Design Time Features

Essential Grid comes with a fully functional design time that lets you easily setup the look and feel and behavior of the grid. Data binding can be easily setup and the bound schema easily visualized and customized through the designer.

Smart Tag	Auto Format
Declarative DataSource Binding

Data Binding

DataBinding to the grid is as simple as it gets with a single line of code. The grid supports all kinds of "lists" from IList derived types to DataSourceControl derived types. The grid automatically discovers the schema of the datasource at runtime, including any relations setup between tables in a DataSource and renders the grid contents automatically. You can of course, alter the grid's schema to hide columns, include unbound columns, etc. While by default, the grid pulls all the records to the server, irrespective of the number of records displayed in the page, optionally you can use "Pass Through Grouping" to overcome this restriction and selectively query records from the data source based on the grid's current view.

Numerous DataSource Options	Support for Hierarchies
Foreign Key Constraints	DataSource Caching Modes
Auto Generated Schema	Pass Through Grouping
LINQ Support

Grouping and Sorting

The Grouping Grid Control, once bound to a datasource, is flexible enough for performing engine related operations such as grouping and sorting. Grouping allows you to categorize the records based on a specific column. Through sorting, you can arrange the table data either in the ascending or in the descending order of the selected column values.

Group by Columns

Sorting Columns

Ajax Features

Essential Grid comes with built-in AJAX support. Simply turn on the EnableCallback property to make the grid run in AJAX mode. Sorting, grouping, resizing, etc. will then happen through AJAX callbacks instead of postbacks.

Refresh via AJAX	Before and after callback events
UpdatePanel Compatible	Loading Image on Callback

Appearance

A wide variety of styling options are available for various sections of GridGroupingControl such as grouped, filtered, header, footer, summary and nested cells and different states such as adding new record, alternate records, GroupIndentCells, etc.

Built-in Skins	Customization via CSS and Styles
Customization Events	Listbox Mode
Area Selection	Column Resizing and Reordering
Conditional Formatting	Frozen Rows and Columns
Multi-Row Records	Templates Support
Tooltips	Automatic Image Handling
Alternating Row Styles	Grid Outlook Style

Editing

Grid Grouping Control supports editing of records at run time. It offers different editing modes such as in-place editing, editing via forms, etc. to make the editing more user-friendly. Options for adding new records and deleting existing records are also available. If the datasource is updatable, the grid will automatically save the changes into the underlying datasource.

Built-in Editing Modes	Edit Columns Support
Templates Support	Automatic DataSource Update

Paging and Filtering

The paging functionality available for the GridGroupingControl comes in handy when the grid rows exceed the limitations of a single page, which has been enabled by default. Filters, in the GridGroupingControl, enable users to select only a subset of records, based on some criteria and display them. The criteria can be set using a filterbar, both at runtime and design time.

Paging with Pager Bar Support

Filters with Filter Bar Support

Column Types

The Columns in GridGroupingControl provides flexible options for customization. The TableDescriptor available for the GridGroupingControl includes the Columns Collection which is auto populated by the Fields and ExpressionFields collection.

Expression Fields	Unbound Fields
Templated Columns

Summary Rows and Columns

The GridGroupingControl provides options for the inclusion of summary rows for each group. The grid summaries are displayed in the summary rows. The summary rows can be added and defined using the GridSummaryRowDescriptor Collection Editor, that is available for the GridGroupingControl. Options for specifying the summary format and summarized columns are available.

Automatic Summaries	Summaries in Group Captions
Programmatic Summary Access

Export Options

Essential Grid provides different export options that let you save its content in a number of output formats. Some of them have been discussed here.

Export to Excel

Events

GridGroupingControl provides numerous events to aid you in creating interactive applications. Based on from where the grid data is recreated after the user actions, these events can be classified as 'Server-Side' and 'Client-Side' events.

Server-Side Events

Client-Side Events

Navigation Options

GridGroupingControl offers complete navigational support, for navigating between the grid cells, rows and pages. This is accomplished with the help of the navigational and pager bars, that can be added at design time, using the ButtonBars Collection.

Navigation Bar	PagerBar
Customized Button Bars	Grid Keyboard Navigation

Printing

GridGroupingControl offers complete support for printing the entire records along with groups, summaries, preview rows, etc.

Print Grid