How to convert a DataGridViewCell to a Control

Question

I am trying to convert a DataGridView cell to a control:

Control dat = new Control();
dat = Convert.ChangeType(dataGridView1[colIndex,rowIndex], typeof(Control));

I am fetching the values of colIndex and rowIndes from a index code. The problem is even though I tried many codes to convert, it does not work.

The exception I am getting is:

Can not implicitly convert an object to a control. An explicit convertion exist(are u missing a cast?)

Why exactly do you need to convert the cell to a control? A little context might help to give you an answer to your actual problem (since what you are asking to do is generally not possible beyond the EditingControl property). — David Hall, Nov 21 '11 at 15:53

score 6 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 13 '12 at 16:10

6

To access the control that is hosted by a DataGridViewCell you use the EditingControl property of the cell when the cell is in editing mode.

This property returns a System.Windows.Forms.Control.

You can also get at the control within the DataGridViewEditingControlShowing event - the Control property of DataGridViewEditingControlShowingEventArgs is of type System.Windows.Forms.Control.

private void dataGridView1_EditingControlShowing(object sender, 
    DataGridViewEditingControlShowingEventArgs e)
{
    Control c = e.Control;
}

If you want to access the control at other times then (I believe) you are out of luck - I say that based mainly on this quote from the MSDN docs on DataGridViewEditingControlShowing:

The DataGridView control hosts one editing control at a time, and reuses the editing control whenever the cell type does not change between edits.

edited Jun 13 '12 at 16:10

DSM

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answered Nov 21 '11 at 15:52

David Hall

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Thanks all for ur replies... i am trying to check the error in datagrid entry and display a bubble message at the position of the error cell in datagrid that is why i am trying to convert the cell to control... from the above answer u ppl have given it shows it is not possible.. is it right... i think i have to use a message box then a buuble message.. any how thanks to all – Vincent Nov 21 '11 at 16:23
@vince - have you looked at the datagridview error text property? This is the out of the box feature designed to do exactly what you are asking for. – David Hall Nov 21 '11 at 17:52
i used ur idea and the above code.. to get what i was asking for... but it can not be done for checking correct data entered in textbox.. any how but i can show bubble message at that particular cell when incorrect value is being entered....thanks – Vincent Nov 23 '11 at 12:20
@vince do you mean checking the data entered into a DataGridViewTextBoxColumn cell as it is typed? – David Hall Nov 23 '11 at 12:22

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 21 '11 at 15:42

Convert.ChangeType won't work unless there is a conversion defined between an Object and a Control, which of course there isn't. ChangeType is used most often for primitive types like integers and floats.

If dataGridView1[colIndex, rowIndex] is a Control, you should be able to use ordinary explicit casting: dat = (Control) dataGridView1[colIndex, rowIndex]

kol · Answer 3 · 2011-11-21T15:55:10.450

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The Item property of a DataGridView (this is what you access using row and column indexes) is of type DataGridViewCell, which is not inherited from System.Windows.Forms.Control.

edited Nov 21 '11 at 15:55

answered Nov 21 '11 at 15:47

kol

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Reference to the DataGridViewCell class: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.datagridviewcell.aspx – CAbbott Nov 21 '11 at 15:52

How to convert a DataGridViewCell to a Control

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