XAF - How to completely disable adding and removing fields in the layout customization form (DetailView) or grid's Column Chooser (ListView)

Hello,

XAF v24.2 includes a new HideInUI attribute for use within business classes. This is a simple declarative way to hide fields from ListView and DetailView, their customization forms and many other UI contexts such as the Field List of the Filter, Report and Dashboard Editor/Designer. You no longer need manual Controller-based solutions or multiple non-flexible VisibleInXXX and Browsable attributes.

We also unified ways to disable runtime layout customization completely - you can now use 2 CustomizationFormEnabled options (global and View-specific) instead of the former 4 options.

Refer to the following breaking change article for more information: EnableColumnChooser and CustomizationEnabled options are replaced by a common cross-plarform option CustomizationFormEnabled.

Best regards,
Herman

These solutions prevent access to the layout customization of views at runtime for your end-users. Technically, you can remove the Column Chooser and Customization Form completely from your Grid List Editors and Layout Managers.

In certain cases, it may be easier not to remove these runtime capabilities completely, but limit them to certain fields only. Refer to the How to hide a property/field from the grid's Column Chooser, layout's Customization Form, and Object Model dialogs in both ListView and DetailView article for more information.

1. Customization at the Application Level

ASP.NET Core Blazor and WinForms

DetailView and DashboardView

In the Application Model (in the Model Editor or in code), set one of the following options:

• Global: Options | LayoutManagerOptions | IModelWinLayoutManagerOptions.CustomizationEnabled
• Per View: DetailView | IModelWinLayoutManagerOptions.CustomizationEnabled

ASP.NET Core Blazor and WebForms

ListView

In the Application Model (in the Model Editor or in code), set one of the following options:

• Global: Options | IModelOptionsBlazor.ListViewEnableColumnChooser (Blazor) and Options | IModelOptionsWeb.ListViewEnableColumnChooser (WebForms)
• Per View: ListView | IModelListViewBlazor.EnableColumnChooser) (Blazor)

2. Dynamic Control Customization in Code

To remove customization forms completely, you can add custom XAF controllers to your XAF projects. Optionally, you can limit these global customizations to a certain View only or based on the current user.

You can also control visibility of certain properties: How to hide a property/field from the grid's Column Chooser, layout's Customization Form, and Object Model dialogs in both ListView and DetailView.

ASP.NET Core Blazor

ListView and DetailView

NOTE: This code requires v24.1.2+. XAF Blazor does not support runtime layout customization for DashboardView.

To hide the Customize button, disable the ObjectModelController before the View Controls are created:

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Blazor.SystemModule;

namespace YourApplicationName.Blazor.Server.Controllers;
public class DisableObjectModelController : ViewController {

    private ObjectModelController objectModelController;
    const string deactivateReason = "NoCustomizationRequired";
    protected override void OnActivated()
    {
        base.OnActivated();
        objectModelController = Frame.GetController<ObjectModelController>();
        if (objectModelController != null)
        {
            objectModelController.Active.SetItemValue(deactivateReason, false);
        }
    }
    protected override void OnDeactivated()
    {
        base.OnDeactivated();
        if (objectModelController != null)
        {
            objectModelController.Active.RemoveItem(deactivateReason);
            objectModelController = null;
        }
    }
}

WinForms

DetailView

1. Global. In code - use the static LayoutControl.AllowCustomizationDefaultValue property in the Main method of the SolutionName.Win/Program.xx file (in v20.1.10+, v20.2.5+).

2. Local. In code - use the LayoutControl.AllowCustomization property inside a ViewController in the SolutioName.Module.Win project (prior to v15.1, use the LayoutControl.AllowCustomizationMenu property). For more information, see Access the Layout Control.

C#
using DevExpress.XtraLayout;  

namespace YourSolutionName.Module.Win {
    public class MyWinLayoutManagerController : WinLayoutManagerController {  
        protected override void OnViewControlsCreated() {  
            base.OnViewControlsCreated();  
            ((LayoutControl)View.Control).OptionsCustomizationForm.ShowLayoutTreeView = false;  
         }  
         protected override void AddButtonsToCustomizationForm() {  
             //base.AddButtonsToCustomizationForm();  
         }  
    }  
}

Visual Basic
Imports DevExpress.XtraLayout

Namespace YourSolutionName.Module.Win
    Public Class MyWinLayoutManagerController
        Inherits WinLayoutManagerController

        Protected Overrides Sub OnViewControlsCreated()
            MyBase.OnViewControlsCreated()
            CType(View.Control, LayoutControl).OptionsCustomizationForm.ShowLayoutTreeView = False
        End Sub
         Protected Overrides Sub AddButtonsToCustomizationForm()
             'base.AddButtonsToCustomizationForm();  
         End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

You will also need to add a reference to the DevExpress.XtraLayout assembly to use this controller.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.

