Released: Oct 27, 2020

Updates in 20.2.3

Features

New Sankey Diagram

• New Sankey Diagram Control. Sankey Diagrams display paths between nodes and associated quantities. These diagrams are typically used to visualize a flow from one set of values to another.
• Features include:
  • Built-in Coloring Algorithms (palette-based and custom colorizers).
  • Custom Node Order.
  • Printing and Data Export.
  • Node and Link Highlighting.
  • Title Elements.
  • Tooltips.
  • Comprehensive API.
  • DevExpress Themes/Skins.

New Sunburst Control

• New Sunburst Control allows you to create interactive circular treemaps for analytical and presentation purposes.
• Features include:
  • Hierarchical Data Sets and Flat Data Tables.
  • Built-in Coloring Algorithms.
  • Fully Customizable Content.
  • Advanced Segment Highlighting.
  • Tooltips.
  • Comprehensive API.
  • DevExpress Themes.

New TreeView Control (CTP)

• Features include:
  • Data Binding support.
  • Hierarchical Data Templates.
  • On-Demand Data Loading.
  • Filtering and Search.
  • Data Editing.
  • Clipboard Management.
  • Drag & Drop support.
  • Multiple Selection.
  • Context Menu.
  • Node Icons and Checkboxes.
  • Custom Node Content.

UI Testing

• DevExpress WPF controls are now fully compatible with Appium/WinAppDriver. Support has been extended for the UI Automation API to include more test cases for the most popular UI controls:
  • Data Grid.
  • TreeList.
  • Data Editors.
  • Ribbon and Toolbars.
  • Property Grid.
  • Docking UI.
  • Accordion.
  • Hamburger Menu.
  • Windows and Utility Controls.
• Introduces UI Testing mode for WPF applications powered by DevExpress UI controls. UI Testing mode disables certain animations, changes the way context menus react to the mouse pointer, and tweaks the UI Automation tree.
• These enhancements primarily target Appium/WinAppDriver, but can also benefit other UI Automation Testing tools and frameworks.

Charts

• Big Data Processing - This feature was first introduced in May 2020 as a community technology preview (CTP) and supported numeric arguments and numeric values. This update marks its official release. All series types and series with DateTime/TimeSpan arguments and values are supported.

Data Editors

• Date Navigator - API Enhancements
  • The new API allows you to:
    • RequestCellAppearance - Handle this event to customize day-cell appearance at runtime.
    • ScrollToDate - Scrolls to date.
• Appearance Properties
  • Office 2016 SE, Office 2019, VS 2017, VS 2019, and Win 10 Light themes include enhanced templates that simplify appearance customization via the following properties:
    • Background / Foreground.
    • BorderBrush.
    • BorderThickness.
    • CornerRadius.
    • Padding.
  • Supported data editors and controls include:
    • TextEdit, PasswordBoxEdit.
    • MemoEdit, DateEdit, PopupImage\Calc\Color\BrushEdit, FontEdit.
    • CheckEdit.
    • ToggleSwitch\ToggleSwitchEdit.
    • ButtonEdit, SpinEdit.
    • ButtonInfo.
    • ComboBoxEdit, ListBoxEdit, AutoSuggestEdit.
    • ProgressBarEdit.
    • TrackBarEdit, RangeTrackBarEdit.
    • HyperLinkEdit.
    • ImageEdit, ColorEdit, CalcEdit, TimePicker.
    • Flyout.
    • RangeControl.
    • Calculator.
    • SearchControl.
  • Added an EditorAppearanceProperties class. It contains attached properties to help you change Editor appearance in Checked, Focused, or ReadOnly states. Supported appearance settings allow you to quickly customize look and feel throughout your application or create individual UI elements as needed.
• Miscellaneous Enhancements
  • The EnumItemsSourceBehavior's ImageSize property allows you to specify item image size.
  • A new AllowSpin property allows you to disable the mouse wheel and spin buttons.
• Numeric and TimeSpan Mask Enhancements
  • New numeric mask options include:
    • ValueAfterDelete - Specifies the edit value once a user removes the last digit.
    • HideInsignificantZeros - Hides zeros that do not affect actual values (".9" instead of "0.9").
  • New TimeSpan mask options include:
    • ResetPartsOnSelectAllInput - Specifies whether the editor clears all time value parts when a user selects all and enters a new value.
    • HideInsignificantPartsOnly.

