Change The Editor To a Bound RadDropDownList
This article will walk you through the process of changing the default editor to a bound drop down list, where the current value corresponds to a value within the drop down list data source. The case where the corresponding values are nullable is also handled.
Figure 1: Custom Editor
1. First you can subscribe to the BindingCreating, BindingCreated and EditorInitializing events of RadDataEntry (please note that this should be done before the data entry control is being data bound).
Subscribe to Events
radDataEntry1.EditorInitializing += radDataEntry1_EditorInitializing;
radDataEntry1.BindingCreating += radDataEntry1_BindingCreating;
radDataEntry1.BindingCreated += radDataEntry1_BindingCreated;
radDataEntry1.DataSource = productsBinding;
AddHandler radDataEntry1.EditorInitializing, AddressOf radDataEntry1_EditorInitializing
AddHandler radDataEntry1.BindingCreating, AddressOf radDataEntry1_BindingCreating
AddHandler radDataEntry1.BindingCreated, AddressOf radDataEntry1_BindingCreated
radDataEntry1.DataSource = productsBinding
2. In the EditorInitializing event handler, you will be able to change the automatically generated editor with RadDropDownList. In addition, you should set it up as needed. In this case we will set the DataSource, DisplayMember and ValueMenber properties.
Change Default Editor
RadDropDownList radDropDownList1;
void radDataEntry1_EditorInitializing(object sender, Telerik.WinControls.UI.EditorInitializingEventArgs e)
{
if (e.Property.Name == "SupplierID")
{
radDropDownList1 = new RadDropDownList();
radDropDownList1.DataSource = suplierList;
radDropDownList1.ValueMember = "SupplierID";
radDropDownList1.DisplayMember = "CompanyName";
e.Editor = radDropDownList1;
}
}
Private radDropDownList1 As RadDropDownList
Private Sub radDataEntry1_EditorInitializing(sender As Object, e As Telerik.WinControls.UI.EditorInitializingEventArgs)
If e.[Property].Name = "SupplierID" Then
radDropDownList1 = New RadDropDownList()
radDropDownList1.DataSource = suplierList
radDropDownList1.ValueMember = "SupplierID"
radDropDownList1.DisplayMember = "CompanyName"
e.Editor = radDropDownList1
End If
End Sub
3. In order the values to be synchronized correctly, the bound property should be set in the BindingCreating event handler. In this case it should be set to the SelectedValue property.
Map Property
void radDataEntry1_BindingCreating(object sender, Telerik.WinControls.UI.BindingCreatingEventArgs e)
{
if (e.DataMember == "SupplierID")
{
e.PropertyName = "SelectedValue";
}
}
Private Sub radDataEntry1_BindingCreating(sender As Object, e As Telerik.WinControls.UI.BindingCreatingEventArgs)
If e.DataMember = "SupplierID" Then
e.PropertyName = "SelectedValue"
End If
End Sub
4. When the data source is using nullable values in order the user to be able to change the current value via the drop down list, the result value should be manually parsed. This can be done in the binding's Parse event. You can subscribe to this event in the BindingCreated event handler (in order this event to fire the formatting should be enabled).
Enable Formatting
void radDataEntry1_BindingCreated(object sender, BindingCreatedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.DataMember == "SupplierID")
{
e.Binding.FormattingEnabled = true;
e.Binding.Parse += new ConvertEventHandler(Binding_Parse);
}
}
private void Binding_Parse(object sender, ConvertEventArgs e)
{
int tmpvalue;
int? result = int.TryParse(e.Value.ToString(), out tmpvalue) ? tmpvalue : (int?)null;
e.Value = result;
}
Private Sub radDataEntry1_BindingCreated(sender As Object, e As BindingCreatedEventArgs)
If e.DataMember = "SupplierID" Then
e.Binding.FormattingEnabled = True
AddHandler e.Binding.Parse, AddressOf Binding_Parse
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Binding_Parse(sender As Object, e As ConvertEventArgs)
Dim tmpvalue As Integer
Dim result As System.Nullable(Of Integer) = If(Integer.TryParse(e.Value.ToString(), tmpvalue), tmpvalue, DirectCast(Nothing, System.Nullable(Of Integer)))
e.Value = result
End Sub
To make the example complete you can use the following classes.
