c# combobox binding to list of objects
If you set the ValueMember to null the selected value will always be the object, not a property:
{
public class TestObject
{
public string Name { get; set; }
public int Value { get; set; }
}
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
private System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox comboBox1;
public Form1()
{
this.comboBox1 = new System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// comboBox1
//
this.comboBox1.FormattingEnabled = true;
this.comboBox1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(23, 13);
this.comboBox1.Name = "comboBox1";
this.comboBox1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(121, 21);
this.comboBox1.TabIndex = 0;
this.comboBox1.SelectedValueChanged += new System.EventHandler(this.comboBox1_SelectedValueChanged);
//
// Form1
//
this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(284, 262);
this.Controls.Add(this.comboBox1);
this.Name = "Form1";
this.Text = "Form1";
this.ResumeLayout(false);
BindingList<TestObject> objects = new BindingList<TestObject>();
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
objects.Add(new TestObject() { Name = "Object " + i.ToString(), Value = i });
}
comboBox1.ValueMember = null;
comboBox1.DisplayMember = "Name";
comboBox1.DataSource = objects;
}
private void comboBox1_SelectedValueChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (comboBox1.SelectedValue != null)
{
TestObject current = (TestObject)comboBox1.SelectedValue;
MessageBox.Show(current.Value.ToString());
}
}
}
}
You can bind a ComboBox to any list of values using the DataSource property. Or actually:
An object that implements the IList interface, such as a DataSet or an Array. The default is null.
You then use the ValueMember to control what you get from SelectedValue. Settings this to null
as jmservera writes lets you get the object as it is in the DataSource
.