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How to: Disable Buttons in a Button Column in the Windows Forms DataGridView Control

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The DataGridView control includes the DataGridViewButtonCell class for displaying cells with a user interface (UI) like a button. However, DataGridViewButtonCell does not provide a way to disable the appearance of the button displayed by the cell.

The following code example demonstrates how to customize the DataGridViewButtonCell class to display buttons that can appear disabled. The example defines a new cell type, DataGridViewDisableButtonCell, that derives from DataGridViewButtonCell. This cell type provides a new Enabled property that can be set to false to draw a disabled button in the cell. The example also defines a new column type, DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn, that displays DataGridViewDisableButtonCell objects. To demonstrate this new cell and column type, the current value of each DataGridViewCheckBoxCell in the parent DataGridView determines whether the Enabled property of the DataGridViewDisableButtonCell in the same row is true or false.

Note

When you derive from DataGridViewCell or DataGridViewColumn and add new properties to the derived class, be sure to override the Clone method to copy the new properties during cloning operations. You should also call the base class's Clone method so that the properties of the base class are copied to the new cell or column.

Example

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles;

class Form1 : Form
{
    private DataGridView dataGridView1 = new DataGridView();

    [STAThread]
    public static void Main()
    {
        Application.EnableVisualStyles();
        Application.Run(new Form1());
    }

    public Form1()
    {
        this.AutoSize = true;
        this.Load += new EventHandler(Form1_Load);
    }

    public void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        DataGridViewCheckBoxColumn column0 =
            new DataGridViewCheckBoxColumn();
        DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn column1 =
            new DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn();
        column0.Name = "CheckBoxes";
        column1.Name = "Buttons";
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(column0);
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(column1);
        dataGridView1.RowCount = 8;
        dataGridView1.AutoSize = true;
        dataGridView1.AllowUserToAddRows = false;
        dataGridView1.ColumnHeadersDefaultCellStyle.Alignment =
            DataGridViewContentAlignment.MiddleCenter;

        // Set the text for each button.
        for (int i = 0; i < dataGridView1.RowCount; i++)
        {
            dataGridView1.Rows[i].Cells["Buttons"].Value =
                "Button " + i.ToString();
        }

        dataGridView1.CellValueChanged +=
            new DataGridViewCellEventHandler(dataGridView1_CellValueChanged);
        dataGridView1.CurrentCellDirtyStateChanged +=
            new EventHandler(dataGridView1_CurrentCellDirtyStateChanged);
        dataGridView1.CellClick +=
            new DataGridViewCellEventHandler(dataGridView1_CellClick);

        this.Controls.Add(dataGridView1);
    }

    // This event handler manually raises the CellValueChanged event
    // by calling the CommitEdit method.
    void dataGridView1_CurrentCellDirtyStateChanged(object sender,
        EventArgs e)
    {
        if (dataGridView1.IsCurrentCellDirty)
        {
            dataGridView1.CommitEdit(DataGridViewDataErrorContexts.Commit);
        }
    }

    // If a check box cell is clicked, this event handler disables
    // or enables the button in the same row as the clicked cell.
    public void dataGridView1_CellValueChanged(object sender,
        DataGridViewCellEventArgs e)
    {
        if (dataGridView1.Columns[e.ColumnIndex].Name == "CheckBoxes")
        {
            DataGridViewDisableButtonCell buttonCell =
                (DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)dataGridView1.
                Rows[e.RowIndex].Cells["Buttons"];

            DataGridViewCheckBoxCell checkCell =
                (DataGridViewCheckBoxCell)dataGridView1.
                Rows[e.RowIndex].Cells["CheckBoxes"];
            buttonCell.Enabled = !(Boolean)checkCell.Value;

            dataGridView1.Invalidate();
        }
    }

    // If the user clicks on an enabled button cell, this event handler
    // reports that the button is enabled.
    void dataGridView1_CellClick(object sender,
        DataGridViewCellEventArgs e)
    {
        if (dataGridView1.Columns[e.ColumnIndex].Name == "Buttons")
        {
            DataGridViewDisableButtonCell buttonCell =
                (DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)dataGridView1.
                Rows[e.RowIndex].Cells["Buttons"];

            if (buttonCell.Enabled)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(dataGridView1.Rows[e.RowIndex].
                    Cells[e.ColumnIndex].Value.ToString() +
                    " is enabled");
            }
        }
    }
}

public class DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn : DataGridViewButtonColumn
{
    public DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn()
    {
        this.CellTemplate = new DataGridViewDisableButtonCell();
    }
}

public class DataGridViewDisableButtonCell : DataGridViewButtonCell
{
    private bool enabledValue;
    public bool Enabled
    {
        get
        {
            return enabledValue;
        }
        set
        {
            enabledValue = value;
        }
    }

