How to: Display an Insertion Mark in a Windows Forms ListView Control

The insertion mark in the ListView control shows users the point where dragged items will be inserted. When a user drags an item to a point between two other items, the insertion mark shows the item's expected new location.

Note
The insertion mark feature is available only on Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 when your application calls the System.Windows.Forms.Application.EnableVisualStyles method. On earlier operating systems, any code relating to the insertion mark has no effect and the insertion mark will not appear. For more information, see ListViewInsertionMark.

The following image shows an insertion mark:

The following code example demonstrates how to use this feature.

Example

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

Public Class ListViewInsertionMarkExample
    Inherits Form

    Private myListView As ListView
    
    Public Sub New()
        ' Initialize myListView.
        myListView = New ListView()
        myListView.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
        myListView.View = View.LargeIcon
        myListView.MultiSelect = False
        myListView.ListViewItemSorter = New ListViewIndexComparer()
        
        ' Initialize the insertion mark.
        myListView.InsertionMark.Color = Color.Green
        
        ' Add items to myListView.
        myListView.Items.Add("zero")
        myListView.Items.Add("one")
        myListView.Items.Add("two")
        myListView.Items.Add("three")
        myListView.Items.Add("four")
        myListView.Items.Add("five")
        
        ' Initialize the drag-and-drop operation when running
        ' under Windows XP or a later operating system.
        If OSFeature.Feature.IsPresent(OSFeature.Themes)
            myListView.AllowDrop = True
            AddHandler myListView.ItemDrag, AddressOf myListView_ItemDrag
            AddHandler myListView.DragEnter, AddressOf myListView_DragEnter
            AddHandler myListView.DragOver, AddressOf myListView_DragOver
            AddHandler myListView.DragLeave, AddressOf myListView_DragLeave
            AddHandler myListView.DragDrop, AddressOf myListView_DragDrop
        End If 

        ' Initialize the form.
        Me.Text = "ListView Insertion Mark Example"
        Me.Controls.Add(myListView)
    End Sub 'New

    <STAThread()> _
    Shared Sub Main()
        Application.EnableVisualStyles()
        Application.Run(New ListViewInsertionMarkExample())
    End Sub 'Main
    
    ' Starts the drag-and-drop operation when an item is dragged.
    Private Sub myListView_ItemDrag(sender As Object, e As ItemDragEventArgs)
        myListView.DoDragDrop(e.Item, DragDropEffects.Move)
    End Sub 'myListView_ItemDrag
    
    ' Sets the target drop effect.
    Private Sub myListView_DragEnter(sender As Object, e As DragEventArgs)
        e.Effect = e.AllowedEffect
    End Sub 'myListView_DragEnter
    
    ' Moves the insertion mark as the item is dragged.
    Private Sub myListView_DragOver(sender As Object, e As DragEventArgs)
        ' Retrieve the client coordinates of the mouse pointer.
        Dim targetPoint As Point = myListView.PointToClient(New Point(e.X, e.Y))
        
        ' Retrieve the index of the item closest to the mouse pointer.
        Dim targetIndex As Integer = _
            myListView.InsertionMark.NearestIndex(targetPoint)
        
        ' Confirm that the mouse pointer is not over the dragged item.
        If targetIndex > -1 Then
            ' Determine whether the mouse pointer is to the left or
            ' the right of the midpoint of the closest item and set
            ' the InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem property accordingly.
            Dim itemBounds As Rectangle = myListView.GetItemRect(targetIndex)
            If targetPoint.X > itemBounds.Left + (itemBounds.Width / 2) Then
                myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem = True
            Else
                myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem = False
            End If
        End If
        
        ' Set the location of the insertion mark. If the mouse is
        ' over the dragged item, the targetIndex value is -1 and
        ' the insertion mark disappears.
        myListView.InsertionMark.Index = targetIndex
    End Sub 'myListView_DragOver

    ' Removes the insertion mark when the mouse leaves the control.
    Private Sub myListView_DragLeave(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
        myListView.InsertionMark.Index = -1
    End Sub 'myListView_DragLeave
    
