DataGridView Filter Popup

Introduction

This article is about a neat way I found to filter data in a DataGridView. This works with all grid view I've ever made with very little code change.

Background

This stems from a similar solution I found. It was too complicated for a beginner like me, so I developed a solution that I could understand.

Using the Code

Step 1: add the following code to the form containing the DataGridView. In this case, the form is called "DataGridViewForm".

Private Sub PartsDataGridView_ColumnHeaderMouseClick(ByVal sender As Object, _
        ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewCellMouseEventArgs) _
        Handles PartsDataGridView.ColumnHeaderMouseClick

  Search.Show()
End Sub

Step 2: Add a form to your project called Search.vb and set the properties the way you would like. For instance, I have set the form properties FormBorderStyle=None, TopMost=True, BackgroundColor, etc.

I added a Label, TextBox, and two Buttons.

This is the code-behind of the form.

Public Class Search
    Dim columnIndex As Integer
    Dim columnName As String

    Private Sub Search_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
                ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        Dim loc As Point
        loc = Control.MousePosition
        Me.Location = loc
        Me.TextBox1.Focus()

        columnIndex = DataGridViewForm.PartsDataGridView.SortedColumn.Index
        columnName = DataGridViewForm.PartsDataGridView.Columns(_
                            columnIndex).HeaderText.ToString
        Label1.Text = columnName
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnSearch_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
            ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSearch.Click
        Try
            DataGridViewForm.PartsBindingSource.Filter = _
              String.Format("{0} = '{1}'", _
              DataGridViewForm.ShopPartsDataSet.Parts.Columns(_
                columnIndex).ColumnName.ToString, TextBox1.Text)
        Catch
            MessageBox.Show("Database error")
        End Try
        Me.Close()
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnExit_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
            ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnExit.Click
        Me.Close()
    End Sub
End Class

As you can see in the picture, when you click on the header, a window pops up. You enter some text, a part number in this case, and hit the binoculars. Voila!! Your data is filtered.

It's super easy!! This should work with any existing form you have out there!!

Points of Interest

I'm not an expert. One thing that I wasn't able to figure out was how to get the selected column index. So that's why I don't have the Search Form popup when I right click. I need to left click, let the DataGrid sort, and get the index of the sorted column.

Also, I added a button to my ToolStrip to clear the filter and re-fill the DataGrid.

Obviously, you will want to change the code to apply this to your project.

"DataGridViewForm" = "Yourform".
"PartsBindingSource" = "YourBindingSource"
"ShopPartsDataSet" = "YourDataSet"
"PartsDataGridView" = "YourDataGridView"

History

No history. Brand new!!