Introduction

This sample demonstrates how to bind a DataTable to a DataGrid, and how to work on the DataTable, with changes being reflected back in the DataGrid.

Building the Sample

Just download, unzip, open and run!

Description

This sample is in reply to a forum question about seeing changes in a DataGrid when changes are made to the underlying DataTable.

Firstly, the DataGrid's ItemsSource is bound to our DataTable.

XAML

Edit|Remove

<DataGrid ItemsSource="{Binding LogMessages}"/>

<DataGrid ItemsSource="{Binding LogMessages}"/>

The "LogMessages" property is simply the DefaultView of the DataTable that we are working with:

Edit|Remove

DataTable MyData;

public DataView LogMessages
{
    get { return MyData.DefaultView; }
}

DataTable MyData; 
 
public DataView LogMessages 
{ 
    get { return MyData.DefaultView; } 
}

For the purpose of this demonstration, create and populate the DataTable with one row of data:

Edit|Remove

MyData = new DataTable();
MyData.Columns.Add("Col1", typeof(String));
MyData.Rows.Add("Pete");

MyData = new DataTable(); 
MyData.Columns.Add("Col1", typeof(String)); 
MyData.Rows.Add("Pete");

This example uses the BackgroundWorker class to do the background thread work. An alternative is .Net4's Task class.

Edit|Remove

    var bgw = new BackgroundWorker();
    bgw.RunWorkerCompleted += bgw_RunWorkerCompleted;
    bgw.DoWork += bgw_DoWork;
    bgw.RunWorkerAsync();

    var bgw = new BackgroundWorker(); 
    bgw.RunWorkerCompleted += bgw_RunWorkerCompleted; 
    bgw.DoWork += bgw_DoWork; 
    bgw.RunWorkerAsync();

All we do in the background thread is add a row and pause. Three times:

Edit|Remove

Thread.Sleep(1000);
AddNewRow(DateTime.Now.ToString());

Thread.Sleep(1000); 
AddNewRow(DateTime.Now.ToString());

But the trick is to add the rows BACK on the UI thread, not from this background thread, so that change notifications fire on the correct thread, and the DataGrid's bindings know that they have to update:

Edit|Remove

Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(DispatcherPriority.Background, new Action(() =>
{
    MyData.Rows.Add(fakeRowData); // Add row on UI thread
}));

Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(DispatcherPriority.Background, new Action(() => 
{ 
    MyData.Rows.Add(fakeRowData); // Add row on UI thread 
}));

When you run this project, you will see each row that has been added to the DataTable now shows being added to the DataGrid as well.

Source Code Files

MainWindow.xaml - The DataGrid
MainWindow.xaml.cs - The code, including the background thread and the DataTable

Introduction

Building the Sample

Source Code Files

Original forum question