Windows forms binding listview

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A ListBox control
in a C# windows forms, can display only one column of data, but there are
instances when we want to display multiple columns of data. One option is to
use the DataGrid
control, but we can also use the ListView control
to display multiple column data.

The ListView can be
used to display static information, which the user will not be changing, in
this post we shall see on how to use the ListView control
to display multiple columns of data in a C# Windows Form. We shall bind the
data from the list view from the code behind file.

1. Create a new / open an existing C# Windows application
2. Open and existing / Add a new Windows Form to the Project
3. Drag a ListView control into the form.
4. Open the Properties window of the ListView.
5. Open the Columns (Collection) Property of the ListView and add
the Columns Required.
6.
Now switch to the code behind and add the following code to populate the
ListView.            ListViewItem listViewItem;

            //

            listViewItem = new ListViewItem(«<= 18.5»);

            listViewItem.SubItems.Add(«Underweight»);

            listView1.Items.Add(listViewItem);

            //

            listViewItem = new ListViewItem(«18.5 to 25»);

            listViewItem.SubItems.Add(«Normal Weight»);

            listView1.Items.Add(listViewItem);

            //

            listViewItem = new ListViewItem(«25.1 to 30»);

            listViewItem.SubItems.Add(«Overweight»);

            listView1.Items.Add(listViewItem);

            //

            listViewItem = new ListViewItem(«> 30»);

            listViewItem.SubItems.Add(«Obese»);

            listView1.Items.Add(listViewItem);

7. The Final ListView looks as
follows.

public class Contact
{
    public int CustomerIdentifier { get; set; }
    public string CompanyName { get; set; }
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string PhoneTypeDescription { get; set; }
    public string PhoneNumber { get; set; }
    public string CountryName { get; set; }
    public string[] ItemArray => new[]
    {
        CompanyName,
        FirstName,
        LastName,
        PhoneNumber,
        CountryName
    };
}

public List<Contact> GetOwnerContacts()
{
    mHasException = false;
    var ownerContacts = new List<Contact>();


    var selectStatement =
        @"
        SELECT   Cust.CustomerIdentifier ,
                 Cust.CompanyName ,
                 cont.FirstName ,
                 cont.LastName ,
                 PT.PhoneTypeDescription ,
                 CCD.PhoneNumber ,
                 Countries.CountryName
        FROM     Customers AS Cust
                 INNER JOIN dbo.Contact AS cont ON Cust.ContactIdentifier =
                    cont.ContactIdentifier
                 INNER JOIN dbo.ContactContactDevices AS CCD ON cont.ContactIdentifier =
                    CCD.ContactIdentifier
                 INNER JOIN dbo.PhoneType AS PT ON CCD.PhoneTypeIdenitfier =
                    PT.PhoneTypeIdenitfier
                 INNER JOIN dbo.Countries ON Cust.CountryIdentfier = Countries.id
        WHERE    ( Cust.ContactTypeIdentifier = 7 )
        ORDER BY Cust.CompanyName;";


    using (var cn = new SqlConnection() { ConnectionString = ConnectionString })
    {
        using (var cmd = new SqlCommand() { Connection = cn })
        {
            try
            {
                cn.Open();

                cmd.CommandText = selectStatement;

                var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();
                while (reader.Read())
                {
                    ownerContacts.Add(new Contact()
                    {
                        CustomerIdentifier = reader.GetInt32(0),
                        CompanyName = reader.GetString(1),
                        FirstName = reader.GetString(2),
                        LastName = reader.GetString(3),
                        PhoneTypeDescription = reader.GetString(4),
                        PhoneNumber = reader.GetString(5),
                        CountryName = reader.GetString(6)
                    }) ;
                }

            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                mHasException = true;
                mLastException = e;
            }
        }
    }

    return ownerContacts;
}

private void Form1_Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var dataOperations = new SqlInformation();
    var contacts = dataOperations.GetOwnerContacts();

    ownerContactListView.BeginUpdate();
    foreach (var contact in contacts)
    {

        ownerContactListView.Items.Add(
            new ListViewItem(contact.ItemArray)
            {
                Tag = contact.CustomerIdentifier
            });

    }

    ownerContactListView.AutoResizeColumns(ColumnHeaderAutoResizeStyle.HeaderSize);
    ownerContactListView.EndUpdate();

    ownerContactListView.FocusedItem = ownerContactListView.Items[0];
    ownerContactListView.Items[0].Selected = true;
    ActiveControl = ownerContactListView;

