagHelpers:

  @addTagHelper *, Kendo.Mvc
  

Optionally, you can structure the document by adding the desired HTML elements like headings, divs, paragraphs, and others.

2. Declare the View Models

The Gantt needs two view models, one for the tasks and a second one for the dependencies of the tasks.

1. Declare the TaskViewModel view model.

   public class TaskViewModel : IGanttTask
   {
       public int TaskID { get; set; }
       public int? ParentID { get; set; }
   
       public string Title { get; set; }
   
       private DateTime start;
       public DateTime Start
       {
           get
           {
               return start;
           }
           set
           {
               start = value.ToUniversalTime();
           }
       }
   
       private DateTime end;
       public DateTime End
       {
           get
           {
               return end;
           }
           set
           {
               end = value.ToUniversalTime();
           }
       }
   
       private DateTime plannedStart;
       public DateTime PlannedStart
       {
           get
           {
               return plannedStart;
           }
           set
           {
               plannedStart = value.ToUniversalTime();
           }
       }
   
       private DateTime plannedEnd;
       public DateTime PlannedEnd
       {
           get
           {
               return plannedEnd;
           }
           set
           {
               plannedEnd = value.ToUniversalTime();
           }
       }
   
       public bool Summary { get; set; }
       public bool Expanded { get; set; }
       public decimal PercentComplete { get; set; }
       public int OrderId { get; set; }      
   
   }
   

2. Declare the DependencyViewModel view model.

   public class DependencyViewModel : IGanttDependency
   {
       public int DependencyID { get; set; }
       public int PredecessorID { get; set; }
       public int SuccessorID { get; set; }
       public DependencyType Type { get; set; }
   }
   

Note that the TaskViewModel view model implements the IGanttTask interface, and the DependencyViewModel view model implements the IGanttDependency interface.

3. Initialize the Gantt

Use the Gantt HtmlHelper or TagHelper to add the component to a page and set some of its options.

• Use the Name() configuration method to assign a name to the instance of the helper—this is mandatory as its value is used for the id and the name attributes of the Gantt element.
• Add the DataSource() configuration option and set the end points for the CRUD operations.
  
• Configure the columns of the Gantt by binding them to the fields of the TaskViewModel.
• Enable additional features of the Gantt, such as ListWidth, Planned vs Actual, and the ability to toggle the Planned vs Actual feature through the plannedTasks tool in the toolbar.

@using Kendo.Mvc.UI
@using MyApplication.Models;

<p class="title">Gantt</p>

@(Html.Kendo().Gantt<TaskViewModel, DependencyViewModel>()
    .Name("gantt")
    .Columns(columns =>
    {
        columns.Bound(c => c.TaskID).Title("ID").Width(50);
        columns.Bound(c => c.Title).Editable(true).Sortable(true);
        columns.Bound(c => c.Start).Title("Start Date").Format("{0:dd/MM/yyyy}").Width(100).Editable(true).Sortable(true);
        columns.Bound(c => c.End).Title("End Date").Format("{0:dd/MM/yyyy}").Width(100).Editable(true).Sortable(true);
        columns.Bound(c => c.PlannedStart).Hidden(true).Title("Planned Start Date").Format("{0:dd/MM/yyyy}");
        columns.Bound(c => c.PlannedEnd).Hidden(true).Title("Planned End Date").Format("{0:dd/MM/yyyy}");
    })
    .Views(views =>
    {
        views.WeekView(weekView => weekView.Selected(true));
        views.MonthView();
    })
    .ListWidth("400px")
    .ShowPlannedTasks(true)
    .Toolbar(t => t.Add().Name("plannedTasks"))
    .Height(700)
    .DataSource(d => d
        .Model(m =>
        {
            m.Id(f => f.TaskID);
            m.ParentId(f => f.ParentID);
            m.OrderId(f => f.OrderId);
            m.Field(f => f.Expanded).DefaultValue(true);
            m.Field(f => f.Start);
            m.Field(f => f.End);
            m.Field(f => f.PercentComplete);
            m.Field(f => f.PlannedStart);
            m.Field(f => f.PlannedEnd);
            m.Field(f => f.Summary);
        })
        .Read(read => read.Action("ReadTasks", "Home"))
        .Destroy(destroy => destroy.Action("DestroyTask", "Home"))
        .Update(update => update.Action("UpdateTask", "Home"))
        .Create(create => create.Action("CreateTask", "Home"))
    )
    .DependenciesDataSource(d => d
        .Model(m =>
        {
            m.Id(f => f.DependencyID);
            m.PredecessorId(f => f.PredecessorID);
            m.SuccessorId(f => f.SuccessorID);
            m.Type(f => f.Type);
        })
        .Read("ReadDependencies", "Home")
        .Create("CreateDependency", "Home")
        .Update("UpdateDependency", "Home")
        .Destroy("DestroyDependency", "Home")
    )
)