    ' Moves the item to the location of the insertion mark.
    Private Sub myListView_DragDrop(sender As Object, e As DragEventArgs)
        ' Retrieve the index of the insertion mark;
        Dim targetIndex As Integer = myListView.InsertionMark.Index
        
        ' If the insertion mark is not visible, exit the method.
        If targetIndex = -1 Then
            Return
        End If 

        ' If the insertion mark is to the right of the item with
        ' the corresponding index, increment the target index.
        If myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem Then
            targetIndex += 1
        End If 

        ' Retrieve the dragged item.
        Dim draggedItem As ListViewItem = _
            CType(e.Data.GetData(GetType(ListViewItem)), ListViewItem)
        
        ' Insert a copy of the dragged item at the target index.
        ' A copy must be inserted before the original item is removed
        ' to preserve item index values.
        myListView.Items.Insert(targetIndex, _
            CType(draggedItem.Clone(), ListViewItem))
        
        ' Remove the original copy of the dragged item.
        myListView.Items.Remove(draggedItem)

    End Sub 'myListView_DragDrop
    
    ' Sorts ListViewItem objects by index.    
    Private Class ListViewIndexComparer
        Implements System.Collections.IComparer
        
        Public Function Compare(x As Object, y As Object) As Integer _
            Implements System.Collections.IComparer.Compare
            Return CType(x, ListViewItem).Index - CType(y, ListViewItem).Index
        End Function 'Compare

    End Class 'ListViewIndexComparer

End Class 'ListViewInsertionMarkExample 

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

public class ListViewInsertionMarkExample : Form
{
    private ListView myListView; 

    public ListViewInsertionMarkExample()
    {
        // Initialize myListView.
        myListView = new ListView();
        myListView.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
        myListView.View = View.LargeIcon;
        myListView.MultiSelect = false;
        myListView.ListViewItemSorter = new ListViewIndexComparer();

        // Initialize the insertion mark.
        myListView.InsertionMark.Color = Color.Green;

        // Add items to myListView.
        myListView.Items.Add("zero");
        myListView.Items.Add("one");
        myListView.Items.Add("two");
        myListView.Items.Add("three");
        myListView.Items.Add("four");
        myListView.Items.Add("five");
        
        // Initialize the drag-and-drop operation when running
        // under Windows XP or a later operating system.
        if (OSFeature.Feature.IsPresent(OSFeature.Themes))
        {
            myListView.AllowDrop = true;
            myListView.ItemDrag += new ItemDragEventHandler(myListView_ItemDrag);
            myListView.DragEnter += new DragEventHandler(myListView_DragEnter);
            myListView.DragOver += new DragEventHandler(myListView_DragOver);
            myListView.DragLeave += new EventHandler(myListView_DragLeave);
            myListView.DragDrop += new DragEventHandler(myListView_DragDrop);
        }

        // Initialize the form.
        this.Text = "ListView Insertion Mark Example";
        this.Controls.Add(myListView);
    }

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

    // Starts the drag-and-drop operation when an item is dragged.
    private void myListView_ItemDrag(object sender, ItemDragEventArgs e)
    {
        myListView.DoDragDrop(e.Item, DragDropEffects.Move);
    }

    // Sets the target drop effect.
    private void myListView_DragEnter(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        e.Effect = e.AllowedEffect;
    }

    // Moves the insertion mark as the item is dragged.
    private void myListView_DragOver(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        // Retrieve the client coordinates of the mouse pointer.
        Point targetPoint = 
            myListView.PointToClient(new Point(e.X, e.Y));

        // Retrieve the index of the item closest to the mouse pointer.
        int targetIndex = myListView.InsertionMark.NearestIndex(targetPoint);

        // Confirm that the mouse pointer is not over the dragged item.
        if (targetIndex > -1) 
        {
            // Determine whether the mouse pointer is to the left or
            // the right of the midpoint of the closest item and set
            // the InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem property accordingly.
            Rectangle itemBounds = myListView.GetItemRect(targetIndex);
            if ( targetPoint.X > itemBounds.Left + (itemBounds.Width / 2) )
            {
                myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem = true;
            }
            else
            {
                myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem = false;
            }
        }