ListView

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.DC;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Model;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.Editors;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.SystemModule;
using DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid;

namespace  YourSolutionName.Module.Win {
    public class DisableGridListEditorColumnChooserController : GridEditorColumnChooserController {
        protected override GridListEditorColumnChooserExtender CreateColumnChooserExtenderCore() {
            //GridListEditor gridListEditor = View.Editor as GridListEditor;
            //if(gridListEditor != null && gridListEditor.GridView != null) {
            //    return new MyGridListEditorColumnChooserExtender(View.Model, gridListEditor, View.ObjectTypeInfo, gridListEditor.GridView);
            //}
            return null;
        }
        //internal class MyGridListEditorColumnChooserExtender : GridListEditorColumnChooserExtender {
        //    public MyGridListEditorColumnChooserExtender(IModelListView listViewModel, WinColumnsListEditor listEditor, 
        //        ITypeInfo objectTypeInfo, GridView gridView) : base(listViewModel, listEditor, objectTypeInfo, gridView) {
        //    }
        //    public override void AddButtonsToCustomizationForm() {
        //        base.AddButtonsToCustomizationForm();
        //        this.AddButton.Visible = false;
        //        this.RemoveButton.Visible = false;
        //    }
        //}
    }
}

Visual Basic
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.DC
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Model
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.Editors
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.SystemModule
Imports DevExpress.XtraGrid.Views.Grid

Namespace YourSolutionName.Module.Win
    Public Class DisableGridListEditorColumnChooserController
        Inherits GridEditorColumnChooserController

        Protected Overrides Function CreateColumnChooserExtenderCore() As GridListEditorColumnChooserExtender
            Return Nothing
        End Function
    End Class
End Namespace

DashboardView

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.Layout;
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.SystemModule;
using DevExpress.XtraLayout.Customization;

namespace  YourSolutionName.Module.Win {
    public class MyWinLayoutManagerController : ViewController<DashboardView> {
        public MyWinLayoutManagerController() {
            this.TargetViewId = "TestDashboard";
        }
        protected override void OnActivated() {
            base.OnActivated();
            Frame.GetController<DashboardWinLayoutManagerController>().Active["T900193"] = false;
        }
        protected override void OnDeactivated() {
            Frame.GetController<DashboardWinLayoutManagerController>().Active.RemoveItem("T900193");
            base.OnDeactivated();
        }
        protected override void OnViewControlsCreated() {
            base.OnViewControlsCreated();
            var layoutControl = ((XafLayoutControl)View.Control);
            layoutControl.OptionsCustomizationForm.ShowLayoutTreeView = false;
            //layoutControl.ShowCustomization += (s, e) => {
            //    ((CustomizationForm)layoutControl.CustomizationForm).layoutControl1.BeginUpdate();
            //    var items = ((CustomizationForm)layoutControl.CustomizationForm).hiddenItemsGroup.Items;
            //    items.RemoveAt(items.Count - 1);
            //    items.RemoveAt(items.Count - 1);
            //    ((CustomizationForm)layoutControl.CustomizationForm).layoutControl1.EndUpdate();
            //};
        }
    }
}

Visual Basic
Option Infer On

Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.Layout
Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win.SystemModule
Imports DevExpress.XtraLayout.Customization

Namespace YourSolutionName.Module.Win
    Public Class MyWinLayoutManagerController
        Inherits ViewController(Of DashboardView)

        Public Sub New()
            Me.TargetViewId = "TestDashboard"
        End Sub
        Protected Overrides Sub OnActivated()
            MyBase.OnActivated()
            Frame.GetController(Of DashboardWinLayoutManagerController)().Active("T900193") = False
        End Sub
        Protected Overrides Sub OnDeactivated()
            Frame.GetController(Of DashboardWinLayoutManagerController)().Active.RemoveItem("T900193")
            MyBase.OnDeactivated()
        End Sub
        Protected Overrides Sub OnViewControlsCreated()
            MyBase.OnViewControlsCreated()
            Dim layoutControl = (CType(View.Control, XafLayoutControl))
            layoutControl.OptionsCustomizationForm.ShowLayoutTreeView = False
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

Pivot Chart Module (Analysis)

C#
using DevExpress.ExpressApp.PivotChart.Win;

namespace MainDemo.Win.Controllers {
    public class MyAnalysisColumnChooserController : AnalysisColumnChooserController {
        protected override void OnActivated() { }
    }
}

Common

This customization task is quite advanced and we do not have ready documentation for it. For further customizations in this regard, at least please research the XAF source code in the following files:

• …\DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win\SystemModule\WinLayoutManagerController.cs
• …\DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win\SystemModule\ColumnChooserControllerBase.cs
• …\DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win\SystemModule\GridEditorColumnChooserController.cs
• …DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win\SystemModule\DashboardWinLayoutManagerController.cs

You may also find tips in the following KB article helpful when you face similar advanced UI customization tasks related to XAF or DevExpress controls: https://www.devexpress.com/products/net/application_framework/xaf-considerations-for-newcomers.xml.

Search keywords

customize layout, column chooser, customization window, form, hide, field list, GridControl, LayoutControl, field selector