How to: Bind a Windows Forms Control to a Factory Object
When you are building controls that interact with data, you will sometimes find it necessary to bind a control to an object or method that generates other objects. Such an object or method is called a factory. Your data source might be, for example, the return value from a method call, instead of an object in memory or a type. You can bind a control to this kind of data source as long as the source returns a collection.
You can easily bind a control to a factory object by using the BindingSource control.
Example
The following example demonstrates how to bind a DataGridView control to a factory method by using a BindingSource control. The factory method is named GetOrdersByCustomerId, and it returns all the orders for a given customer in the Northwind database.
Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.Common
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Windows.Forms
' This form demonstrates using a BindingSource to bind to a factory
' object.
Public Class Form1
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
' This is the TextBox for entering CustomerID values.
Private WithEvents customerIdTextBox As New TextBox()
' This is the DataGridView that displays orders for the
' specified customer.
Private customersDataGridView As New DataGridView()
' This is the BindingSource for binding the database query
' result set to the DataGridView.
Private ordersBindingSource As New BindingSource()
Public Sub New()
' Set up the CustomerID TextBox.
Me.customerIdTextBox.Location = New Point(100, 200)
Me.customerIdTextBox.Size = New Size(500, 30)
Me.customerIdTextBox.Text = _
"Enter a valid Northwind CustomerID, for example: ALFKI," & _
" then RETURN or click outside the TextBox"
Me.Controls.Add(Me.customerIdTextBox)
' Set up the DataGridView.
customersDataGridView.Dock = DockStyle.Top
Me.Controls.Add(customersDataGridView)
' Set up the form.
Me.Size = New Size(800, 500)
End Sub
' This event handler binds the BindingSource to the DataGridView
' control's DataSource property.
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
' Attach the BindingSource to the DataGridView.
Me.customersDataGridView.DataSource = Me.ordersBindingSource
End Sub
' This is a static factory method. It queries the Northwind
' database for the orders belonging to the specified
' customer and returns an IEnumerable.
Public Shared Function GetOrdersByCustomerId(ByVal id As String) _
As IEnumerable
' Open a connection to the database.
Dim connectString As String = "Integrated Security=SSPI;" & _
"Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=Northwind;" & _
"Data Source= localhost"
Dim connection As New SqlConnection()
connection.ConnectionString = connectString
connection.Open()
' Execute the query.
Dim queryString As String = _
String.Format("Select * From Orders where CustomerID = '{0}'", id)
Dim command As New SqlCommand(queryString, connection)
Dim reader As SqlDataReader = _
command.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection)
Return reader
End Function
' These event handlers are called when the user tabs or clicks
' out of the customerIdTextBox or hits the return key.
' The database is then queried with the CustomerID
' in the customerIdTextBox.Text property.
Private Sub customerIdTextBox_Leave(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles customerIdTextBox.Leave
' Attach the data source to the BindingSource control.
Me.ordersBindingSource.DataSource = _
GetOrdersByCustomerId(Me.customerIdTextBox.Text)
End Sub
Private Sub customerIdTextBox_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As KeyEventArgs) Handles customerIdTextBox.KeyDown
If e.KeyCode = Keys.Return Then
' Attach the data source to the BindingSource control.
Me.ordersBindingSource.DataSource = _
GetOrdersByCustomerId(Me.customerIdTextBox.Text)
End If
End Sub
<STAThread()> _
Shared Sub Main()
Application.EnableVisualStyles()
Application.Run(New Form1())
End Sub
End Class
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.Common;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Windows.Forms;
// This form demonstrates using a BindingSource to bind to a factory
// object.
public class Form1 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
{
// This is the TextBox for entering CustomerID values.
private TextBox customerIdTextBox = new TextBox();
// This is the DataGridView that displays orders for the
// specified customer.
private DataGridView customersDataGridView = new DataGridView();
// This is the BindingSource for binding the database query
// result set to the DataGridView.
private BindingSource ordersBindingSource = new BindingSource();
public Form1()
{
// Set up the CustomerID TextBox.
this.customerIdTextBox.Location = new Point(100, 200);
this.customerIdTextBox.Size = new Size(500, 30);
this.customerIdTextBox.Text =
"Enter a valid Northwind CustomerID, for example: ALFKI," +
" then RETURN or click outside the TextBox";
this.customerIdTextBox.Leave +=
new EventHandler(customerIdTextBox_Leave);
this.customerIdTextBox.KeyDown +=
new KeyEventHandler(customerIdTextBox_KeyDown);
this.Controls.Add(this.customerIdTextBox);
// Set up the DataGridView.
customersDataGridView.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
this.Controls.Add(customersDataGridView);
// Set up the form.
this.Size = new Size(800, 500);
this.Load += new EventHandler(Form1_Load);
}
// This event handler binds the BindingSource to the DataGridView
// control's DataSource property.
private void Form1_Load(
System.Object sender,
System.EventArgs e)
{
// Attach the BindingSource to the DataGridView.
this.customersDataGridView.DataSource =
this.ordersBindingSource;
}
// This is a static factory method. It queries the Northwind
// database for the orders belonging to the specified
// customer and returns an IEnumerable.
public static IEnumerable GetOrdersByCustomerId(string id)
{
// Open a connection to the database.
string connectString = "Integrated Security=SSPI;" +
"Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=Northwind;" +
"Data Source= localhost";
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection();
connection.ConnectionString = connectString;
connection.Open();
// Execute the query.
string queryString =
String.Format("Select * From Orders where CustomerID = '{0}'",
id);
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(queryString, connection);
SqlDataReader reader =
command.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection);
return reader;
}
// These event handlers are called when the user tabs or clicks
// out of the customerIdTextBox or hits the return key.