        // Set the location of the insertion mark. If the mouse is
        // over the dragged item, the targetIndex value is -1 and
        // the insertion mark disappears.
        myListView.InsertionMark.Index = targetIndex;
    }

    // Removes the insertion mark when the mouse leaves the control.
    private void myListView_DragLeave(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        myListView.InsertionMark.Index = -1;
    }

    // Moves the item to the location of the insertion mark.
    private void myListView_DragDrop(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        // Retrieve the index of the insertion mark;
        int targetIndex = myListView.InsertionMark.Index;

        // If the insertion mark is not visible, exit the method.
        if (targetIndex == -1) 
        {
            return;
        }

        // If the insertion mark is to the right of the item with
        // the corresponding index, increment the target index.
        if (myListView.InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem) 
        {
            targetIndex++;
        }

        // Retrieve the dragged item.
        ListViewItem draggedItem = 
            (ListViewItem)e.Data.GetData(typeof(ListViewItem));

        // Insert a copy of the dragged item at the target index.
        // A copy must be inserted before the original item is removed
        // to preserve item index values. 
        myListView.Items.Insert(
            targetIndex, (ListViewItem)draggedItem.Clone());

        // Remove the original copy of the dragged item.
        myListView.Items.Remove(draggedItem);
    }

    // Sorts ListViewItem objects by index.
    private class ListViewIndexComparer : System.Collections.IComparer
    {
        public int Compare(object x, object y)
        {
            return ((ListViewItem)x).Index - ((ListViewItem)y).Index;
        }
    }

}

#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;
public ref class ListViewInsertionMarkExample: public Form
{
private:
   ListView^ myListView;

public:

   ListViewInsertionMarkExample()
   {
      // Initialize myListView.
      myListView = gcnew ListView;
      myListView->Dock = DockStyle::Fill;
      myListView->View = View::LargeIcon;
      myListView->MultiSelect = false;
      myListView->ListViewItemSorter = gcnew ListViewIndexComparer;

      // Initialize the insertion mark.
      myListView->InsertionMark->Color = Color::Green;

      // Add items to myListView.
      myListView->Items->Add( "zero" );
      myListView->Items->Add( "one" );
      myListView->Items->Add( "two" );
      myListView->Items->Add( "three" );
      myListView->Items->Add( "four" );
      myListView->Items->Add( "five" );

      // Initialize the drag-and-drop operation when running
      // under Windows XP or a later operating system.
      if ( System::Environment::OSVersion->Version->Major > 5 || (System::Environment::OSVersion->Version->Major == 5 && System::Environment::OSVersion->Version->Minor >= 1) )
      {
         myListView->AllowDrop = true;
         myListView->ItemDrag += gcnew ItemDragEventHandler( this, &ListViewInsertionMarkExample::myListView_ItemDrag );
         myListView->DragEnter += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &ListViewInsertionMarkExample::myListView_DragEnter );
         myListView->DragOver += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &ListViewInsertionMarkExample::myListView_DragOver );
         myListView->DragLeave += gcnew EventHandler( this, &ListViewInsertionMarkExample::myListView_DragLeave );
         myListView->DragDrop += gcnew DragEventHandler( this, &ListViewInsertionMarkExample::myListView_DragDrop );
      }

      // Initialize the form.
      this->Text = "ListView Insertion Mark Example";
      this->Controls->Add( myListView );
   }

private:

   // Starts the drag-and-drop operation when an item is dragged.
   void myListView_ItemDrag( Object^ /*sender*/, ItemDragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      myListView->DoDragDrop( e->Item, DragDropEffects::Move );
   }

   // Sets the target drop effect.
   void myListView_DragEnter( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      e->Effect = e->AllowedEffect;
   }

   // Moves the insertion mark as the item is dragged.
   void myListView_DragOver( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // Retrieve the client coordinates of the mouse pointer.
      Point targetPoint = myListView->PointToClient( Point(e->X,e->Y) );

      // Retrieve the index of the item closest to the mouse pointer.
      int targetIndex = myListView->InsertionMark->NearestIndex( targetPoint );