}

var id = Convert.ToInt32(ownerContactListView.SelectedItems[0]
    .Tag
    .ToString());

ownerContactListView.AutoResizeColumns(ColumnHeaderAutoResizeStyle.HeaderSize);

private void ListView1_MouseDoubleClick(object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
{
    MessageBox.Show(
        $"Call {ownerContactListView.SelectedItems[0].Text} at " +
        $"{ownerContactListView.SelectedItems[0].SubItems[3].Text}");
}

public class Category
{
    public int CategoryId { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public override string ToString()
    {
        return Name;
    }
}

var dataOperations = new SqlInformation();
var categories = dataOperations.Categories();

public List<Category> Categories()
{
    mHasException = false;

    var categoryList = new List<Category>();
    var selectStatement = "SELECT CategoryID,CategoryName FROM dbo.Categories";

    using (var cn = new SqlConnection() {ConnectionString = ConnectionString})
    {
        using (var cmd = new SqlCommand() {Connection = cn})
        {
            cmd.CommandText = selectStatement;
            try
            {
                cn.Open();
                var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();
                while (reader.Read())
                {
                    categoryList.Add(new Category()
                    {
                        CategoryId = reader.GetInt32(0),
                        Name = reader.GetString(1)
                    });
                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                mHasException = true;
                mLastException = e;
            }
        }
    }

    return categoryList;
}

public List<Product> Products(int pIdentifier)
{
    mHasException = false;

    var productList = new List<Product>();

    var selectStatement =
        @"
        SELECT   P.ProductID ,
                 P.ProductName ,
                 P.SupplierID ,
                 S.CompanyName AS Supplier ,
                 S.Phone ,
                 P.CategoryID ,
                 P.UnitPrice ,
                 P.UnitsInStock
        FROM     dbo.Products AS P
                 INNER JOIN dbo.Suppliers AS S ON P.SupplierID = S.SupplierID
        WHERE    P.CategoryID = @CategoryIdentifier
        ORDER BY P.ProductName;";

    using (var cn = new SqlConnection() {ConnectionString = ConnectionString})
    {
        using (var cmd = new SqlCommand() {Connection = cn})
        {
            cmd.CommandText = selectStatement;
            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@CategoryIdentifier", pIdentifier);

            try
            {
                cn.Open();
                var reader = cmd.ExecuteReader();
                while (reader.Read())
                {

                    productList.Add(new Product()
                    {
                        ProductId = reader.GetInt32(0),
                        ProductName = reader.GetString(1),
                        SupplierId = reader.GetInt32(2),
                        Supplier = reader.GetString(3),
                        Phone = reader.GetString(4),
                        CategoryId = reader.GetInt32(5),
                        UnitPrice = reader.GetDecimal(6),
                        UnitsInStock = reader.GetInt16(7)
                    });

                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                mHasException = true;
                mLastException = e;
            }
        }
    }

    return productList;
}

public class Product
{
    public int ProductId { get; set; }
    public string ProductName { get; set; }
    public int SupplierId { get; set; }
    public string Supplier { get; set; }
    public string Phone { get; set; }
    public int CategoryId { get; set; }
    public decimal? UnitPrice { get; set; }
    public int UnitsInStock { get; set; }
    /// <summary>
    /// Container for ListView item to store primary keys
    /// </summary>
    public ProductTag IdentifiersTag => new ProductTag()
    {
        CategoryId = CategoryId,
        SupplierId = SupplierId,
        ProductId = ProductId
    };

    public override string ToString()
    {
        return $"{ProductName}";
    }
}

public class ProductTag
{
    public int ProductId { get; set; }
    public int SupplierId { get; set; }
    public int CategoryId { get; set; }
}

private void Form1_Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var dataOperations = new SqlInformation();
    var categories = dataOperations.Categories();

    var categoryIndex = 1;

    // ReSharper disable once TooWideLocalVariableScope
    var groupName = "";

    foreach (var category in categories)
    {
        var products = dataOperations.Products(category.CategoryId);

        /*
         * Some category names have unwanted characters and/or whitespace, remove these chars.
         */
        groupName = category.Name.Replace("/", "").Replace(" ", "");

        var currentGroup = new ListViewGroup(category.Name, HorizontalAlignment.Left)
        {
            Header = category.Name,
            Name = $"{groupName}Group{categoryIndex}"                   
        };

        categoryIndex += 1;

        ProductListView.Groups.Add(currentGroup);

        foreach (var product in products)
        {
            var listViewProductItem = new ListViewItem(new[]
            {
                product.ProductName,
                product.Supplier,
                product.Phone,
                product.UnitPrice.ToString(),
                product.UnitsInStock.ToString()
            }, -1)
            {
                Group = currentGroup,
                /*
                 * Contains primary and foreign keys for current product
                 */
                Tag = product.IdentifiersTag,
                /*
                 * Required to change font and ForeColor below
                 */
                UseItemStyleForSubItems = false
            };


