Align or increase width for one column for DataGrid in Vb.net

[remya1000]

I’m using Vb.net application program. I created a datagrid having text field and checkbox fields. Everything is displaying correctly. I have 9 Columns and each columns are equally separated. In DataGrid property, I made PreferredColumn Width = 85. So its equally aligned.

I would like to give more width for the column named Department than rest of the columns. Because when its equally aligned, I can see the Departments displayed.

Department is the second column. that having long names under that. so when page loads, its only displaying half of that. so if i increase that column width i can see that. but i don't need to increase the other columns width. make rest of the columns width smaller and increase the second columns width.

The code I’m using to display this table is

Private Sub MainForm_Load(ByVal …………… ) Handles Me.Load
        InitializeDataGrid()
        getDepartments()
End Sub

Private Sub InitializeDataGrid()
  Dim column1 As DataColumn
        MonitorTable1 = New DataTable("MonitorTable")

        ' Create "Dep ID" column
        column1 = New DataColumn("DepID", GetType(Integer))
        MonitorTable1.Columns.Add(column1)

        ' Create "Dep Name" column
        column1 = New DataColumn("Department", GetType(String))
        MonitorTable1.Columns.Add(column1)

        ' Create a column for each monitor
        For i As Integer = 1 To 7
            column1 = New DataColumn("Monitor " & i.ToString(), GetType(Boolean))
            
            column1.AllowDBNull = False
            column1.DefaultValue = False

            MonitorTable1.Columns.Add(column1)
        Next
        DataGrid1.DataSource = MonitorTable1
End Sub

Sub getDepartments()

        ' This is where you might ask the database how many departments there are
        MonitorTable1.Rows.Clear()
        myConnection.Open()
        Dim strSQL As String = "Select DepID, DepName from Dep order by DepName"
        Dim myCommand As OleDbCommand = New OleDbCommand(strSQL, myConnection)
        Dim myReader As OleDbDataReader = myCommand.ExecuteReader
        While myReader.Read
            Dim row As DataRow = MonitorTable1.NewRow()
            row("DepID") = myReader(0)
            row("Department") = myReader(1)
            MonitorTable1.Rows.Add(row)
        End While
        myReader.Close()
        myConnection.Close()
        DataGrid1.DataSource = MonitorTable1

End Sub

If you have any idea how to align datagrid, please let me know. If you can provide an example then it will be great help for me.

Thanks in advance.

[Plater]

Isn't there an autowidth property that allows you to make the columns as wide as the header text, or as wide as the column data or neither or both?

[remya1000]

To made auto width, inside DataGrid properties PreferredColumn Width property set to 85. so all the column width are equally aligned but not wide as column data.

but i want the second column more wide than other columns. because only the second column having long data.

if you have any idea how to do this, please help me. if you can provide an example then it will be great.

Thanks in advance.

[remya1000]

This code will help to align the datagrid according to the contents (data) length in each columns.

SizeColumnsToContent(Me.DataGrid1, -1)

Public Sub SizeColumnsToContent(ByVal dataGrid As DataGrid, ByVal nRowsToScan As Integer)

        ' Create graphics object for measuring widths.
        Dim Graphics As Graphics = DataGrid1.CreateGraphics

        ' Define new table style.
        Dim tableStyle As DataGridTableStyle = New DataGridTableStyle

        Try
            Dim dataTable As DataTable = dataGrid.DataSource

            If (-1 = nRowsToScan) Then
                nRowsToScan = dataTable.Rows.Count
            Else
                ' Can only scan rows if they exist.
                nRowsToScan = System.Math.Min(nRowsToScan, dataTable.Rows.Count)
            End If

            ' Clear any existing table styles.
            dataGrid.TableStyles.Clear()

            ' Use mapping name that is defined in the data source.
            tableStyle.MappingName = dataTable.TableName

            ' Now create the column styles within the table style.
            Dim textColumnStyle As DataGridTextBoxColumn
            Dim iWidth As Integer
            Dim iCurrCol As Integer
            For iCurrCol = 0 To dataTable.Columns.Count - 8
                Dim dataColumn As DataColumn = dataTable.Columns(iCurrCol)

                textColumnStyle = New DataGridTextBoxColumn
                textColumnStyle.TextBox.Enabled = True
                textColumnStyle.HeaderText = dataColumn.ColumnName
                textColumnStyle.MappingName = dataColumn.ColumnName

                ' Set width to header text width.
                iWidth = (Graphics.MeasureString(textColumnStyle.HeaderText, dataGrid.Font).Width)

                ' Change width, if data width is wider than header text width.
                ' Check the width of the data in the first X rows.
                Dim DataRow As DataRow
                Dim iRow As Integer
                For iRow = 0 To nRowsToScan - 1
                    DataRow = dataTable.Rows(iRow)
                    Dim iColWidth As Integer
                    iColWidth = (Graphics.MeasureString(DataRow.ItemArray(iCurrCol).ToString(), dataGrid.Font).Width)
                    iWidth = System.Math.Max(iWidth, iColWidth)
                Next

                textColumnStyle.Width = iWidth + 4

                ' Add the new column style to the table style.
                tableStyle.GridColumnStyles.Add(textColumnStyle)
            Next

            ' Now create the column styles within the table style.
            Dim boolColumnStyle As DataGridBoolColumn
            For iCurrCol = 2 To dataTable.Columns.Count - 1
                Dim dataColumn As DataColumn = dataTable.Columns(iCurrCol)

                boolColumnStyle = New DataGridBoolColumn
                boolColumnStyle.AllowNull = False
                boolColumnStyle.HeaderText = dataColumn.ColumnName
                boolColumnStyle.MappingName = dataColumn.ColumnName

                ' Set width to header text width.
                iWidth = (Graphics.MeasureString(boolColumnStyle.HeaderText, dataGrid.Font).Width)

                ' Change width, if data width is wider than header text width.
                ' Check the width of the data in the first X rows.
                Dim DataRow As DataRow
                Dim iRow As Integer
                For iRow = 0 To nRowsToScan - 1
                    DataRow = dataTable.Rows(iRow)
                    Dim iColWidth As Integer
                    iColWidth = (Graphics.MeasureString(DataRow.ItemArray(iCurrCol).ToString(), dataGrid.Font).Width)
                    iWidth = System.Math.Max(iWidth, iColWidth)
                Next

                boolColumnStyle.Width = iWidth + 4

                ' Add the new column style to the table style.
                tableStyle.GridColumnStyles.Add(boolColumnStyle)
            Next
            ' Add the new table style to the data grid.
            dataGrid.TableStyles.Add(tableStyle)
        Catch e As Exception
        Finally
            Graphics.Dispose()
        End Try

    End Sub

hope this will help someone.