      // Confirm that the mouse pointer is not over the dragged item.
      if ( targetIndex > -1 )
      {
         // Determine whether the mouse pointer is to the left or
         // the right of the midpoint of the closest item and set
         // the InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem property accordingly.
         Rectangle itemBounds = myListView->GetItemRect( targetIndex );
         if ( targetPoint.X > itemBounds.Left + (itemBounds.Width / 2) )
         {
            myListView->InsertionMark->AppearsAfterItem = true;
         }
         else
         {
            myListView->InsertionMark->AppearsAfterItem = false;
         }
      }

      // Set the location of the insertion mark. If the mouse is
      // over the dragged item, the targetIndex value is -1 and
      // the insertion mark disappears.
      myListView->InsertionMark->Index = targetIndex;
   }

   // Removes the insertion mark when the mouse leaves the control.
   void myListView_DragLeave( Object^ /*sender*/, EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
   {
      myListView->InsertionMark->Index = -1;
   }

   // Moves the item to the location of the insertion mark.
   void myListView_DragDrop( Object^ /*sender*/, DragEventArgs^ e )
   {
      // Retrieve the index of the insertion mark;
      int targetIndex = myListView->InsertionMark->Index;

      // If the insertion mark is not visible, exit the method.
      if ( targetIndex == -1 )
      {
         return;
      }

      // If the insertion mark is to the right of the item with
      // the corresponding index, increment the target index.
      if ( myListView->InsertionMark->AppearsAfterItem )
      {
         targetIndex++;
      }

      // Retrieve the dragged item.
      ListViewItem^ draggedItem = dynamic_cast<ListViewItem^>(e->Data->GetData( ListViewItem::typeid ));

      // Insert a copy of the dragged item at the target index.
      // A copy must be inserted before the original item is removed
      // to preserve item index values.
      myListView->Items->Insert( targetIndex, dynamic_cast<ListViewItem^>(draggedItem->Clone()) );

      // Remove the original copy of the dragged item.
      myListView->Items->Remove( draggedItem );

   }

   // Sorts ListViewItem objects by index.
   ref class ListViewIndexComparer: public System::Collections::IComparer
   {
   public:
      virtual int Compare( Object^ x, Object^ y )
      {
         return (dynamic_cast<ListViewItem^>(x))->Index - (dynamic_cast<ListViewItem^>(y))->Index;
      }
   };
};

[STAThread]
int main()
{
   Application::EnableVisualStyles();
   Application::Run( gcnew ListViewInsertionMarkExample );
}

import System.*;
import System.Drawing.*;
import System.Windows.Forms.*;

public class ListViewInsertionMarkExample extends Form
{
    private ListView myListView;

    public ListViewInsertionMarkExample()
    {
        // Initialize myListView.
        myListView = new ListView();
        myListView.set_Dock(DockStyle.Fill);
        myListView.set_View(View.LargeIcon);
        myListView.set_MultiSelect(false);
        myListView.set_ListViewItemSorter(new ListViewIndexComparer());
        // Initialize the insertion mark.
        myListView.get_InsertionMark().set_Color(Color.get_Green());
        // Add items to myListView.
        myListView.get_Items().Add("zero");
        myListView.get_Items().Add("one");
        myListView.get_Items().Add("two");
        myListView.get_Items().Add("three");
        myListView.get_Items().Add("four");
        myListView.get_Items().Add("five");
        // Initialize the drag-and-drop operation when running
        // under Windows XP or a later operating system.
        if (System.Environment.get_OSVersion().get_Version().get_Major() > 5 
            || (System.Environment.get_OSVersion().get_Version().get_Major() 
            == 5 && System.Environment.get_OSVersion().get_Version().
            get_Minor() >= 1)) {
            myListView.set_AllowDrop(true);
            myListView.add_ItemDrag(new ItemDragEventHandler(
                myListView_ItemDrag));
            myListView.add_DragEnter(new DragEventHandler(
                myListView_DragEnter));
            myListView.add_DragOver(new DragEventHandler(myListView_DragOver));
            myListView.add_DragLeave(new EventHandler(myListView_DragLeave));
            myListView.add_DragDrop(new DragEventHandler(myListView_DragDrop));
        }
        // Initialize the form.
        this.set_Text("ListView Insertion Mark Example");
        this.get_Controls().Add(myListView);
    } //ListViewInsertionMarkExample