            /*
             * Alter user that the product is not available.
             * Could have excluded the product, that would be dependent
             * on business requirements. Also reorder information could
             * be presented.
             */
            if (product.UnitsInStock == 0)
            {
                listViewProductItem.SubItems[4].ForeColor = Color.Red;

                listViewProductItem.SubItems[4].Font = new Font(
                    listViewProductItem.SubItems[4].Font.FontFamily,
                    listViewProductItem.SubItems[4].Font.Size, FontStyle.Bold);

            }

            ProductListView.Items.Add(listViewProductItem);
        }
    }

    ProductListView.FocusedItem = ProductListView.Items[0];
    ProductListView.Items[0].Selected = true;

    ActiveControl = ProductListView;

    ProductListView.ItemSelectionChanged += ProductListView_ItemSelectionChanged;
    ProductListView.ItemCheck += ProductListView_ItemCheck;

    GroupsComboBox.DataSource = ProductListView.Groups.Cast<ListViewGroup>().Select(lvg => lvg.Name).ToList();
}

/// <summary>
/// Demonstration for iterating a single ListViewGroup
/// by group name in ComboBox
/// </summary>
/// <param name="sender"></param>
/// <param name="e"></param>
private void GetGroupProductsButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var specificGroup = ProductListView.Groups.Cast<ListViewGroup>()
        .FirstOrDefault(lvg => lvg.Name == GroupsComboBox.Text);

    for (int index = 0; index < specificGroup.Items.Count; index++)
    {
        var productTag = specificGroup.Items[index].ProductTag();              
        Console.WriteLine($"Id: {productTag.ProductId} Product: {specificGroup.Items[index].Text}");
    }
}

using System.Windows.Forms;
using SqlServerOperations.Classes;

namespace BasicListViewGroupsExample.LanguageExtensions
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Contains project specific extension methods
    /// </summary>
    public static class ListViewExtensions
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Get primary and foreign keys for a product
        /// within a ListView
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="sender"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        public static ProductTag ProductTag(this ListViewItem sender)
        {
            return (ProductTag) sender.Tag;
        }
    }
}

private void ProductListView_ItemSelectionChanged(object sender, ListViewItemSelectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.IsSelected)
    {
        var primaryKeys = e.Item.ProductTag();
        SelectionChangedLabel.Text =
            $"product: {primaryKeys.ProductId} " +
            $"{ProductListView.Items[e.ItemIndex].Text}";
    }
}

private void SelectedProductsButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var checkedItems = ProductListView.CheckedItems;

    if (checkedItems.Count > 0)
    {
        var sb = new StringBuilder();

        for (int index = 0; index < checkedItems.Count; index++)
        {
            var keys = checkedItems[index].ProductTag();

            sb.AppendLine(
                $"{keys.CategoryId}," +
                $"{checkedItems[index].Group.Header}," +
                $"{keys.ProductId}," +
                $"{checkedItems[index].Text}," +
                $"{keys.SupplierId}," +
                $"{checkedItems[index].SubItems[0].Text}");
        }

        /*
         * Show selected products, in a real application this data
         * would be sent to a method to process the products
         */

        var f = new SelectedProductsForm(sb.ToString());

        try
        {
            f.ShowDialog();
        }
        finally
        {
            f.Dispose();
        }
    }
    else
    {
        MessageBox.Show("No product(s) selected");
    }
}

public class ServerTableItem
{
    public string Table { get; set; }
    public string Field { get; set; }
    public Int16? FieldOrder { get; set; }
    public string DataType { get; set; }
    public Int16? Length { get; set; }
    public string Precision { get; set; }
    public Int32 Scale { get; set; }
    public string AllowNulls { get; set; }
    public string Identity { get; set; } = String.Empty;
    public string PrimaryKey { get; set; }
    public string ForeignKey { get; set; } = String.Empty;
    public string RelatedTable { get; set; }
    public string Description { get; set; }
    public override string ToString()
    {
        return Field;
    }
}

public Dictionary<string, List<ServerTableItem>> TableDependencies()
{
    mHasException = false;

    var informationTable = new DataTable();