    // Override the Clone method so that the Enabled property is copied.
    public override object Clone()
    {
        DataGridViewDisableButtonCell cell =
            (DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)base.Clone();
        cell.Enabled = this.Enabled;
        return cell;
    }

    // By default, enable the button cell.
    public DataGridViewDisableButtonCell()
    {
        this.enabledValue = true;
    }

    protected override void Paint(Graphics graphics,
        Rectangle clipBounds, Rectangle cellBounds, int rowIndex,
        DataGridViewElementStates elementState, object value,
        object formattedValue, string errorText,
        DataGridViewCellStyle cellStyle,
        DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle advancedBorderStyle,
        DataGridViewPaintParts paintParts)
    {
        // The button cell is disabled, so paint the border,
        // background, and disabled button for the cell.
        if (!this.enabledValue)
        {
            // Draw the cell background, if specified.
            if ((paintParts & DataGridViewPaintParts.Background) ==
                DataGridViewPaintParts.Background)
            {
                SolidBrush cellBackground =
                    new SolidBrush(cellStyle.BackColor);
                graphics.FillRectangle(cellBackground, cellBounds);
                cellBackground.Dispose();
            }

            // Draw the cell borders, if specified.
            if ((paintParts & DataGridViewPaintParts.Border) ==
                DataGridViewPaintParts.Border)
            {
                PaintBorder(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, cellStyle,
                    advancedBorderStyle);
            }

            // Calculate the area in which to draw the button.
            Rectangle buttonArea = cellBounds;
            Rectangle buttonAdjustment =
                this.BorderWidths(advancedBorderStyle);
            buttonArea.X += buttonAdjustment.X;
            buttonArea.Y += buttonAdjustment.Y;
            buttonArea.Height -= buttonAdjustment.Height;
            buttonArea.Width -= buttonAdjustment.Width;

            // Draw the disabled button.
            ButtonRenderer.DrawButton(graphics, buttonArea,
                PushButtonState.Disabled);

            // Draw the disabled button text.
            if (this.FormattedValue is String)
            {
                TextRenderer.DrawText(graphics,
                    (string)this.FormattedValue,
                    this.DataGridView.Font,
                    buttonArea, SystemColors.GrayText);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // The button cell is enabled, so let the base class
            // handle the painting.
            base.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex,
                elementState, value, formattedValue, errorText,
                cellStyle, advancedBorderStyle, paintParts);
        }
    }
}

Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles

Class Form1
    Inherits Form
    Private WithEvents dataGridView1 As New DataGridView()

    <STAThread()> _
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Application.EnableVisualStyles()
        Application.Run(New Form1())
    End Sub

    Public Sub New()
        Me.AutoSize = True
    End Sub

    Public Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) _
        Handles Me.Load

        Dim column0 As New DataGridViewCheckBoxColumn()
        Dim column1 As New DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn()
        column0.Name = "CheckBoxes"
        column1.Name = "Buttons"
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(column0)
        dataGridView1.Columns.Add(column1)

        dataGridView1.RowCount = 8
        dataGridView1.AutoSize = True
        dataGridView1.AllowUserToAddRows = False
        dataGridView1.ColumnHeadersDefaultCellStyle.Alignment = _
            DataGridViewContentAlignment.MiddleCenter

        ' Set the text for each button.
        Dim i As Integer
        For i = 0 To dataGridView1.RowCount - 1
            dataGridView1.Rows(i).Cells("Buttons").Value = _
                "Button " + i.ToString()
        Next i

        Me.Controls.Add(dataGridView1)

    End Sub

    ' This event handler manually raises the CellValueChanged event
    ' by calling the CommitEdit method.
    Sub dataGridView1_CurrentCellDirtyStateChanged( _
        ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) _
        Handles dataGridView1.CurrentCellDirtyStateChanged

        If dataGridView1.IsCurrentCellDirty Then
            dataGridView1.CommitEdit(DataGridViewDataErrorContexts.Commit)
        End If
    End Sub

    ' If a check box cell is clicked, this event handler disables  
    ' or enables the button in the same row as the clicked cell.
    Public Sub dataGridView1_CellValueChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As DataGridViewCellEventArgs) _
        Handles dataGridView1.CellValueChanged

