The examples below demonstrate binding to a generic list, an arrays of custom objects, and an ArrayList of custom objects. This collections have limitations when used as a datasource in which case a BindingList must be used.

Note
Note: BindingList is the preferred collection since its changes are automatically reflected on the data-bound control.

Binding to a Generic List

The example below creates an ArrayList of generic objects initialized with five values and assigned as a DataSource to the RadGridView.

gridview-populating-with-data-binding-to-array-and-arraylist 001

Copy[C#] Simple array class

public class ValueType<T>
{
    T item;

    public ValueType() { }

    public ValueType(T item)
    {
        this.item = item;
    }

    public T ItemProperty
    {
        get { return this.item; }
        set { this.item = value; }
    }
}

Copy[VB.NET] Simple array class

Public Class ValueType(Of T)
    Private item As T
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub
    Public Sub New(ByVal item As T)
        Me.item = item
    End Sub
    Public Property ItemProperty() As T
        Get
            Return Me.item
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As T)
            Me.item = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Copy[C#] Binding to simple array

ArrayList list = new ArrayList();
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
    list.Add(new ValueType<string>("string " + (i + 1).ToString()));
}

this.radGridView1.DataSource = list;

Copy[VB.NET] Binding to simple array

Dim list As New ArrayList()
Dim i As Integer = 0
While i < 5
    list.Add(New ValueType(Of String)("string " + (i + 1).ToString()))
    System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(i), i - 1)
End While
Me.RadGridView1.DataSource = list

Binding to an Array of Objects

Arrays of objects containing bindable types can be bound to RadGridView by assigning the array to the DataSource property of the grid.

The example below defines a "MyObject" class containing one integer and one string property. The snippet of code at end of the example creates an array of MyObject, initializes the array with two objects and assigns the array to the DataSource. The MyObject class would typically be placed in its own separate class file and the array creation, initialization and assignment code might be placed in a Form_Load event handler.

Copy[C#] Simple object class

public class MyObject
{
    public MyObject(int myInt, string myString)
    {
        _myInt = myInt;
        _myString = myString;
    }
    private int _myInt;
    public int MyInt
    {
        get { return _myInt; }
        set { _myInt = value; }
    }
    private string _myString;
    public string MyString
    {
        get { return _myString; }
        set { _myString = value; }
    }
}

Copy[VB.NET] Simple object class

Public Class MyObject
    Public Sub New(ByVal myInt As Integer, ByVal myString As String)
        _myInt = myInt
        _myString = myString
    End Sub
    Private _myInt As Integer
    Public Property MyInt() As Integer
        Get
            Return _myInt
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            _myInt = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private _myString As String
    Public Property MyString() As String
        Get
            Return _myString
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            _myString = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Copy[C#] Binding to object array

MyObject[] myArray = new MyObject[2] {new MyObject(1, "object one"), new MyObject(2, "object two") };
radGridView1.DataSource = myArray;

Copy[VB.NET] Binding to object array

Dim myArray As MyObject() = New MyObject(1) {New MyObject(1, "object one"), New MyObject(2, "object two")}
RadGridView1.DataSource = myArray

Binding to ArrayList

The code below demonstrates how to use an ArrayList for RadGridView structure generation(note: the sample object is used from the previous example):

Copy[C#] Binding to array list

ArrayList arrayList = new System.Collections.ArrayList();
arrayList.Add(new MyObject(1, "Object one") );
arrayList.Add(new MyObject(2, "Object two") );
arrayList.Add(new MyObject(3, "Object three") );
radGridView1.DataSource = arrayList;

Copy[VB.NET] Binding to array list

Dim arrayList As New System.Collections.ArrayList()
arrayList.Add(New MyObject(1, "Object one"))
arrayList.Add(New MyObject(2, "Object two"))
arrayList.Add(New MyObject(3, "Object three"))
RadGridView1.DataSource = arrayList

Telerik UI for WinForms

Binding to a Generic List

Binding to an Array of Objects

Binding to ArrayList