Getting Started with Windows Forms ListView (SfListView)

17 Jul 202618 minutes to read

This section provides a quick overview for getting started with SfListView for WinForms. Walk through the entire process of creating a real-world SfListView.

Assembly Deployment

Refer to the control dependencies section for the list of assemblies or NuGet package that must be referenced to use the control in any application.

To install via NuGet Package Manager Console, run:

Install-Package Syncfusion.ListView.WinForms

Creating Application with SfListView control

In this walkthrough, you will create a WinForms application that contains the SfListView control.

Creating the Project

Create a new Windows Forms project in Visual Studio to display the SfListView with data objects.

Adding Control via Designer

The SfListView control can be added to the application by dragging it from the toolbox and dropping it in the designer. The required assembly references will be added automatically.

Adding Control in Code

To add control manually, follow the steps:

1. Add the following required assembly references to the project:

   • Syncfusion.Core.WinForms

   • Syncfusion.DataSource.WinForms

   • Syncfusion.GridCommon.WinForms

   • Syncfusion.SfListView.WinForms

2. Create the SfListView control instance and add it to the form.

C#

using Syncfusion.WinForms.ListView;
   
   namespace WindowsFormsApplication1
   {
       public partial class Form1 : Form
       {
           public Form1()
           {
               InitializeComponent();
               SfListView sfListView1 = new SfListView ();
               sfListView1.Location = new Point(100, 100);
               sfListView1.Size = new Size(300,320);
               this.Controls.Add(sfListView1);
           }
       }
   }

VB.NET

Imports Syncfusion.WinForms.ListView
   
   Namespace WindowsFormsApplication1
   	Partial Public Class Form1
   		Inherits Form
   		Public Sub New()
   			InitializeComponent()
   			Dim listView As New SfListView()
               listView.Location = New Point(100,100)
               listView.Size = New Size(300,320)
               Me.Controls.Add(listView)   
   		End Sub
   	End Class
   End Namespace

Creating data for the sample application

To create the data for the sample application, follow these steps:

1. Create a data object class named CountryInfo and declare its properties.

   C#

   public class CountryInfo
   {
      public string CountryName { get; set; }
      public string Continent { get; set; }
    }

   VB.NET

   Public Class CountryInfo
      Public Property CountryName() As String
      Public Property Continent() As String
    End Class

2. Create a List<CountryInfo> collection initialized in a GetDataSource method to add several data objects.

   C#

   public List<CountryInfo> GetDataSource()
   {
       List<CountryInfo> countryInfoCollection = new List<CountryInfo>();
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "China", Continent = "Asia" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "India", Continent = "Asia" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Japan", Continent = "Asia" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Malaysia", Continent = "Asia" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Singapore", Continent = "Asia" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Kenya", Continent = "Africa" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Nigeria", Continent = "Africa" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "South Africa", Continent = "Africa" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Uganda", Continent = "Africa" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Zimbabwe", Continent = "Africa" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "France", Continent = "Europe" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Germany", Continent = "Europe" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Italy", Continent = "Europe" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Spain", Continent = "Europe" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "United Kingdom", Continent = "Europe" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Canada", Continent = "North America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Cuba", Continent = "North America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Jamaica", Continent = "North America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Mexico", Continent = "North America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "United States of America", Continent = "North America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Australia", Continent = "Oceania" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "New Zealand", Continent = "Oceania" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Argentina", Continent = "South America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Brazil", Continent = "South America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Chile", Continent = "South America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Colombia", Continent = "South America" });
       countryInfoCollection.Add(new CountryInfo() { CountryName = "Uruguay", Continent = "South America" });
       return countryInfoCollection;
     }