        If dataGridView1.Columns(e.ColumnIndex).Name = "CheckBoxes" Then
            Dim buttonCell As DataGridViewDisableButtonCell = _
                CType(dataGridView1.Rows(e.RowIndex).Cells("Buttons"), _
                DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)

            Dim checkCell As DataGridViewCheckBoxCell = _
                CType(dataGridView1.Rows(e.RowIndex).Cells("CheckBoxes"), _
                DataGridViewCheckBoxCell)
            buttonCell.Enabled = Not CType(checkCell.Value, [Boolean])

            dataGridView1.Invalidate()
        End If
    End Sub

    ' If the user clicks on an enabled button cell, this event handler  
    ' reports that the button is enabled.
    Sub dataGridView1_CellClick(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As DataGridViewCellEventArgs) _
        Handles dataGridView1.CellClick

        If dataGridView1.Columns(e.ColumnIndex).Name = "Buttons" Then
            Dim buttonCell As DataGridViewDisableButtonCell = _
                CType(dataGridView1.Rows(e.RowIndex).Cells("Buttons"), _
                DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)

            If buttonCell.Enabled Then
                MsgBox(dataGridView1.Rows(e.RowIndex). _
                    Cells(e.ColumnIndex).Value.ToString() + _
                    " is enabled")
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

End Class

Public Class DataGridViewDisableButtonColumn
    Inherits DataGridViewButtonColumn

    Public Sub New()
        Me.CellTemplate = New DataGridViewDisableButtonCell()
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class DataGridViewDisableButtonCell
    Inherits DataGridViewButtonCell

    Private enabledValue As Boolean
    Public Property Enabled() As Boolean
        Get
            Return enabledValue
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
            enabledValue = value
        End Set
    End Property

    ' Override the Clone method so that the Enabled property is copied.
    Public Overrides Function Clone() As Object
        Dim Cell As DataGridViewDisableButtonCell = _
            CType(MyBase.Clone(), DataGridViewDisableButtonCell)
        Cell.Enabled = Me.Enabled
        Return Cell
    End Function

    ' By default, enable the button cell.
    Public Sub New()
        Me.enabledValue = True
    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub Paint(ByVal graphics As Graphics, _
        ByVal clipBounds As Rectangle, ByVal cellBounds As Rectangle, _
        ByVal rowIndex As Integer, _
        ByVal elementState As DataGridViewElementStates, _
        ByVal value As Object, ByVal formattedValue As Object, _
        ByVal errorText As String, _
        ByVal cellStyle As DataGridViewCellStyle, _
        ByVal advancedBorderStyle As DataGridViewAdvancedBorderStyle, _
        ByVal paintParts As DataGridViewPaintParts)

        ' The button cell is disabled, so paint the border,  
        ' background, and disabled button for the cell.
        If Not Me.enabledValue Then

            ' Draw the background of the cell, if specified.
            If (paintParts And DataGridViewPaintParts.Background) = _
                DataGridViewPaintParts.Background Then

                Dim cellBackground As New SolidBrush(cellStyle.BackColor)
                graphics.FillRectangle(cellBackground, cellBounds)
                cellBackground.Dispose()
            End If

            ' Draw the cell borders, if specified.
            If (paintParts And DataGridViewPaintParts.Border) = _
                DataGridViewPaintParts.Border Then

                PaintBorder(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, cellStyle, _
                    advancedBorderStyle)
            End If

            ' Calculate the area in which to draw the button.
            Dim buttonArea As Rectangle = cellBounds
            Dim buttonAdjustment As Rectangle = _
                Me.BorderWidths(advancedBorderStyle)
            buttonArea.X += buttonAdjustment.X
            buttonArea.Y += buttonAdjustment.Y
            buttonArea.Height -= buttonAdjustment.Height
            buttonArea.Width -= buttonAdjustment.Width

            ' Draw the disabled button.                
            ButtonRenderer.DrawButton(graphics, buttonArea, _
                PushButtonState.Disabled)

            ' Draw the disabled button text. 
            If TypeOf Me.FormattedValue Is String Then
                TextRenderer.DrawText(graphics, CStr(Me.FormattedValue), _
                    Me.DataGridView.Font, buttonArea, SystemColors.GrayText)
            End If

        Else
            ' The button cell is enabled, so let the base class 
            ' handle the painting.
            MyBase.Paint(graphics, clipBounds, cellBounds, rowIndex, _
                elementState, value, formattedValue, errorText, _
                cellStyle, advancedBorderStyle, paintParts)
        End If
    End Sub

End Class

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

  • References to the System, System.Drawing, System.Windows.Forms and System.Windows.Forms.VisualStyles assemblies.

See also