Question

I have a class with a string property, having both a getter and a setter, that is often so long that the PropertyGrid truncates the string value. How can I force the PropertyGrid to show an ellipsis and then launch a dialog that contains a multiline textbox for easy editing of the property? I know I probably have to set some kind of attribute on the property, but what attribute and how? Does my dialog have to implement some special designer interface?

Update: This is probably the answer to my question, but I could not find it by searching. My question is more general, and its answer can be used to build any type of custom editor.

Answer 1

You need to set an [Editor(...)] for the property, giving it a UITypeEditor that does the edit; like so (with your own editor…)

using System; using System.ComponentModel; using System.Drawing.Design; using System.Windows.Forms; using System.Windows.Forms.Design;   static class Program {     static void Main()     {         Application.Run(new Form { Controls = { new PropertyGrid { SelectedObject = new Foo() } } });     } }    class Foo {     [Editor(typeof(StringEditor), typeof(UITypeEditor))]     public string Bar { get; set; } }  class StringEditor : UITypeEditor {     public override UITypeEditorEditStyle GetEditStyle(ITypeDescriptorContext context)     {         return UITypeEditorEditStyle.Modal;     }     public override object EditValue(ITypeDescriptorContext context, IServiceProvider provider, object value)     {         IWindowsFormsEditorService svc = (IWindowsFormsEditorService)             provider.GetService(typeof(IWindowsFormsEditorService));         if (svc != null)         {             svc.ShowDialog(new Form());             // update etc         }         return value;     } } 

You might be ablt to track down an existing Editor by looking at existing properties that behave like you want.