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 »Spread for Windows Forms » Product Tour » Overview » Feature

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Spread for Windows Forms introduces some powerful features, as described in the following topics.

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 Multiple Sheets
Spread for Windows Forms supports up to 2 billion sheets in a single control each uniquely named. Use multiple sheets to categorize your information, similar to using worksheets in Microsoft Excel.

Sheets can have up to 2 billion rows and 2 billion columns. You can define styles for sheets and apply those styles across multiple sheets.

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 Customized Appearance (Skins and Styles)
Easily and quickly configure the appearance of Spread using predefined skins or create and save your own custom skins. Custom skins can be shared with everyone in your development team, allowing a consistent look of the control across applications. You can also create specific styles that apply to individual cells. Named styles help you quickly customize the appearance of a cell or range of cells.

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 Spannable Cells
You can span cells. Create cell spans to join cells together, allowing one cell to span across multiple cells to include, for example, your company logo. You can span data cells or headers. You can also have Spread automatically merge cells that are the same value.

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 Headers with Multiple Columns and Rows
You can have multiple column headers and row headers. You can also span header cells. Use headers with multiple columns or rows to organize your column and row information.

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 Sorting Capabilities
You can sort rows or columns or a range of cells. Programmatically sort data by rows or columns. Or allow your users to sort rows automatically simply by clicking on the column header. The methods at the sheet level allow these kinds of sorting:
  • Sorting Automatically by Column
  • Sorting Columns or Rows Manually
  • Sorting Data in a Range
Sorting Automatically by Column
Use the AutoSortColumn method to sort the display of rows in a sheet automatically according to the specified column. It performs the same action as clicking in the column header of a column that has its AllowAutoSort property set to true. This affects only the arrangement of rows on a sheet and does not change the arrangement of the data.

This automatically sorts the rows in a sheet according to the specified column in ascending order unless the sheet was previously automatically sorted ascending. This also shows the sort indicator unless the sort indicator for the column has been disabled. This does not affect the data model, only how the data is displayed. Several overloads provide different ways to sort.

Sorting Columns or Rows Manually
Use the SortColumns (or SortRows) method to sort the arrangement of columns (or rows) in a sheet using one or more rows (or columns) as the key. This does not affect the data model, only how the data is displayed. Several overloads provide different ways to sort the columns (or rows).

Sorting Data in a Range
The SortRange method is for unbound data only. This method sorts the data in a range of cells by moving the data around in the data model and moving the cell-level styles along with it. This method is not intended for bound data, as it moves data (not necessarily by entire row or column) and has the effect of moving the data around in the data source.

With the SortInfo array, you can specify multiple criteria for sorting the data. This method gives you the ability to sort (or arrange) data in a smaller subset than entire rows or columns in a sheet.


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 Multiple Cell Types
You can use the feature-rich set of cell types and extend the functionality by defining your own. Use the 17 pre-defined cell types or create your own to determine what kind of data can be entered into a cell, avoiding unnecessary checks and validations by the developer and providing a natural way for your user to enter data.

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 Hierarchical Display
You can create a sheet within a row to display relational data hierarchically, with parent rows and child views of related data.

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 Data Binding
You can bind the spreadsheet to a data set to display and allow your users to edit information. Spread can automatically update the data set with the changes.

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 Built-In Functions
You can use built-in functions and operators to develop formulas and perform calculations. Add calculations quickly to your applications by using any of over 300 pre-defined algorithms or add your own custom functions.

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 Navigation
Spread provides multiple ways to control navigation within the spreadsheet, including:
  • Keyboard Navigation and Action Keys
  • Multiple Viewports
Keyboard Navigation and Action Keys
You can control Spread control actions when the user presses keys. A default set of keys and related actions is provided; however, you can customize these input maps, mapping keys to actions. For example, you can map the Enter key to move the focus to the cell below the current cell.

Multiple Viewports
You can allow more than one pane or viewport in the spreadsheet to allow you to view data from different parts of the spreadsheet in one display. Display data in multiple viewports and allow your user to customize their own viewport view.

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 Spread Designer
You can use the Spread Designer to design your control and to create a prototype quickly. Use the Spread Designer to reduce development time by allowing you to customize the look and feel of the control at design time using an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.

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 Import and Export Capabilities
You can import data from and export data and formatting to Microsoft Excel, both individual spreadsheets and entire workbooks. You can import and export entire spreadsheet(s) with data and formatting to and from XML or to delimited text files. 

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 Ink Notation Support
You can use the ink notation for writing or drawing on Spread with your Tablet PC. With a simple method, you can turn on support for this inking feature.

This feature allows the use of a pen (stylus) on the Tablet PC for drawing and writing on the spreadsheet. This process, sometimes called inking, allows users to write in digital ink, which appears as natural-looking handwriting on the screen. The spreadsheet saves the ink notation.

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