@addTagHelper *, Kendo.Mvc

<p class="title">Gantt</p>
<kendo-gantt height="700" list-width="400px" show-planned-tasks="true" name="gantt">
    <columns>
        <gantt-column field="TaskID" title="ID" width="50px">
        </gantt-column>
        <gantt-column field="title" width="200px" editable="true" sortable="true">
        </gantt-column>
        <gantt-column field="start" format="{0:dd/MM/yyyy}" title="Start Date" editable="true" sortable="true">
        </gantt-column>
        <gantt-column field="end" format="{0:dd/MM/yyyy}" title="End Date" editable="true" sortable="true">
        </gantt-column>
        <gantt-column field="plannedStart" format="{0:dd/MM/yyyy}" title="Planned Start Date" hidden="true">
        </gantt-column>
        <gantt-column field="plannedEnd" format="{0:dd/MM/yyyy}" title="Planned End Date" hidden="true">
        </gantt-column>
    </columns>
    <views>
        <gantt-view selected="true" type="GanttViewType.Week">
        </gantt-view>
        <gantt-view type="GanttViewType.Month">
        </gantt-view>
    </views>
    <toolbars>
        <toolbar name="plannedTasks">
        </toolbar>
    </toolbars>
    <gantt-datasource type="DataSourceTagHelperType.Ajax" server-paging="false">
        <schema>
            <model id="TaskID" parent-id="parentID">
                <fields>
                    <field name="TaskID" type="number"></field>
                    <field name="parentId" from="ParentID" type="number" default-value="null"></field>
                    <field name="title" from="Title" type="string"></field>
                    <field name="start" from="Start" type="date"></field>
                    <field name="end" from="End" type="date"></field>
                    <field name="summary" from="Summary" type="boolean"></field>
                    <field name="expanded" from="Expanded" type="boolean" default-value="true"></field>
                    <field name="percentComplete" from="PercentComplete" type="number"></field>
                    <field name="plannedStart" from="PlannedStart" type="date"></field>
                    <field name="plannedEnd" from="PlannedEnd" type="date"></field>
                </fields>
            </model>
        </schema>
        <transport >
            <read url="@Url.Action("ReadTasks","Home")" />
            <update url="@Url.Action("UpdateTasks","Home")" />
            <destroy url="@Url.Action("DestroyTasks","Home")" />
            <create url="@Url.Action("CreateTasks","Home")" />
        </transport>
    </gantt-datasource>
    <dependency-datasource name="dependencies" type="DataSourceTagHelperType.Ajax">
        <transport>
            <read url="@Url.Action("ReadDependencies", "Home")" />
            <create url="@Url.Action("CreateDependency", "Home")" />
            <update url="@Url.Action("UpdateDependency", "Home")" />
            <destroy url="@Url.Action("DestroyDependency", "Home")" />
        </transport>
        <schema>
            <model id="DependencyID">
                <fields>
                    <field name="DependencyID" type="number"></field>
                    <field name="predecessorId" from="PredecessorID" type="number"></field>
                    <field name="successorId" from="SuccessorID" type="number"></field>
                    <field name="type" from="Type" type="number"></field>
                </fields>
            </model>
        </schema>
    </dependency-datasource>
</kendo-gantt>

4. Declare the CRUD Actions

In the Home controller, declare the CRUD actions. Use the names of the actions you set in the DataSource and the DependenciesDataSource configurations in the previous step.

