Create Dynamic Cosmos DB Grids Using the Infragistics XamDataGrid

Using Infragistics WPF UI controls, you can build contemporary applications reminiscent of Microsoft Office for both desktop and touch-based devices. When coupled with the CData ADO.NET Provider for Cosmos DB, you gain the capability to construct interactive grids, charts, and various other visual elements while directly accessing real-time data from Cosmos DB data. This article will guide you through the process of creating a dynamic grid within Visual Studio using the Infragistics XamDataGrid control.

You will need to install the Infragistics WPF UI components to continue. Download a free trial here: https://www.infragistics.com/products/wpf.

Create a WPF Project

Open VisualStudio and create a new WPF project.

Add a TextBox for passing a SQL query to the CData ADO.NET Provider and a Button for executing the query.

👁 Adding a TextBox and Button to the App.

The XAML at this stage is as follows:

< Window
 xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
 xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
 xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
 xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
 xmlns:local="clr-namespace:CDataXamDataGridGroupingListApp"
 xmlns:igWPF="http://schemas.infragistics.com/xaml/wpf" x:Class="CDataXamDataGridGroupingListApp.MainWindow"
 mc:Ignorable="d"
 Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">
 < Grid>
 < TextBox x:Name="textBox" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="44" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="TextBox" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="682" Margin="10,10,0,0"/>
 < Button x:Name="button" Content="Execute" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="697,10,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="85" Height="44"/>
 < /Grid>
< /Window>

Add and Configure a XamDataGrid

After adding the initial controls, add a XamDataGrid to the App. The component will appear in the Visual Studio toolbox.

👁 Adding the XamDataGrid to the App.

Arrange the component on the designer so that it is below the TextBox & Button and linked to the boundaries of the app.

👁 XamDataGrid Placement.

Once the XamDataGrid is placed, edit the XAML to set the XamDataGrid DataSource attribute to "{Binding}" and set the FieldSettings AllowRecordFiltering and AllowSummaries attributes to "true." Next, add an empty method as the Click event handler for the Button component. The XAML at this stage is as follows:

< Window
 xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
 xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
 xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
 xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
 xmlns:local="clr-namespace:CDataXamDataGridGroupingListApp"
 xmlns:igWPF="http://schemas.infragistics.com/xaml/wpf" x:Class="CDataXamDataGridGroupingListApp.MainWindow"
 mc:Ignorable="d"
 Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">
 < Grid>
 < TextBox x:Name="textBox" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="44" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="TextBox" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="682" Margin="10,10,0,0"/>
 < Button x:Name="button" Content="Execute" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="697,10,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="85" Click="Button_Click" Height="44"/>

 < igWPF:XamDataGrid Margin="10,59,10,10" DataSource="{Binding}">
 < igWPF:XamDataGrid.FieldSettings>
 < igWPF:FieldSettings AllowSummaries="True" AllowRecordFiltering="True"/>
 < /igWPF:XamDataGrid.FieldSettings>
 < /igWPF:XamDataGrid>

 < /Grid>
< /Window>

Connect to and Query Cosmos DB

The last step in building our WPG App with a dynamic DataGrid is connecting to and querying live Cosmos DB data. First add a reference to the CData ADO.NET Provider to the project (typically found in C:\Program Files\CData[product_name]\lib).

👁 Adding the CData ADO.NET Provider as a Reference (Salesforce is shown.)

Next, add the Provider to the namespace, along with the standard Data library:

using System.Data.CData.CosmosDB;
using System.Data;

Finally, add the code to connect to Cosmos DB and query using the text from the TextBox to the Click event handler.

To obtain the connection string needed to connect to a Cosmos DB account using the SQL API, log in to the Azure Portal, select Azure Cosmos DB, and select your account. In the Settings section, click Connection String and set the following values:

• AccountEndpoint: The Cosmos DB account URL from the Keys blade of the Cosmos DB account
• AccountKey: In the Azure portal, navigate to the Cosmos DB service and select your Azure Cosmos DB account. From the resource menu, go to the Keys page. Find the PRIMARY KEY value and set AccountKey to this value.

private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
 //connecting to Cosmos DB
 string connString = "AccountEndpoint=myAccountEndpoint;AccountKey=myAccountKey;";
 using (var conn = new CosmosDBConnection(connString))
 {
 //using the query from the TextBox
 var dataAdapter = new CosmosDBDataAdapter(textBox.Text, conn);
 var table = new DataTable();
 dataAdapter.Fill(table);
 
 //passing the DataRowCollection to the DataContext
 // for use in the XamDataGrid
 this.DataContext = table.Rows;
 }
}

Run the Application

With the app fully configured, we are ready to display Cosmos DB data in our XamDataGrid. When you click "Execute," the app connects to Cosmos DB and submits the SQL query through the CData ADO.NET Provider.

👁 Querying Cosmos DB Data

Live Cosmos DB data is displayed in the grid.

👁 Displying Cosmos DB Data (Salesforce is shown)

Group the data by dragging and dropping a column name into the header.

👁 Grouping Cosmos DB Data (Salesforce is shown)

As you add groupings and filters, the underlying SQL query is submitted directly to Cosmos DB, making it possible to drill down into live Cosmos DB data to find only the specific information you need.

👁 Grouped and filtered Cosmos DB Data (Salesforce is shown)

Free Trial & More Information

At this point, you have created a dynamic WPF App with access to live Cosmos DB data. For more information, visit the CData ADO.NET Provider page. Download a free, 30-day trial and start working live Cosmos DB data in apps built using the Infragistics UI controls today.