Data Grid and TreeList

• Filter Panel Enhancements
  • The redesigned Filter Panel was first introduced in May 2020. This panel displays separate tokens with filters for each field. In v20.2, the WPF DataGrid and TreeList controls display the new Filter Panel by default.
  • If the WPF Data Grid displays master-detail relationships, the Filter Panel indents expressions applied to master and detail views.
  • The Filter Panel and Filter Editor now use the same colors.
• Disabled and Read-Only Cells
  • With this release, you can conditionally disable data cells or make cells read-only via the new BaseColumn.IsEnabledBinding and BaseColumn.IsReadOnlyBinding properties.
• Appearance Properties
  • DevExpress Office 2016 SE, Office 2019, VS 2017, VS 2019, and Win 10 Light themes include enhanced templates designed to simplify appearance customization via the Background and DataAreaBackground properties.
• Bulk Updates
  • Added an 'AddRange' method to the following collections:
    • columns (GridColumnCollection).
    • summary items (SummaryItemCollectionBase).
    • format conditions (FormatConditionCollection).
  • 'AddRange' updates the WPF Data Grid or TreeList once all relevant items have been added. With this new feature, you no longer need to enclose changes within 'BeginUpdate' and 'EndUpdate' method calls.

Diagram

• SVG Export
  • The Diagram Control now supports vector (SVG) file export.
• New List Item
  • Includes a new container item - DiagramList. It arranges its child items in a horizontal or vertical list.
• Measure Units
  • You can enable a new ShowMeasureUnit option to display measurement units in the Properties Panel, Page Setup Window, and Bottom Panel.
  • In addition to pixels, users can specify values in other measurement units (inches and millimeters). You can also create a custom measurement unit and assign it to the MeasureUnit property.
• Miscellaneous Enhancements
  • Includes a new OrgChartLayoutIsCompact option for the Org Chart's automatic layout. Set this option to false to calculate the offset for all tip-over subtrees rather than individual hierarchy levels. This makes Org Charts with a complex hierarchy (tip-over subtrees) easier to read and understand.
  • You can now hold the middle mouse button and drag to pan the diagram. This behavior is controlled by the AllowMiddleButtonDrag option.

Docking

• Layout Panel - Caption Image Style
  • A new CaptionImageStyle property allows you to apply a style to the LayoutPanel's caption image.
• Float Group - Overlap Windows Taskbar
  • You can now use the FloatGroup.WindowStyle and FloatingPaneWindow.OverlapTaskbar properties to specify whether a maximized FloatGroup overlaps the Windows Taskbar.

Gantt

• Print Support and Data Export
  • With this release, you can turn the contents of your Gantt into a printed report (or file) with a simple method call or by using its Print Dialog. The appearance of a printed Gantt can be customized with dozens of options, styles, and templates.
  • The DevExpress WPF Gantt control supports numerous data export formats (PDF, CSV, XLS, XLSX, XPS, HTML, MHT, DOCX, RTF, TXT, and IMAGE).

Gauges

• Custom Labels
  • The WPF Gauge control can now generate custom labels from a template. Use the Scale.CustomLabelTemplate and Scale.CustomLabelsSource properties to specify the template and source of labels.
• Snap Indicator Values to Tickmarks
  • Set the ValueIndicatorBase.SnapMode property to MinorTickmarks/MajorTickmarks. Once set, the WPF Gauge control will snap its value to minor or major tickmarks.
• Smart Tags for Gauges and Scales
  • DevExpress now offer smart tag support for the CircularGaugeControl, ArcScale, LinearGaugeControl, LinearScale, DigitalGaugeControl, and StateIndicatorControl.

Map Control

• Map Rulers
  • The WinForms/WPF Map Control introduces a new Measurement Toolbar. End-users can measure geometrical and geographical objects using appropriate tools:
    • Distance Ruler.
    • Area Ruler.
  • You can also use the new Measurements class API to create and update rulers and specify measurement units in code.
• Map Rotation
  • New API allows you to rotate map content as needed.
    • MapControl.Angle.
    • MapControl.RotateAt.
• Vector Tiles - Enhancements
  • Display text along curves (for example, street or road names).
  • Display labels in the center of polygons.
  • Fractional and custom zoom levels.

.NET Core Designer

• Suggested Actions
  • Now supports Suggested Actions - first introduced in Visual Studio 2019 Preview v16.8. This feature offers easy access to common properties upon control selection.
  • .NET Core applications use the new WPF XAML designer by default. For .NET Framework apps, you need to enable the following option in Visual Studio: Tools > Options > Preview Features > New WPF XAML Designer for .NET Framework (requires restart)
• Toolbox - DevExpress WPF Controls
  • Once you have installed the DevExpress WPF UI Controls, these controls should be available in your .NET Core app's Toolbox (even if your app does not reference DevExpress packages).

PDF Viewer

• Sticky Notes
  • The PDF Viewer now supports PDF sticky notes. You can add, edit, delete sticky notes, and add comments to notes in code or via the control's UI.

Pivot Grid

• Filter Panel Enhancements
  • The new Filter Panel was first introduced in May 2020. This panel displays separate tokens with filters for each field. In v20.2, the WPF Pivot Grid control displays the new Filter Panel by default.
  • For backward compatibility, activate the UseLegacyFilterPanel option.
• Aggregate Functions in a Data Field Context Menu
  • End-users can now specify aggregate functions for data fields via a context menu. A data field's context menu can optionally list all predefined aggregate functions (SUM, MIN, MAX, COUNT, etc.).
  • Initially, the Summary Type submenu is hidden from the context menu. Set a data field's PivotGridField.AllowRuntimeSummaryChange property to "true" to display summary types.