public ActionResult Index()
{
    ViewBag.Message = "Welcome to ASP.NET Core!";

    return View();
}

public virtual JsonResult ReadTasks([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request)
{
    return Json(GetAllTasks().ToDataSourceResult(request));
}

public virtual JsonResult DestroyTask([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, TaskViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        var newTasks = GetAllTasks().Where(t => t.TaskID != task.TaskID);
        HttpContext.Session.SetObjectAsJson("tasks", newTasks);
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState));
}

public virtual JsonResult CreateTask([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, TaskViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        task.TaskID = GetAllTasks().Last().TaskID + 1;
        var newTasks = GetAllTasks().ToList();
        newTasks.Add(task);
        HttpContext.Session.SetObjectAsJson("tasks", newTasks);
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState));
}

public virtual JsonResult UpdateTask([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, TaskViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        var newTasks = GetAllTasks().Where(t => t.TaskID != task.TaskID).ToList();
        newTasks.Add(task);
        HttpContext.Session.SetObjectAsJson("tasks", newTasks);
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState), JsonRequestBehavior.AllowGet);
}

private IEnumerable<TaskViewModel> GetAllTasks()
{
    List<TaskViewModel> ganttTasks = new List<TaskViewModel>
    {
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 7,
            Title = "Software validation, research and implementation",
            ParentID = null,
            OrderId = 0,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 18, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 12, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.43M,
            Summary = true,
            Expanded = true
        },

        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 18,
            Title = "Project Kickoff",
            ParentID = 7,
            OrderId = 0,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 1, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.23M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 13,
            Title = "Implementation",
            ParentID = 7,
            OrderId = 1,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 3, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 17, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 2, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 17, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.77M,
            Summary = true,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 100,
            Title = "Test",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 0,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 4, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 5, 1, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 4, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 5, 1, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.3M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 24,
            Title = "Prototype",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 0,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 3, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 5, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 3, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 6, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.77M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 26,
            Title = "Architecture",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 1,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 5, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 7, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 4, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 6, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.82M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 27,
            Title = "Data Layer",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 2,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 3, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 8, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 2, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 8, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 1.00M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 28,
            Title = "Unit Tests",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 4,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 9, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 11, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 8, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 10, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.68M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
        new TaskViewModel
        {
            TaskID = 29,
            Title = "UI and Interaction",
            ParentID = 13,
            OrderId = 5,
            Start = new DateTime(2020, 6, 5, 3, 0, 0),
            End = new DateTime(2020, 6, 9, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedStart = new DateTime(2020, 6, 4, 3, 0, 0),
            PlannedEnd = new DateTime(2020, 6, 7, 3, 0, 0),
            PercentComplete = 0.60M,
            Summary = false,
            Expanded = true
        },
    };

    HttpContext.Session.SetObjectAsJson("tasks", ganttTasks);

    return ganttTasks;
}

public virtual JsonResult ReadDependencies([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request)
{
    List<DependencyViewModel> dependencies = new List<DependencyViewModel>()
    {
        new DependencyViewModel() { DependencyID = 1, PredecessorID = 24 , SuccessorID = 26, Type = DependencyType.FinishStart },
        new DependencyViewModel() { DependencyID = 2, PredecessorID = 26 , SuccessorID = 27, Type = DependencyType.FinishStart },

    };

    var result = dependencies.Select(o =>
        new {
            DependencyID = o.DependencyID,
            PredecessorID = o.PredecessorID,
            SuccessorID = o.SuccessorID,
            Type = (int)o.Type
        }).ToList();
    return Json(result.ToDataSourceResult(request));
}

public virtual JsonResult CreateDependency([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, DependencyViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        // ... 
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState));
}

public virtual JsonResult UpdateDependency([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, DependencyViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        // ...
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState));
}

public virtual JsonResult DestroyDependency([DataSourceRequest] DataSourceRequest request, DependencyViewModel task)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        // ...
    }

    return Json(new[] { task }.ToDataSourceResult(request, ModelState));
}

(Optional) Reference Existing Gantt Instances

Referencing existing instances allows you to build on top of their configuration. To reference an existing Gantt instance, use the jQuery.data() method:

1. Use the id attribute of the component instance to establish a reference.

   <script>
       var ganttReference = $("#gantt").data("kendoGantt"); // ganttReference is a reference to the existing instance of the helper.
   </script>
   

2. Use the Gantt client-side API to control the behavior of the widget. In this example, you will programmatically select the month view of the Gantt by using the view method.

   <script>
       var ganttReference = $("#gantt").data("kendoGantt"); // ganttReference is a reference to the existing instance of the helper.
       ganttReference.view("month"); // Pass the name of the view to the `view` method.
   </script>
   

For more information on referencing specific helper instances, see the Methods and Events article.

Next Steps

• Configuring the Gantt Columns
• Binding the Gantt to Data
• Planned vs Actual Functionality

See Also

• Using the API of the Gantt for ASP.NET Core (Demo)
• Client-Side API of the Gantt
• Server-Side API of the Gantt
• Knowledge Base Section