Maybe I am missing something, but given the follow example taken from msdn:
' Declare comboBox1 as a ComboBox.
Friend WithEvents ComboBox1 As System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
' This method initializes the combo box, adding a large string
' array but limiting the drop-down size to six rows so the combo box
' doesn't cover other controls when it expands.
Private Sub InitializeComboBox()
Me.ComboBox1 = New System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
Dim employees() As String = New String() {"Hamilton, David", _
"Hensien, Kari", "Hammond, Maria", "Harris, Keith", _
"Henshaw, Jeff D.", "Hanson, Mark", "Harnpadoungsataya, Sariya", _
"Harrington, Mark", "Harris, Keith", "Hartwig, Doris", _
"Harui, Roger", "Hassall, Mark", "Hasselberg, Jonas", _
"Harnpadoungsataya, Sariya", "Henshaw, Jeff D.", "Henshaw, Jeff D.", _
"Hensien, Kari", "Harris, Keith", "Henshaw, Jeff D.", _
"Hensien, Kari", "Hasselberg, Jonas", "Harrington, Mark", _
"Hedlund, Magnus", "Hay, Jeff", "Heidepriem, Brandon D."}
ComboBox1.Items.AddRange(employees)
Me.ComboBox1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(136, 32)
Me.ComboBox1.MaxDropDownItems = 5
Me.ComboBox1.DropDownStyle = ComboBoxStyle.DropDown
Me.ComboBox1.Name = "ComboBox1"
Me.ComboBox1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(136, 81)
Me.ComboBox1.TabIndex = 0
Me.Controls.Add(Me.ComboBox1)
End Sub
This will display a dropdown list like this:
Hassall, Mark
Hasselberg, Jonas
Harnpadoungsataya, Sariya
Henshaw, Jeff D.
Henshaw, Jeff D.
Hensien, Kari
Harris, Keith
Henshaw, Jeff D.
IMHO, doesn't this look better
Surname Given Names
Hassall Mark
Hasselberg Jonas
Harnpadoungsataya Sariya
Henshaw Jeff D.
Henshaw Jeff D.
Hensien Kari
Harris Keith
Henshaw Jeff D.
Now given a large company may have a few employees with the same name (ie. Henshaw, Jeff D.) you may need some additional information to determine which Henshaw you want. So lets add the Department they work in (or Employee Id or Phone or WhatEver).
Without MultiColumns:
Hassall, Mark - Shipping
Hasselberg, Jonas - Accounting
Harnpadoungsataya, Sariya - Production
Henshaw, Jeff D. - Shipping
Henshaw, Jeff D. - Accounting
Hensien, Kari - Production
Harris, Keith - Production
Henshaw, Jeff D. - Production
With MultiColumns:
Surname Given Names Department
Hassall Mark Shipping
Hasselberg Jonas Accounting
Harnpadoungsataya Sariya Production
Henshaw Jeff D. Shipping
Henshaw Jeff D. Accounting
Hensien Kari Production
Harris Keith Production
Henshaw Jeff D. Production
A MultiColumn ComboBox would be great! Also for table lookups to show the item's code and item's description.
Or am I missing the boat on this and this senario is better handled in a different way with a different control
On a side note: I am very impressed that the ComboBox has been implemented onto the DataGridView! HooRay!! Now to get this with a MultiColumn option as well!!
MultiColumn ComboBox????? - Open for Discussion.
ck86
I passed your feedback on to the Windows Forms group. I agree this is very nice to have.
If you want extra reinforcement, you could file a suggestion in Product Feedback Center.
I'm also glad to hear you found a workaround with DataGridView. I think using DGV is a great solution in VB 2005. In 2003, I'd use the ListView or a custom control off the shelf.
Best,
Paul Yuknewicz
MYVB
I have actually created my own dropdown using the DataGrid. Works great.
But I was really interested in was if you did not create your own MultiColumn dropdown, how does Microsoft imagine you to complete this obvious limitation using only the standard controls
And why would Microsoft not see the obvious need for such controls as their standard package
m.dobler
First make a ComboBoxItem class..
Pseudocodce.
class ComboBoxItem
priavte Col1Value, Col2Value, Col3Value ..... as string
sub new(col1value, optional col2value....)
me.Col1Value = Col1Value
.....
end sub
public overrides function ToString()
' Use first column to display in combobox
return me.Col1Value
end function
end class
Then make a new class that inhertis System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox ( )
class MultiColCombo
inherits ComboBox
Private WithEvents MyComboBox As System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox
Public Sub New()
MyBase.New()
MyComboBox = Me
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub OnCreateControl()
Me.DrawMode = System.Windows.Forms.DrawMode.OwnerDrawFixed
Me.Invalidate()
End Sub
Protected Overloads Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
If disposing Then MyBase.Dispose(True)
GC.SuppressFinalize(Me)
End Sub
Private Sub MyComboBox_DrawItem(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DrawItemEventArgs) Handles MyComboBox.DrawItem
' Look at .net documentation for examples.
' Her you can draw your own dropdown-display...
Rectangle = New Rectangle(e.Bounds.Left, e.Bounds.Top, Me.Col1Width, e.Bounds.Height)
e.Graphics.DrawString(Me.Items(e.Index).Col1Value, Me.Font, New System.Drawing.SolidBrush(ItemTextColor), Rectangle)
and so on....
end sub
This is a bit messy.. But hopefulley it gives you an idea...
petro_zn
MultiColumn controls is indeed a very good control that a programmer must have. But sad to say only DataGrid and Listview controls contains multi column properties... though it's very nice that microsoft would provide us with a control like that... Or a package of NEW controls!
Well, I guess Im just wishfull Thinking....
Why wont you try looking for some third party controls I can remember playing with one (Multicolumn Combo) in my VB Days...
try searching here...
www.componentsource.com
cheers,
Paul June A. Domag
Michael Fitzpatrick
you will put the listView control to a winForm.
then u will fire the dropDown event for comboBox. in this event u will call the winForm and u have to send the dataTablo to assing it as datasource to listview.
Star Green
Hi,
Can anyone give me the working source code for creating a Multi-Column Combobox in DataGridView in VB.NET.
Thanks!
Marco Achtziger
Would you please share your source code
I have been trying to use ASP web code for a multicolumn Combo box with no success
Christopher Payne
Its not hard to make.
I think Microsoft happy about that... There isnt a control like this in .net framework but they use their own custom controls... so they give you a platform to create, to develop. You can do everything with this feature.
Everything is usefull .. it changes. there are really cool grid controls. I want them into .net framework : )
: ) I talked nonsense..
good works