Rich Text Editor

• Break Table Rows Across Pages
  • Table rows can now span multiple pages. Added a new row option - 'Allow row to break across pages'. To enable this feature in code, use the TableRow.BreakAcrossPages property.
• OLE Objects
  • The Word Processing Document API and Rich Text Editor for WinForms and WPF support OLE objects. The new API allows you to access and edit OLE objects in code. Documents with OLE objects can be printed and exported to PDF.
• 'Keep with Next' and 'Widow/Orphan Control' in Tables
  • The Word Processing Document API and WinForms/WPF Rich Text Editors now apply the following options when they display, print, and export (to PDF) documents with table paragraphs:
    • Keep with Next.
    • Widow/Orphan Control.
• Footnotes and Endnotes UI
  • The Rich Text Editor ships with new UI elements designed to insert, navigate, and format footnotes and endnotes.
• 'Filling in Forms' Protection
  • You can now manage "Filling in Forms" protection in code or via the Rich Text Editor's UI.
• New Formats
  • The Word Processing Document API and WinForms/WPF Rich Text Edit controls now support the following file formats:
    • DOCM (Microsoft Office Open XML Macro-Enabled Document format).
    • DOT (Microsoft Word 97-2003 Template format).
    • DOTM (Microsoft Office Open XML Macro-Enabled Template format).
    • DOTX (Microsoft Office Open XML Template format).
    • FlatOpc XML (Microsoft Word XML Document stored in a flat XML file instead of a ZIP package).
• Document Rendering Enhancements
  • Table width and justified paragraph alignment are now calculated more accurately and better mirror Microsoft Word 2013 and later.

Scheduler

• 'One Month' View (CTP)
  • The WPF Scheduler's "One Month" View displays a compact summary of appointments/events for all selected resources. Thanks to its architectural flexibility, the WPF Scheduler automatically adapts the height associated with each week so that all appointments/events are correctly displayed within its container. By adapting week height automatically, the Scheduler's "One Month" View offers a better visual snapshot of upcoming events/appointments.
• On-Demand Data Loading
  • The 'FetchAppointments' and 'FetchTimeRegions' events allow you to only load data for a visible date interval. On-demand data loading can help improve the overall performance of apps that rely on the DevExpress WPF Scheduler control.
• Timeline Enhancements
  • Timeline related enhancements include:
    • Dynamic Time Scales.
    • Adaptive Resource Height.
    • Per-pixel Horizontal Scrolling.
    • Improved Zooming.

Spreadsheet

• New Layout Engine
  • The WPF Spreadsheet control ships with a new layout calculation engine. This new engine improves layout accuracy, increases render and scroll performance, and enhances PDF export and printing capabilities.
  • To revert to the legacy layout engine, activate the SpreadsheetCompatibilityOption.EnableLegacyLayoutEngine option.
• Excel 2016 Charts (CTP)
  • The WPF Spreadsheet control now supports the following Excel 2016 chart types:
    • Box and Whisker.
    • Funnel.
    • Histogram.
    • Waterfall.
    • Pareto.
  • The comprehensive Spreadsheet API allows you to create and edit Excel 2016 charts as needed. The WPF Spreadsheet control can open, print, and export (to PDF) existing workbooks with Excel 2016 charts.
• Rich Text Support
  • The WPF Spreadsheet control can now display rich text within worksheet cells. Documents with rich text can be printed and exported to PDF. This capability is only available if the new layout calculation engine is used.
• Print/Export Rich Text Headers and Footers
  • You can now print and export (to PDF) a spreadsheet that contain headers and footers with rich text and inline pictures. This capability is only available if the new layout calculation engine is used.

Themes

• Performance Enhancements
  • The new PreloadThemeResourceAsync method initializes theme resources and runs static constructors for DevExpress controls in the background. When called at startup, this method reduces loading time for all subsequent forms opened by a user.
  • The 'PreloadThemeResourceAsync' method is especially effective when you cannot use NGen.exe or other means to generate native images for DevExpress assemblies.
• Windows 10 Light Theme and Win10 Palette
  • This release includes a new Win10Light theme inspired by Windows 10.
  • You can use the new Win10Palette and create a custom theme based on the Win10Light theme. This custom theme automatically updates its colors after each change to an accent color in Windows.
• VS2019 Palettes
  • This release includes new predefined palettes for VS2019 themes.
  • VS2019Blue Theme
    • Latte.
    • Navy.
  • VS2019Dark Theme
    • BlueberryCake.
    • DeepSea.
    • Dimmed.
    • Sand.
    • Storm.
  • VS2019Light Theme
    • Berberis.
    • Cornflower.
    • EmeraldSea.
    • LightLilac.
    • Loft.