    var selectStatement = @"
        SELECT  syso.name [Table],
                sysc.name [Field],
                sysc.colorder [FieldOrder],
                syst.name [DataType],
                sysc.[length] [Length],
                CASE WHEN sysc.prec IS NULL THEN 'NULL' ELSE CAST(sysc.prec AS VARCHAR) END [Precision],
        CASE WHEN sysc.scale IS null THEN '-' ELSE sysc.scale END [Scale],
        CASE WHEN sysc.isnullable = 1 THEN 'True' ELSE 'False' END [AllowNulls],
        CASE WHEN sysc.[status] = 128 THEN 'True' ELSE 'False' END [Identity],
        CASE WHEN sysc.colstat = 1 THEN 'True' ELSE 'False' END [PrimaryKey],
        CASE WHEN fkc.parent_object_id is NULL THEN 'False' ELSE 'True' END [ForeignKey],
        CASE WHEN fkc.parent_object_id is null THEN '(none)' ELSE obj.name  END [RelatedTable],
        CASE WHEN ep.value is NULL THEN '(none)' ELSE CAST(ep.value as NVARCHAR(500)) END [Description]
        FROM [sys].[sysobjects] AS syso
        JOIN [sys].[syscolumns] AS sysc on syso.id = sysc.id
        LEFT JOIN [sys].[systypes] AS syst ON sysc.xtype = syst.xtype and syst.name != 'sysname'
        LEFT JOIN [sys].[foreign_key_columns] AS fkc on syso.id = fkc.parent_object_id and
            sysc.colid = fkc.parent_column_id   
        LEFT JOIN [sys].[objects] AS obj ON fkc.referenced_object_id = obj.[object_id]
        LEFT JOIN [sys].[extended_properties] AS ep ON syso.id = ep.major_id and sysc.colid =
            ep.minor_id and ep.name = 'MS_Description'
        WHERE syso.type = 'U' AND  syso.name != 'sysdiagrams'
        ORDER BY [Table], FieldOrder, Field;";

    using (var cn = new SqlConnection() {ConnectionString = ConnectionString})
    {
        using (var cmd = new SqlCommand() {Connection = cn})
        {
            cmd.CommandText = selectStatement;

            try
            {

                cn.Open();

                informationTable.Load(cmd.ExecuteReader());
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                mHasException = true;
                mLastException = e;
            }

        }
    }

    var result = from row in informationTable.AsEnumerable()
        group row by row.Field<string>("Table") into grp
        select new
        {
            TableName = grp.Key,
            Rows = grp,
            Count = grp.Count()
        };

    var tableDictionary = new Dictionary<string, List<ServerTableItem>>();

    foreach (var topItem in result)
    {

        if (!tableDictionary.ContainsKey(topItem.TableName))
        {
            tableDictionary[topItem.TableName] = new List<ServerTableItem>();
        }

        foreach (var row in topItem.Rows)
        {
            tableDictionary[topItem.TableName].Add(new ServerTableItem()
            {
                Table = topItem.TableName,
                Field = row.Field<string>("Field"),
                FieldOrder = row.Field<short>("FieldOrder"),
                DataType = row.Field<string>("DataType"),
                Length = row.Field<short>("Length"),
                Precision = row.Field<string>("Precision"),
                Scale = row.Field<int>("Scale"),
                AllowNulls = row.Field<string>("AllowNulls"),
                Identity = row.Field<string>("Identity"),
                PrimaryKey = row.Field<string>("PrimaryKey"),
                ForeignKey = row.Field<string>("ForeignKey"),
                RelatedTable = row.Field<string>("RelatedTable"),
                Description = row.Field<string>("Description")
            });
        }
    }

    return tableDictionary;
}

private void Form1_Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var items = _tableInformation.TableDependencies();
    tableInformationComboBox.DataSource = new BindingSource(items, null);
    tableInformationComboBox.DisplayMember = "Key";
}

private void GetInformationButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    listView1.Items.Clear();

    var detailItems = ((KeyValuePair<string, List<ServerTableItem> >)
        tableInformationComboBox.SelectedItem);

    foreach (var serverTableItem in detailItems.Value)
    {
        var item = listView1.Items.Add(serverTableItem.FieldOrder.ToString());
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.Field);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.DataType);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.Length.ToString());
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.Precision);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.Scale.ToString());
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.AllowNulls);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.Identity);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.PrimaryKey);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.ForeignKey);
        item.SubItems.Add(serverTableItem.RelatedTable);

        item.Tag = serverTableItem.Description;
    }

    listView1.AutoResizeColumns(ColumnHeaderAutoResizeStyle.HeaderSize);
    listView1.FocusedItem = listView1.Items[0];
    listView1.Items[0].Selected = true;
    ActiveControl = listView1;

    /*
     * Shade alternate rows
     */
    var index = 0;
    var shadedBackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb(240, 240, 240);

    foreach (ListViewItem item in listView1.Items)
    {
        if (index++ % 2 != 1) continue;
        item.BackColor = shadedBackgroundColor;
        item.UseItemStyleForSubItems = true;
    }
}