    /** @attribute STAThread()
     */
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Application.Run(new ListViewInsertionMarkExample());
    } //main

    // Starts the drag-and-drop operation when an item is dragged.
    private void myListView_ItemDrag(Object sender, ItemDragEventArgs e)
    {
        myListView.DoDragDrop(e.get_Item(), DragDropEffects.Move);
    } //myListView_ItemDrag

    // Sets the target drop effect.
    private void myListView_DragEnter(Object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        e.set_Effect(e.get_AllowedEffect());
    } //myListView_DragEnter

    // Moves the insertion mark as the item is dragged.
    private void myListView_DragOver(Object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        // Retrieve the client coordinates of the mouse pointer.
        Point targetPoint = myListView.PointToClient(
              new Point(e.get_X(), e.get_Y()));
        // Retrieve the index of the item closest to the mouse pointer.
        int targetIndex = myListView.get_InsertionMark().
            NearestIndex(targetPoint);
        // Confirm that the mouse pointer is not over the dragged item.
        if (targetIndex > -1) {
            // Determine whether the mouse pointer is to the left or
            // the right of the midpoint of the closest item and set
            // the InsertionMark.AppearsAfterItem property accordingly.
            Rectangle itemBounds = myListView.GetItemRect(targetIndex);
            if (targetPoint.get_X() > itemBounds.get_Left() 
                + itemBounds.get_Width() / 2) {
                myListView.get_InsertionMark().set_AppearsAfterItem(true);
            }
            else {
                myListView.get_InsertionMark().set_AppearsAfterItem(false);
            }
        }
        // Set the location of the insertion mark. If the mouse is
        // over the dragged item, the targetIndex value is -1 and
        // the insertion mark disappears.
        myListView.get_InsertionMark().set_Index(targetIndex);
    } //myListView_DragOver

    // Removes the insertion mark when the mouse leaves the control.
    private void myListView_DragLeave(Object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        myListView.get_InsertionMark().set_Index(-1);
    } //myListView_DragLeave

    // Moves the item to the location of the insertion mark.
    private void myListView_DragDrop(Object sender, DragEventArgs e)
    {
        // Retrieve the index of the insertion mark;
        int targetIndex = myListView.get_InsertionMark().get_Index();
        // If the insertion mark is not visible, exit the method.
        if (targetIndex == -1) {
            return;
        }
        // If the insertion mark is to the right of the item with
        // the corresponding index, increment the target index.
        if (myListView.get_InsertionMark().get_AppearsAfterItem()) {
            targetIndex++;
        }
        // Retrieve the dragged item.
        ListViewItem draggedItem = (ListViewItem)(e.get_Data().GetData(
                     ListViewItem.class.ToType()));
        // Insert a copy of the dragged item at the target index.
        // A copy must be inserted before the original item is removed
        // to preserve item index values.
        myListView.get_Items().Insert(targetIndex, (ListViewItem)
            draggedItem.Clone());
        // Remove the original copy of the dragged item.
        myListView.get_Items().Remove(draggedItem);
    } //myListView_DragDrop

    // Sorts ListViewItem objects by index.
    private class ListViewIndexComparer 
        implements System.Collections.IComparer
    {
        public int Compare(Object x, Object y)
        {
            return ((ListViewItem)x).get_Index() 
                - ((ListViewItem)y).get_Index();
        } //Compare
    } //ListViewIndexComparer
} //ListViewInsertionMarkExample 

Compiling the Code

This example requires:

• References to the System 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

Walkthrough: Performing a Drag-and-Drop Operation in Windows Forms

Reference

ListView Control Overview (Windows Forms)
ListView
System.Windows.Forms.ListView.InsertionMark
ListViewInsertionMark

Concepts

Windows XP Features and Windows Forms Controls

Other Resources

ListView Control (Windows Forms)