How to: Create a Grid Element

Example

The following example shows how to create and use an instance of Grid by using either Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) or code. This example uses three ColumnDefinition objects and three RowDefinition objects to create a grid that has nine cells, such as in a worksheet. Each cell contains a TextBlock element that represents data, and the top row contains a TextBlock with the ColumnSpan property applied. To show the boundaries of each cell, the ShowGridLines property is enabled.

// Create the application's main window
mainWindow = new Window();
mainWindow.Title = "Grid Sample";

// Create the Grid
Grid myGrid = new Grid();
myGrid.Width = 250;
myGrid.Height = 100;
myGrid.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left;
myGrid.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top;
myGrid.ShowGridLines = true;

// Define the Columns
ColumnDefinition colDef1 = new ColumnDefinition();
ColumnDefinition colDef2 = new ColumnDefinition();
ColumnDefinition colDef3 = new ColumnDefinition();
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef1);
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef2);
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef3);

// Define the Rows
RowDefinition rowDef1 = new RowDefinition();
RowDefinition rowDef2 = new RowDefinition();
RowDefinition rowDef3 = new RowDefinition();
RowDefinition rowDef4 = new RowDefinition();
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef1);
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef2);
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef3);
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef4);

// Add the first text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt1 = new TextBlock();
txt1.Text = "2005 Products Shipped";
txt1.FontSize = 20;
txt1.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt1, 3);
Grid.SetRow(txt1, 0);

// Add the second text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt2 = new TextBlock();
txt2.Text = "Quarter 1";
txt2.FontSize = 12;
txt2.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
Grid.SetRow(txt2, 1);
Grid.SetColumn(txt2, 0);

// Add the third text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt3 = new TextBlock();
txt3.Text = "Quarter 2";
txt3.FontSize = 12;
txt3.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
Grid.SetRow(txt3, 1);
Grid.SetColumn(txt3, 1);

// Add the fourth text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt4 = new TextBlock();
txt4.Text = "Quarter 3";
txt4.FontSize = 12;
txt4.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
Grid.SetRow(txt4, 1);
Grid.SetColumn(txt4, 2);

// Add the sixth text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt5 = new TextBlock();
Double db1 = new Double();
db1 = 50000;
txt5.Text = db1.ToString();
Grid.SetRow(txt5, 2);
Grid.SetColumn(txt5, 0);

// Add the seventh text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt6 = new TextBlock();
Double db2 = new Double();
db2 = 100000;
txt6.Text = db2.ToString();
Grid.SetRow(txt6, 2);
Grid.SetColumn(txt6, 1);

// Add the final text cell to the Grid
TextBlock txt7 = new TextBlock();
Double db3 = new Double();
db3 = 150000;
txt7.Text = db3.ToString();
Grid.SetRow(txt7, 2);
Grid.SetColumn(txt7, 2);

// Total all Data and Span Three Columns
TextBlock txt8 = new TextBlock();
txt8.FontSize = 16;
txt8.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold;
txt8.Text = "Total Units: " + (db1 + db2 + db3).ToString();
Grid.SetRow(txt8, 3);
Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt8, 3);

// Add the TextBlock elements to the Grid Children collection
myGrid.Children.Add(txt1);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt2);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt3);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt4);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt5);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt6);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt7);
myGrid.Children.Add(txt8);

// Add the Grid as the Content of the Parent Window Object
mainWindow.Content = myGrid;
mainWindow.Show ();

Public Sub New()
    WindowTitle = "Grid Sample"
    'Create a Grid as the root Panel element
    Dim myGrid As New Grid()
    myGrid.Height = 100
    myGrid.Width = 250
    myGrid.ShowGridLines = True
    myGrid.HorizontalAlignment = Windows.HorizontalAlignment.Left
    myGrid.VerticalAlignment = Windows.VerticalAlignment.Top

    ' Define and Add the Rows and Columns
    Dim colDef1 As New ColumnDefinition
    Dim colDef2 As New ColumnDefinition
    Dim colDef3 As New ColumnDefinition
    myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef1)
    myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef2)
    myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef3)

    Dim rowDef1 As New RowDefinition
    Dim rowDef2 As New RowDefinition
    Dim rowDef3 As New RowDefinition
    Dim rowDef4 As New RowDefinition
    myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef1)
    myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef2)
    myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef3)
    myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef4)

    Dim txt1 As New TextBlock
    txt1.Text = "2004 Products Shipped"
    txt1.FontSize = 20
    txt1.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold
    Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt1, 3)
    Grid.SetRow(txt1, 0)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt1)

    Dim txt2 As New TextBlock
    txt2.Text = "Quarter 1"
    txt2.FontSize = 12
    txt2.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold
    Grid.SetRow(txt2, 1)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt2, 0)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt2)

    Dim txt3 As New TextBlock
    txt3.Text = "Quarter 2"
    txt3.FontSize = 12
    txt3.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold
    Grid.SetRow(txt3, 1)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt3, 1)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt3)

    Dim txt4 As New TextBlock
    txt4.Text = "Quarter 3"
    txt4.FontSize = 12
    txt4.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold
    Grid.SetRow(txt4, 1)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt4, 2)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt4)

    Dim txt5 As New TextBlock
    txt5.Text = "50,000"
    Grid.SetRow(txt5, 2)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt5, 0)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt5)

    Dim txt6 As New Controls.TextBlock
    txt6.Text = "100,000"
    Grid.SetRow(txt6, 2)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt6, 1)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt6)

    Dim txt7 As New TextBlock
    txt7.Text = "150,000"
    Grid.SetRow(txt7, 2)
    Grid.SetColumn(txt7, 2)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt7)

    ' Add the final TextBlock Cell to the Grid
    Dim txt8 As New TextBlock
    txt8.FontSize = 16
    txt8.FontWeight = FontWeights.Bold
    txt8.Text = "Total Units: 300000"
    Grid.SetRow(txt8, 3)
    Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt8, 3)
    myGrid.Children.Add(txt8)

    Me.Content = myGrid
End Sub

<Page xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" WindowTitle="Grid Sample">
    <Grid VerticalAlignment="Top" HorizontalAlignment="Left" ShowGridLines="True" Width="250" Height="100">
      <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <ColumnDefinition />
        <ColumnDefinition />
        <ColumnDefinition />
      </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
      <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition />
        <RowDefinition />
        <RowDefinition />
        <RowDefinition />
      </Grid.RowDefinitions>

      <TextBlock FontSize="20" FontWeight="Bold" Grid.ColumnSpan="3" Grid.Row="0">2005 Products Shipped</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock FontSize="12" FontWeight="Bold" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0">Quarter 1</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock FontSize="12" FontWeight="Bold" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1">Quarter 2</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock FontSize="12" FontWeight="Bold" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="2">Quarter 3</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="0">50000</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="1">100000</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="2">150000</TextBlock>
      <TextBlock FontSize="16" FontWeight="Bold" Grid.ColumnSpan="3" Grid.Row="3">Total Units: 300000</TextBlock>
    </Grid>
</Page>

Either approach will generate a user interface that looks much the same, like the one below.

See also

• Grid
• Panels Overview