Multi-line string in a PropertyGrid
-
02-07-2019 - |
Question
Is there a built-in editor for a multi-line string in a PropertyGrid
.
Solution
I found that System.Design.dll
has System.ComponentModel.Design.MultilineStringEditor
which can be used as follows:
public class Stuff
{
[Editor(typeof(MultilineStringEditor), typeof(UITypeEditor))]
public string MultiLineProperty { get; set; }
}
OTHER TIPS
No, you will need to create what's called a modal UI type editor. You'll need to create a class that inherits from UITypeEditor. This is basically a form that gets shown when you click on the ellipsis button on the right side of the property you are editing.
The only drawback I found, was that I needed to decorate the specific string property with a specific attribute. It's been a while since I had to do that. I got this information from a book by Chris Sells called "Windows Forms Programming in C#"
There's a commercial propertygrid called Smart PropertyGrid.NET by VisualHint.
Yes. I don't quite remember how it is called, but look at the Items property editor for something like ComboBox
Edited: As of @fryguybob, ComboBox.Items uses the System.Windows.Forms.Design.ListControlStringCollectionEditor
We need to write our custom editor to get the multiline support in property grid.
Here is the customer text editor class implemented from UITypeEditor
public class MultiLineTextEditor : UITypeEditor
{
private IWindowsFormsEditorService _editorService;
public override UITypeEditorEditStyle GetEditStyle(ITypeDescriptorContext context)
{
return UITypeEditorEditStyle.DropDown;
}
public override object EditValue(ITypeDescriptorContext context, IServiceProvider provider, object value)
{
_editorService = (IWindowsFormsEditorService)provider.GetService(typeof(IWindowsFormsEditorService));
TextBox textEditorBox = new TextBox();
textEditorBox.Multiline = true;
textEditorBox.ScrollBars = ScrollBars.Vertical;
textEditorBox.Width = 250;
textEditorBox.Height = 150;
textEditorBox.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.None;
textEditorBox.AcceptsReturn = true;
textEditorBox.Text = value as string;
_editorService.DropDownControl(textEditorBox);
return textEditorBox.Text;
}
}
Write your custom property grid and apply this Editor attribute to the property
class CustomPropertyGrid
{
private string multiLineStr = string.Empty;
[Editor(typeof(MultiLineTextEditor), typeof(UITypeEditor))]
public string MultiLineStr
{
get { return multiLineStr; }
set { multiLineStr = value; }
}
}
In main form assign this object
propertyGrid1.SelectedObject = new CustomPropertyGrid();