Create Dynamic CSV 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 CSV, you gain the capability to construct interactive grids, charts, and various other visual elements while directly accessing real-time data from CSV 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 CSV

The last step in building our WPG App with a dynamic DataGrid is connecting to and querying live CSV 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.CSV;
using System.Data;

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

Connecting to Local or Cloud-Stored (Box, Google Drive, Amazon S3, SharePoint) CSV Files

CData Drivers let you work with CSV files stored locally and stored in cloud storage services like Box, Amazon S3, Google Drive, or SharePoint, right where they are.

Setting connection properties for local files

Set the URI property to local folder path.

Setting connection properties for files stored in Amazon S3

To connect to CSV file(s) within Amazon S3, set the URI property to the URI of the Bucket and Folder where the intended CSV files exist. In addition, at least set these properties:

• AWSAccessKey: AWS Access Key (username)
• AWSSecretKey: AWS Secret Key

Setting connection properties for files stored in Box

To connect to CSV file(s) within Box, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Box.

Dropbox

To connect to CSV file(s) within Dropbox, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Dropbox. Either User Account or Service Account can be used to authenticate.

SharePoint Online (SOAP)

To connect to CSV file(s) within SharePoint with SOAP Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended CSV file. Set User, Password, and StorageBaseURL.

SharePoint Online REST

To connect to CSV file(s) within SharePoint with REST Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended CSV file. StorageBaseURL is optional. If not set, the driver will use the root drive. OAuth is used to authenticate.

Google Drive

To connect to CSV file(s) within Google Drive, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended CSV file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect and set InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH.

private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
 //connecting to CSV
 string connString = "URI=/PATH/TO/MyCSVFilesFolder;";
 using (var conn = new CSVConnection(connString))
 {
 //using the query from the TextBox
 var dataAdapter = new CSVDataAdapter(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 CSV data in our XamDataGrid. When you click "Execute," the app connects to CSV and submits the SQL query through the CData ADO.NET Provider.

👁 Querying CSV Data

Live CSV data is displayed in the grid.

👁 Displying CSV Data (Salesforce is shown)

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

👁 Grouping CSV Data (Salesforce is shown)

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

👁 Grouped and filtered CSV Data (Salesforce is shown)

Free Trial & More Information

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