Newbie; datagrid and Excel questions

[steve]

Hi,
I have the following two questions:

1) Is there a way to customize the titles of the columns in the datagrid or
does it have to be the names coming from the db tables`columns. I want to
avoid having to show CIid for example, i prefer to rename it to Customer ID,
etc. I went over the datagrid formatting properties without success.

2) Does anyone have any suggestions for an introductory article regarding
creating Excel files through VB.net ? I would like to eventually, give the
user the choice to not only see the data in the datagrid but also to save
them in Excel file(s).

BTW is datagrid the best solution for ``static`` data? i.e. data that only
needs to be displayed and not modified in any way.

TIA and my apologies for the many questions
-steve

 

[SStory]

1)
'clear the table styles
[yourgridnamewithoutthebrackets].TableStyles.Clear()

'create a newone
ts1 = New DataGridTableStyle
ts1.AlternatingBackColor = GridAltBGColor
'map to whatever in your db
ts1.MappingName = "tblProperty"

'this is a sample of calling a routine, I made to add the db fieldname
and then display name to 'the style (you would call it once for each
field
AddTextBoxColumnToGrid(ts1, "Case_ID", "Case ID", 0)

I wrote the following routine to help me create DataGridTextBoxColumn
objects and add them to the DataGridTableStyle which is how you do what you
are wanting to do.
feel free to use the routine below but give me credit

'AddTextBoxColumnToGrid: To assist in making column styles and add to
datagridtablestyle
Friend Sub AddTextBoxColumnToGrid(ByRef objDataGridTableStyle As
DataGridTableStyle, _
ByVal dbFieldName As String, _
ByVal ColText As String, _
Optional ByVal ColWidth As Integer =
15, _
Optional ByVal ColAlignment As
HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left, _
Optional ByVal ColFormat As String =
"", _
Optional ByVal MaxLength As Integer
= -1)
Dim objTextCol As New DataGridTextBoxColumn

'set mapping name
objTextCol.MappingName = dbFieldName
objTextCol.HeaderText = ColText
objTextCol.Width = ColWidth
objTextCol.Alignment = ColAlignment
If ColFormat.Length > 0 Then objTextCol.Format = ColFormat
If MaxLength > 0 Then objTextCol.TextBox.MaxLength = MaxLength
'add col to grid style
objDataGridTableStyle.GridColumnStyles.Add(objTextCol)
End Sub

This should at least get you started.

Another option:
"SELECT CIid as [Customer ID]

so that you alias the field to be whatever you want to show...this is the re
al simple way...but you still don't have the formatting capabilities that
you do with creating styles.

2.) Probably google the subject.

HTH,

shane