Adding ComboBox to DataGridView in VB.NET

The DataGridView control offers a wide array of cell types that cater to various data presentation needs. The available cell types include TextBox, CheckBox, Image, Button, ComboBox, and Link columns. Each of these column types is equipped with its corresponding cell type to ensure seamless integration with the data displayed within the grid.

For ComboBox cells, the drop-down list can be populated in two different ways:

Manual population

You can manually add items to the drop-down list by accessing the collection returned by the Items property of the ComboBox cell.

' Assuming the column index is 0 (you can adjust it based on your DataGridView setup) Dim comboBoxCell As DataGridViewComboBoxCell = CType(dataGridView1.Rows(0).Cells(0), DataGridViewComboBoxCell) comboBoxCell.Items.Add("Option 1") comboBoxCell.Items.Add("Option 2") comboBoxCell.Items.Add("Option 3") ' ... continue adding more items as needed

Data binding

Alternatively, you can populate the drop-down list by binding it to a data source, such as a DataTable or a list of objects, using the DataSource, DisplayMember, and ValueMember properties. This approach is particularly useful when you have a large set of data that you want to display in the ComboBox cell.

' Assuming the column index is 0 (you can adjust it based on your DataGridView setup) Dim comboBoxCell As DataGridViewComboBoxCell = CType(dataGridView1.Rows(0).Cells(0), DataGridViewComboBoxCell) ' Example data source (a list of custom objects) Dim dataSource As List(Of CustomObject) = GetDataFromSomeSource() ' Set the data source, display member, and value member comboBoxCell.DataSource = dataSource comboBoxCell.DisplayMember = "DisplayNameProperty" ' Replace "DisplayNameProperty" with the actual property name to be displayed in the ComboBox comboBoxCell.ValueMember = "ValueProperty" ' Replace "ValueProperty" with the actual property name representing the selected value
Full Source VB.NET
Imports System.Data.SqlClient Public Class Form1 Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click DataGridView1.ColumnCount = 3 DataGridView1.Columns(0).Name = "Product ID" DataGridView1.Columns(1).Name = "Product Name" DataGridView1.Columns(2).Name = "Product_Price" Dim row As String() = New String() {"1", "Product 1", "1000"} DataGridView1.Rows.Add(row) row = New String() {"2", "Product 2", "2000"} DataGridView1.Rows.Add(row) row = New String() {"3", "Product 3", "3000"} DataGridView1.Rows.Add(row) row = New String() {"4", "Product 4", "4000"} DataGridView1.Rows.Add(row) Dim cmb As New DataGridViewComboBoxColumn() cmb.HeaderText = "Select Data" cmb.Name = "cmb" cmb.MaxDropDownItems = 4 cmb.Items.Add("True") cmb.Items.Add("False") DataGridView1.Columns.Add(cmb) End Sub End Class

Conclusion

By using either of these methods, you can effortlessly populate the ComboBox drop-down list within the DataGridView control, ensuring a smooth user experience while interacting with the data presented in your application.