Data Models
public class Product
{
private int? _supplierID;
private string _productName;
public Product(int? supplierID, string productName)
{
this._supplierID = supplierID;
this._productName = productName;
}
public int? SupplierID
{
get
{
return this._supplierID;
}
set
{
this._supplierID = value;
}
}
public string ProductName
{
get
{
return this._productName;
}
set
{
this._productName = value;
}
}
}
public partial class Supplier
{
private int? _supplierID;
private string _companyName;
public Supplier(int? supplierID, string companyName)
{
this._supplierID = supplierID;
this._companyName = companyName;
}
public int? SupplierID
{
get
{
return this._supplierID;
}
set
{
this._supplierID = value;
}
}
public string CompanyName
{
get
{
return this._companyName;
}
set
{
this._companyName = value;
}
}
}
Public Class Product
Private _supplierID As System.Nullable(Of Integer)
Private _productName As String
Public Sub New(supplierID As System.Nullable(Of Integer), productName As String)
Me._supplierID = supplierID
Me._productName = productName
End Sub
Public Property SupplierID() As System.Nullable(Of Integer)
Get
Return Me._supplierID
End Get
Set(value As System.Nullable(Of Integer))
Me._supplierID = value
End Set
End Property
Public Property ProductName() As String
Get
Return Me._productName
End Get
Set(value As String)
Me._productName = value
End Set
End Property
End Class
Partial Public Class Supplier
Private _supplierID As System.Nullable(Of Integer)
Private _companyName As String
Public Sub New(supplierID As System.Nullable(Of Integer), companyName As String)
Me._supplierID = supplierID
Me._companyName = companyName
End Sub
Public Property SupplierID() As System.Nullable(Of Integer)
Get
Return Me._supplierID
End Get
Set(value As System.Nullable(Of Integer))
Me._supplierID = value
End Set
End Property
Public Property CompanyName() As String
Get
Return Me._companyName
End Get
Set(value As String)
Me._companyName = value
End Set
End Property
End Class
You can initialize the data sources in the Form’s constructor.
Initialize Data
List<Product> productList;
List<Supplier> suplierList;
BindingSource productsBinding;
public ChangeEditorToDropDownList()
{
InitializeComponent();
productList = new List<Product>();
suplierList = new List<Supplier>();
productList.Add(new Product(1, "Chai"));
productList.Add(new Product(2, "Chang"));
productList.Add(new Product(3, "Aniseed Syrup"));
productList.Add(new Product(4, "Chef Anton's Gumbo Mix"));
productList.Add(new Product(5, "Tofu"));
productList.Add(new Product(null, "Sir Rodney's Marmalade"));
productList.Add(new Product(6, "Boston Crab Meat"));
productList.Add(new Product(5, "Chartreuse verte"));
productList.Add(new Product(2, "Ravioli Angelo"));
productList.Add(new Product(4, "Perth Pasties"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(1, "Exotic Liquids"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(2, "New Orleans Cajun Delights"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(3, "Tokyo Traders"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(4, "Norske Meierier"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(5, "New England Seafood Cannery"));
suplierList.Add(new Supplier(6, "Leka Trading"));
productsBinding = new BindingSource();
productsBinding.DataSource = productList;
}
Private productList As List(Of Product)
Private suplierList As List(Of Supplier)
Private productsBinding As BindingSource
Public Sub New()
InitializeComponent()
productList = New List(Of Product)()
suplierList = New List(Of Supplier)()
productList.Add(New Product(1, "Chai"))
productList.Add(New Product(2, "Chang"))
productList.Add(New Product(3, "Aniseed Syrup"))
productList.Add(New Product(4, "Chef Anton's Gumbo Mix"))
productList.Add(New Product(5, "Tofu"))
productList.Add(New Product(Nothing, "Sir Rodney's Marmalade"))
productList.Add(New Product(6, "Boston Crab Meat"))
productList.Add(New Product(5, "Chartreuse verte"))
productList.Add(New Product(2, "Ravioli Angelo"))
productList.Add(New Product(4, "Perth Pasties"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(1, "Exotic Liquids"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(2, "New Orleans Cajun Delights"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(3, "Tokyo Traders"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(4, "Norske Meierier"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(5, "New England Seafood Cannery"))
suplierList.Add(New Supplier(6, "Leka Trading"))
productsBinding = New BindingSource()
productsBinding.DataSource = productList
End Sub