The Best .NET Lookup Tool for Your Datagrid or Form Application
Tags: webdev, devops, dotnet
Published: 2023-08-23 15:52:13

---
canonical_url: https://developer.mescius.com/blogs/the-best-net-lookup-tool-for-your-datagrid-or-form-application
description: Learn about the best .NET lookup tool for your datagrid or form application. See more from ComponentOne today.
---
Every Windows application needs a good lookup tool. Users will rely heavily on that search box or drop-down at the top of the application to find records. Let me introduce you to one of our newest components, **C1MultiColumnCombo,** and show you why this is the best look-up tool you need in your application. Plus, I will show how you can quickly configure one.

## Both a Search Box and Selector

The C1MultiColumnCombo control works as both a search box and a drop-down selector. This gives you both types of functionalities - similar to an autocomplete control.

![WinForms MultiColumnCombo](https://files.grapecity.com/gc-website-media/0mppblzb/winforms_multicolumncombo_search.png?width=500&height=281.8627450980392)

## Display Multiple Columns

The C1MultiColumnCombo control provides traditional combobox functionality with added support for multiple columns. This allows you to (more easily) visualize additional details for each record in the data set.

![Winforms MultiColumn Combo](https://files.grapecity.com/gc-website-media/1qad5o5n/winforms_multicolumncombo.png?width=500&height=164.31322207958922)

## Highlight and Filter Results

The C1MultiColumnCombo works like an autocomplete box that filters out and highlights records.

![WinForms MultiColumnCombo Filter](https://files.grapecity.com/gc-website-media/0lfjeyy5/winforms_multicolumncombo_filter.png?width=500&height=211.21251629726206)

## Fast Data Binding

The C1MultiColumnCombo control supports data binding, making it easy to populate with records. The data binding follows traditional combobox-style binding where you specify which field is the display (for inside the header part) and which field is the bound value. This is typically used for visually transforming ID fields into readable displays.

```
    var data = new BindingSource(DataSource.GetSalesInfo(), "");

    c1MultiColumnCombo1.DataSource = data;
    c1MultiColumnCombo1.DisplayMember = "Product";
    c1MultiColumnCombo1.ValueMember = "Id";
```
## Form Input or Datagrid Cell Editor

In addition to being used as an application-wide search tool, you can use the component within an input form or as a datagrid cell editor. When you download ComponentOne WinForms Edition, we include some samples showing it used inside FlexGrid and DataGridView.

![WinForms MultiColumnCombo DataGridView](https://files.grapecity.com/gc-website-media/drrp554x/winforms_multicolumncombo_datagridview.png?width=500&height=349.95700773860705)

## Customize with a TreeView

You can even customize the drop-down content to display as a treeview using C1TreeView.

![WinForms MultiColumnCombo C1TreeView](https://files.grapecity.com/gc-website-media/fdnbld1s/winforms_multicolumncombo_c1treeview.png?width=500&height=214.50381679389315)

## Conclusion

To summarize, C1MultiColumnCombo provides:

*   Traditional autocomplete functionality
*   Highlights and filters results
*   Displays multiple columns

Plus, it can be used in a variety of ways: application search, form input, datagrid editors, and customized views.

With multiple columns and search/highlight functionality, this makes it the best type of look-up control for your .NET Windows application. You can download the component as part of our WinForms Edition 2023 v2 update. Or, you can **get started by downloading it from nuget.org in the package C1.Win.Input.MultiColumnCombo**. The control is implemented using our FlexGrid control and also works as a replacement for our legacy C1Combo control.