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Getting Started with WinForms DataLayout

Updated over 6 months ago

This example demonstrates binding RadDataLayout to a single object or a collection of objects. For the purpose of the tutorial we will also use a RadBindingNavigator.

Adding Telerik Assemblies Using NuGet

To use RadDataLayout when working with NuGet packages, install the Telerik.UI.for.WinForms.AllControls package. The package target framework version may vary.

Read more about NuGet installation in the Install using NuGet Packages article.

With the 2025 Q1 release, the Telerik UI for WinForms has a new licensing mechanism. You can learn more about it here.

Adding Assembly References Manually

When dragging and dropping a control from the Visual Studio (VS) Toolbox onto the Form Designer, VS automatically adds the necessary assemblies. However, if you're adding the control programmatically, you'll need to manually reference the following assemblies:

Telerik.Licensing.Runtime
Telerik.WinControls
Telerik.WinControls.UI
TelerikCommon

The Telerik UI for WinForms assemblies can be install by using one of the available installation approaches.

Defining the RadDataLayout

Binding RadDataLayout to a single object

1. Place a RadDataLayout control on a form.

Figure 1: RadDataLayout Control

WinForms RadDataLayout Getting Started

2. Let`s define the layout of our data control.

C#
this.radDataLayout1.ItemDefaultHeight = 26;
this.radDataLayout1.ColumnCount = 2;
this.radDataLayout1.FlowDirection = FlowDirection.TopDown;
this.radDataLayout1.AutoSizeLabels = true;
VB.NET
Me.RadDataLayout1.ItemDefaultHeight = 26
Me.RadDataLayout1.ColumnCount = 2
Me.RadDataLayout1.FlowDirection = FlowDirection.TopDown
Me.RadDataLayout1.AutoSizeLabels = True

3. A sample Employee class exposing several properties is going to be our model.

C#
public class Employee
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public string Occupation { get; set; }
    public DateTime StartingDate { get; set; }
    public bool IsMarried { get; set; }
}
VB.NET
Public Class EmployeeModel
    Public Property FirstName() As String
        Get
            Return m_FirstName
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            m_FirstName = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_FirstName As String
    Public Property LastName() As String
        Get
            Return m_LastName
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            m_LastName = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_LastName As String
    Public Property Occupation() As String
        Get
            Return m_Occupation
        End Get
        Set(value As String)
            m_Occupation = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_Occupation As String
    Public Property StartingDate() As DateTime
        Get
            Return m_StartingDate
        End Get
        Set(value As DateTime)
            m_StartingDate = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_StartingDate As DateTime
    Public Property IsMarried() As Boolean
        Get
            Return m_IsMarried
        End Get
        Set(value As Boolean)
            m_IsMarried = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private m_IsMarried As Boolean
End Class

4. Once the Employee class is defined, you may use it to create an object of this type and bind it to the RadDataLayout control:

C#
this.radDataLayout1.DataSource = new Employee()
{
    FirstName = "Sarah",
    LastName = "Blake",
    Occupation = "Supplied Manager",
    StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
    IsMarried = true
};
VB.NET
Me.RadDataLayout1.DataSource = New EmployeeModel() With {
    .FirstName = "Sarah",
    .LastName = "Blake",
    .Occupation = "Supplied Manager",
    .StartingDate = New DateTime(2005, 4, 12),
    .IsMarried = True
}

5. Press F5 to run the project and you should see the following:

Figure 2: Bound to Single Object

WinForms RadDataLayout Bound to Single Object

Binding RadDataLayout to multiple objects

Besides a RadDataLayout we are also going to need a RadBindingNavigator on our form. In order to connect the two controls we are going to use a BindingSource component.

Figure 3: Added RadBindingNavigator

WinForms RadDataLayout Added RadBindingNavigator

Compared to the previously shown example only the data binding is different. This time we are going to bind the RadDataLayout control to a list of our model objects. The same list will also provide data to the BindingSource component.

C#
List<Employee> employees = new List<Employee>();
employees.Add(new Employee()
{
    FirstName = "Sarah",
    LastName = "Blake",
    Occupation = "Supplied Manager",
    StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
    IsMarried = true
});
employees.Add(new Employee()
{
    FirstName = "Jane",
    LastName = "Simpson",
    Occupation = "Security",
    StartingDate = new DateTime(2008, 12, 03),
    IsMarried = true
});
employees.Add(new Employee()
{
    FirstName = "John",
    LastName = "Peterson",
    Occupation = "Consultant",
    StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
    IsMarried = false
});
employees.Add(new Employee()
{
    FirstName = "Peter",
    LastName = "Bush",
    Occupation = "Cashier",
    StartingDate = new DateTime(2005, 04, 12),
    IsMarried = true
});
this.bindingSource1.DataSource = employees;
this.radDataLayout1.DataSource = this.bindingSource1;
this.radBindingNavigator1.BindingSource = this.bindingSource1;
VB.NET
Dim employees As New List(Of EmployeeModel)()
employees.Add(New EmployeeModel() With {
    .FirstName = "Sarah",
    .LastName = "Blake",
    .Occupation = "Supplied Manager",
    .StartingDate = New DateTime(2005, 4, 12),
    .IsMarried = True
})
employees.Add(New EmployeeModel() With {
    .FirstName = "Jane",
    .LastName = "Simpson",
    .Occupation = "Security",
    .StartingDate = New DateTime(2008, 12, 3),
    .IsMarried = True
})
employees.Add(New EmployeeModel() With {
    .FirstName = "John",
    .LastName = "Peterson",
    .Occupation = "Consultant",
    .StartingDate = New DateTime(2005, 4, 12),
    .IsMarried = False
})
employees.Add(New EmployeeModel() With {
    .FirstName = "Peter",
    .LastName = "Bush",
    .Occupation = "Cashier",
    .StartingDate = New DateTime(2005, 4, 12),
    .IsMarried = True
})
Me.BindingSource1.DataSource = employees
Me.RadDataLayout1.DataSource = Me.BindingSource1
Me.RadBindingNavigator1.BindingSource = Me.BindingSource1

Press F5 to run the project and you should see the following:

Figure 4: Bound to Multiple Objects

WinForms RadDataLayout Bound to Multiple Objects