Grids News

Customize Data Entry and Display

June 2, 2025
Studio Controls for COM/COM 64 v7.5 adds a new ctxGrid control for high-speed data presentation and advanced input handling.

Studio Controls for COM and Studio Controls COM 64 by DBI Technologies are a set of 32-bit and 64-bit ActiveX components for building data-driven Windows applications. Both suites include controls for grids, scheduling, calendars, and UI elements, designed to integrate with environments like Microsoft Access and Visual Basic. The suite supports Windows styling and XML configuration, helping developers create professional, interactive applications across legacy and modern platforms.

The Studio Controls for COM v7.5 update introduces ctxGrid, a high performance 32 bit and 64 bit ActiveX data grid that integrates seamlessly into any ActiveX supported IDE and provides developers with formatted input controls including combo boxes and validation rules for robust data entry. It supports dynamic column manipulation such as locking, sorting and auto sizing and leverages XML driven styling and theming to ensure a consistent Windows compliant user interface while exposing a fully extensible API for implementing custom behaviors. Its lightweight architecture delivers a minimal memory footprint and rapid rendering of large datasets, enabling developers to add interactive data presentation and input functionality quickly without compromising overall application responsiveness.

To see a full list of what's new, see our Studio Controls for COM release notes and Studio Controls COM 64 release notes.

Studio Controls for COM/COM 64 is licensed per developer, royalty-free for runtime use. A one-year subscription includes support, updates, upgrades and any new controls. See our Studio Controls for COM licensing page and Studio Controls COM 64 licensing page for full details.

For more information, see our Studio Controls for COM product page and Studio Controls COM 64 product page.

Deliver Instant Insights with Aggregated Data

May 27, 2025
Aggregation features in React grid components allow users to quickly view key metrics, such as sums and averages, directly within the grid interface.

Aggregation in grid components allows users to automatically compute and display summary values, such as totals, averages, minimums, and maximums, across rows or columns of data. This feature enhances the analytical capability of a data grid by offering quick insights directly within the interface, reducing the need to export data for external processing. It is particularly valuable in business intelligence dashboards, financial applications, and administrative tools where on-the-fly data synthesis is essential.

Several React grid controls offer aggregation including:

  • Handsontable provides built-in support for column summaries, enabling functions like sum, min, max, and average to be easily configured per column.
  • SmartClient Grid by Isomorphic Software provides advanced summary capabilities via its GridSummaryRow feature, which supports configurable summary functions at both column and group levels.
  • Jspreadsheet Pro Data Grid includes a "footers" feature that allows for dynamic aggregation calculations using built-in or custom-defined functions, directly visible beneath the dataset.
  • ZingGrid supports data aggregation through its summary cell attributes, making it easy to apply functions such as sum, count, and average without additional scripting.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our React grid controls comparison.

Compare React Grid Controls

Set Columns as Mandatory in Data Grid Apps

May 16, 2025
Use grid controls in JavaScript to define mandatory columns, ensuring that essential fields are filled out to maintain complete and valid input.

A fundamental feature in a data grid is the ability to specify that a column must be populated with values and cannot be left empty. By designating certain columns as mandatory, developers can enforce input rules that prevent users from leaving critical fields blank, such as user identifiers, product names, or timestamps. Required columns are typically enforced through validation rules that prevent the submission or processing of incomplete records, thereby ensuring the completeness and validity of data entries. This improves data integrity, reduces the likelihood of processing errors, and supports consistent business logic across applications that rely on structured datasets.

Several JavaScript grid controls allow you to set columns as required, including:

  • Wijmo FlexGrid (part of Wijmo by MESCIUS) is a JavaScript data grid that allows columns to be marked as required, including built-in validation logic to ensure compliance.
  • Jspreadsheet Pro Data Grid (part of Jspreadsheet Pro) supports the use of validation rules to ensure entries meet predefined criteria, enabling you to define mandatory fields.
  • SmartClient Grid (part of SmartClient by Isomorphic Software) equips JavaScript apps with required column configuration to prevent the submission of incomplete records.
  • Ignite UI Angular Grid (part of Infragistics Ignite UI) offers developers an out of the box validator to enforce the population of required columns during data entry.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of JavaScript grid controls.

Compare JavaScript Grid Controls

Structure Your Data for Smarter Decisions

May 2, 2025
Grid components with advanced visualization features help users make sense of complex data by organizing and summarizing information.

Data visualization and analysis features in grid components transform raw tabular data into structured, interpretable formats that support faster insights and decision-making. These features go beyond static display, offering dynamic ways to organize, summarize, and explore data directly within the grid interface, making it a powerful tool for both end-users and analysts.

Common features include:

  • Aggregation calculates totals, averages, or other metrics across rows to highlight trends at a glance.
  • Grouping allows rows to be organized by shared field values, making large datasets easier to navigate and compare.
  • Drill-down lets users explore underlying details by expanding grouped data or linked rows, providing a layered view of complex datasets.
  • Merging Cells helps visually consolidate repetitive values or headings, improving readability and reducing clutter.
  • Tooltips offer context-sensitive information on hover, helping users understand data without overwhelming the grid with visible labels.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our Blazor grid components comparison.

Explore Blazor Data Visualization and Analysis Features

Control Empty Grid States with Custom Placeholders

May 2, 2025
Syncfusion Essential Studio Flutter includes the ability to display meaningful content when data is loading or unavailable in a Grid.

Syncfusion Essential Studio Flutter (available as part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise) is a powerful UI toolkit that enables you to build beautiful and performant mobile apps for Android and iOS using Flutter. It provides a rich suite of pre-built widgets for common design elements like charts, data grids, calendars, and PDF viewers. These widgets are highly customizable and allow you to quickly implement stunning visuals and advanced functionalities without spending time on repetitive coding.

Syncfusion Essential Studio Flutter includes placeholder support in the DataGrid component. This feature allows the display of custom widgets as placeholders when the data source is empty, providing a clear and informative interface during data loading or when no data is available. This enhancement not only improves the visual appeal of applications but also enhances user engagement by offering contextual information, thereby contributing to a more intuitive and responsive user experience.

Syncfusion Essential Studio Flutter is available as part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise which is licensed per developer starting with a Team License of up to five developers. It is available as a 12 Month Timed Subscription License which includes support and maintenance. See our Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise licensing page for full details.

Learn more on our Syncfusion Essential Studio Flutter product page.