   VB.NET

   Public Function GetDataSource() As List(Of CountryInfo)
   	Dim countryInfoCollection As New List(Of CountryInfo)()
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "China", .Continent = "Asia"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "India", .Continent = "Asia"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Japan", .Continent = "Asia"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Malaysia", .Continent = "Asia"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Singapore", .Continent = "Asia"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Kenya", .Continent = "Africa"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Nigeria", .Continent = "Africa"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "South Africa", .Continent = "Africa"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Uganda", .Continent = "Africa"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Zimbabwe", .Continent = "Africa"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "France", .Continent = "Europe"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Germany", .Continent = "Europe"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Italy", .Continent = "Europe"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Spain", .Continent = "Europe"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "United Kingdom", .Continent = "Europe"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Canada", .Continent = "North America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Cuba", .Continent = "North America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Jamaica", .Continent = "North America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Mexico", .Continent = "North America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "United States of America", .Continent = "North America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Australia", .Continent = "Oceania"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "New Zealand", .Continent = "Oceania"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Argentina", .Continent = "South America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Brazil", .Continent = "South America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Chile", .Continent = "South America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Colombia", .Continent = "South America"})
   	countryInfoCollection.Add(New CountryInfo() With {.CountryName = "Uruguay", .Continent = "South America"})
   	Return countryInfoCollection
   End Function

Binding to data

To bind the SfListView to data, set the SfListView.DataSource property to an IEnumerable implementation.
You can bind a property of the underlying data source to display the SfListView by using the DisplayMember property.

C#

sfListView1.DataSource = GetDataSource();
sfListView1.DisplayMember = "CountryName";

VB.NET

sfListView1.DataSource = GetDataSource()
sfListView1.DisplayMember = "CountryName"

Grouping

The Windows Forms ListView (SfListView) can display its items in groups by using the SfListView.View.GroupDescriptors property. Create a GroupDescriptor for the property to be grouped and add it to the View.GroupDescriptors collection.

GroupDescriptor object holds the following properties:

•	`PropertyName`: Describes name of the property to be grouped.

•	`KeySelector`: Describes selector to return the group key.

•	`Comparer`: Describes comparer to be applied when sorting takes place.

C#

listView.View.GroupDescriptors.Add(new GroupDescriptor()
   {
      PropertyName = "Continent",                     
   });

VB.NET

listView.View.GroupDescriptors.Add(New GroupDescriptor() With {.PropertyName = “  Continent ”})

Sorting

The SfListView allows sorting its data by using the SfListView.View.SortDescriptors property. Create a SortDescriptor for the property to be sorted and add it to the View.SortDescriptors collection.

SortDescriptor object holds the following three properties:

•	`PropertyName`: Describes name of the sorted property.

•	`Direction`: Describes an object of type `ListSortDirection` defines the sorting direction.

•	`Comparer`: Describes a comparer to be applied when sorting takes place.

C#

listView.View.SortDescriptors.Add(new SortDescriptor()
{
   PropertyName = "Continent",
   Direction = ListSortDirection.Descending,
});

VB.NET

listView.View.SortDescriptors.Add(New SortDescriptor() With {.PropertyName = “Continent”, .Direction = ListSortDirection.Descending})

Filtering

The SfListView supports filtering the records in view by setting a predicate to the SfListView.View.Filter property. Call the View.RefreshFilter method after assigning the Filter property to refresh the view.
To filter the items based on the Continent property of the underlying data, follow the code example.

C#

listView.View.Filter = CustomFilter;
listView.View.RefreshFilter();

public bool CustomFilter(object obj)
{
    if ((obj as Country).Continent == "Asia" || (obj as Country).Continent == "North America" || (obj as Country).Continent == "Oceania")
        return true;
    return false;
}

VB.NET

listView.View.Filter = AddressOf CustomFilter
listView.View.RefreshFilter()
public Boolean CustomFilter(Object obj)
  If (TryCast(obj, Country)).Continent = "Asia" OrElse (TryCast(obj, Country)).Continent = "North America" OrElse (TryCast(obj, Country)).Continent = "Oceania" Then
	Return True
  End If
  Return False

Selection

SfListView selects an item by setting the SfListView.SelectionMode property to one of One, MultiSimple, MultiExtended, or None based on the requirements. Selected item information can be tracked by using the SfListView.SelectedItem, SfListView.SelectedIndex, and SfListView.SelectedItems properties.

SelectionMode	Description
One	Only a single item can be selected at a time.
MultiSimple	Multiple items can be selected without holding a modifier key.
MultiExtended	Multiple items can be selected using Ctrl/Shift.
None	Selection is disabled.

The selection operations can be handled with the SelectionChanging and SelectionChanged events of the SfListView.

C#

listView.SelectionMode = SelectionMode.One;

VB.NET

listView.SelectionMode = SelectionMode.One