The DataView class presents a DB grid view that displays the content of a DB result. You can navigate through the data records using the cursor keys or the mouse. Alternatively, you can insert a navigation bar into the form, but you will have to programme its functionality yourself. You can use the 'Columns' property (data type string array) to specify which DB fields are displayed. If you insert a header row with Header = True, use the 'Labels' property (data type string array) to specify the identifiers of the individual columns. The DB data of the DB table used can be provided directly as a DB result or via the 'Datasource' control element (default).

The DataView class has the following properties:

Table 22.5.7.1.1 : Properties of the DataView class

Properties, methods and events of a TableView can be found in chapter '17.8 TableView'.

Here are some examples of the use of the View property in a DataView:

DataView1.View.Columns[0].Alignment = Align.Center
DataView1.View.Columns[0].Width = 36
DataView1.View.Rows[DataSource1.Index].Selected = True

The two most interesting methods are View.Edit ( [ List As String[], ReadOnly As Boolean ] ) and View.EditWith( Editor As Control ). These two methods must be called in the Click event or in the Activate event. If the optional parameter 'List' is defined, the current cell is provided with a ComboBox from which an entry can be selected from the specified list. If 'ReadOnly' is defined and True, the entries in the ComboBox can only be read - but not changed. Without the optional parameters, a cell is edited with the standard editor (TextBox).

You can change the standard (cell) editor using the EditWith method. However, the alternative editor must be inserted as a control element in the form in which the DataView also exists.

Example of the ViewEdit([ List As String[ ], ReadOnly As Boolean ] ) method:

Public Sub DataView1_Activate()
 
'-- The event is triggered when the current record changes.
 
    If DataSource1.Index > -1 Then
       DataSource1.MoveTo(DataView1.Index)
    Else
       Return
    Endif
 
    If ComboboxEditMode.Value = False Then
       DataView1.View.Edit()
    Else
       Select Case DataView1.View.Column
         Case 0
           DataView1.View.Edit(["Linux", "Windows", "OS-X"], True)
         Case 1
           DataView1.View.Edit(["Ubuntu 12.04", "Mint 17", "X.10"], False)
         Case 2
           DataView1.View.Edit(["Desktop-PC", "NoteBook", "Tablet-PC"], True)
       End Select
    Endif
End

The DataView class has these methods:

Table 22.5.7.2.1 : Methods of the DataView class

Two events are important for the DataView class:

1. The Activate event is triggered when the current data set has changed.
2. The Data ( Row As Integer, Column As Integer, Value As Variant ) event is triggered when the DataView needs to display a specific cell. Use the Data property to define the content of a cell:

• Row is the row index,
• Column is the column index and
• Value is the value received from the database table and displayed in the cell.

Examples:

Public Sub DataView1_Data(Row As Integer, Column As Integer, Value As Variant)
 
    If IsNull(Value) Then Return
 
'-- For each line …
'-- ID
    If Column = 0 Then
       DataView1.Data.Font.Bold = True
    Endif
 
'-- Name
    If Column = 1 Then
       DataView1.Data.Text = Value
    Endif
 
'-- Date
    If Column = 2 Then
       If TypeOf(Value) = gb.Date Then
          DataView1.Data.Text = Format(Value, gb.MediumDate)
       Endif
    Endif
 
End

In the following database application, the DB data is displayed in a DataView and selected DB data (name, date and image) in three DB controls. The image content of the BLOB field in the selected data record is shown in a picture box.

In the illustration, you can see the four buttons for navigating in the DataView on the right below the DataView and the buttons on the left to create a new, empty data record, to refresh the display, to save new or changed data or to delete a data record completely:

Figure 22.5.7.4.1: DB application with DataView and three DB controls

In the lower part, in addition to a search for the contents of a specific field with a LIKE filter, the creation of a database backup (DB dump) is also implemented.

The complete description of the DB project can be found in chapter '22.13 Blob projects'.

Notes

1. The fields can be sorted by clicking on the (display) field name. The following applies: First click: descending sorting (▾), second click: ascending sorting (▴) and third click: no sorting - no symbol is displayed.
2. The DataView control element displays all data records that are not filtered out by a set data filter.

The 'DataSource' container control provides the controls with all data from the selected database to which the connection has been made. You can select which database data should actually be displayed using the Table and Filter properties:

    DataSource1.Connection = DBCS.DBConnection
    DataSource1.Table = "contacts"
 
'-- Filter (optional) -> Where-Klausel:
'   DataSource1.Filter = "id > 4 AND city <> 'Berlin' AND city NOT LIKE 'G%'"

22.5.7.5 Source code extracts

The following source code excerpts show the use of the MoveFirst(), MoveNext(), MoveLast() and MovePrevious() methods in the navigation bar:

Public Sub ButtonGoToFirst_Click()
 
'-- At least one data set exists ...
    If DataSource1.Index > -1 Then
       DataSource1.MoveFirst()
  '--  Mark current line
       DataView1.View.Rows[0].Selected = True
       DataView1.SetFocus()
    Endif
 
End
 
Public Sub ButtonGoToLast_Click()
 
    If DataSource1.Index > -1 Then
       DataSource1.MoveLast()
       DataView1.View.Rows[DataSource1.Count - 1].Selected = True
       DataView1.SetFocus()
    Endif
 
End
 
Public Sub ButtonGoToPrevious_Click()
 
    If DataSource1.Index > -1 Then
       DataSource1.MovePrevious()
       DataView1.View.Rows[DataSource1.Index].Selected = True
       DataView1.SetFocus()
    Endif
 
End
 
Public Sub ButtonGoToNext_Click()
 
    If DataSource1.Index > -1 Then
       DataSource1.MoveNext()
       DataView1.View.Rows[DataSource1.Index].Selected = True
       DataView1.SetFocus()
    Endif
 
End