// The database is then queried with the CustomerID
// in the customerIdTextBox.Text property.
void customerIdTextBox_Leave(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Attach the data source to the BindingSource control.
this.ordersBindingSource.DataSource =
GetOrdersByCustomerId(this.customerIdTextBox.Text);
}
void customerIdTextBox_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Return)
{
// Attach the data source to the BindingSource control.
this.ordersBindingSource.DataSource =
GetOrdersByCustomerId(this.customerIdTextBox.Text);
}
}
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.Run(new Form1());
}
}
#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Data.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>
#using <System.EnterpriseServices.dll>
#using <System.Transactions.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
#using <System.Xml.dll>
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections;
using namespace System::Collections::Generic;
using namespace System::ComponentModel;
using namespace System::Data;
using namespace System::Data::Common;
using namespace System::Data::SqlClient;
using namespace System::Diagnostics;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
// This form demonstrates using a BindingSource to bind to a factory
// object.
public ref class Form1: public System::Windows::Forms::Form
{
private:
// This is the TextBox for entering CustomerID values.
static TextBox^ customerIdTextBox = gcnew TextBox;
// This is the DataGridView that displays orders for the
// specified customer.
static DataGridView^ customersDataGridView = gcnew DataGridView;
// This is the BindingSource for binding the database query
// result set to the DataGridView.
static BindingSource^ ordersBindingSource = gcnew BindingSource;
public:
Form1()
{
// Set up the CustomerID TextBox.
this->customerIdTextBox->Dock = DockStyle::Bottom;
this->customerIdTextBox->Text =
L"Enter a valid Northwind CustomerID, for example: ALFKI,"
L" then TAB or click outside the TextBox";
this->customerIdTextBox->Leave += gcnew EventHandler(
this, &Form1::customerIdTextBox_Leave );
this->Controls->Add( this->customerIdTextBox );
// Set up the DataGridView.
customersDataGridView->Dock = DockStyle::Top;
this->Controls->Add( customersDataGridView );
// Set up the form.
this->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 800, 800 );
this->Load += gcnew EventHandler( this, &Form1::Form1_Load );
}
private:
// This event handler binds the BindingSource to the DataGridView
// control's DataSource property.
void Form1_Load(
System::Object^ /*sender*/,
System::EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
{
// Attach the BindingSource to the DataGridView.
this->customersDataGridView->DataSource =
this->ordersBindingSource;
}
public:
// This is a static factory method. It queries the Northwind
// database for the orders belonging to the specified
// customer and returns an IList.
static System::Collections::IList^ GetOrdersByCustomerId( String^ id )
{
// Open a connection to the database.
String^ connectString = L"Integrated Security=SSPI;"
L"Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=Northwind;"
L"Data Source= localhost";
SqlConnection^ connection = gcnew SqlConnection;
connection->ConnectionString = connectString;
connection->Open();
// Execute the query.
String^ queryString = String::Format(
L"Select * From Orders where CustomerID = '{0}'", id );
SqlCommand^ command = gcnew SqlCommand( queryString,connection );
SqlDataReader^ reader = command->ExecuteReader(
CommandBehavior::CloseConnection );
// Build an IList from the result set.
List< DbDataRecord^ >^ list = gcnew List< DbDataRecord^ >;
System::Collections::IEnumerator^ e = reader->GetEnumerator();
while ( e->MoveNext() )
{
list->Add( dynamic_cast<DbDataRecord^>(e->Current) );
}
return list;
}
// This event handler is called when the user tabs or clicks
// out of the customerIdTextBox. The database is then queried
// with the CustomerID in the customerIdTextBox.Text property.
private:
void customerIdTextBox_Leave( Object^ /*sender*/, EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
{
// Attach the data source to the BindingSource control.
this->ordersBindingSource->DataSource = GetOrdersByCustomerId(
this->customerIdTextBox->Text );
}
public:
[STAThread]
static void main()
{
Application::EnableVisualStyles();
Application::Run( gcnew Form1 );
}
};
Compiling the Code
This example requires:
- References to the System, System.Data, System.Drawing and System.Windows.Forms assemblies.
For information about building this example from the command line for Visual Basic or Visual C#, see Building from the Command Line (Visual Basic) or Command-Line Building. You can also build this example in Visual Studio by pasting the code into a new project. How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
How to: Compile and Run a Complete Windows Forms Code Example Using Visual Studio
See Also
Tasks
How to: Bind a Windows Forms Control to a Type
Reference
BindingNavigator
DataGridView
BindingSource