The Wpf GridControl supports various methods of data source binding. One of these methods is binding to data sources that implement IList, IBindingList or IListSource interface via GridControl.ItemsSource property. Objects in the specified collection may be of different types, from simple string[] or object[] data to objects of arbitrary classes, including objects implementing INotifyPropertyChanged interface.

Binding to IList collections enables the grid to create rows during binding. Such collections usually contain a certain number of objects that don’t change during application execution. Usage of these collections reduces memory usage by the application.

Usage of IBindingList and its BindingList(T) implementation enables the grid to receive notifications of changes in these collections and to control its content automatically (including data filtering, sorting and grouping operations).

IListSource is used for simultaneous binding to multiple data sources:

// Enables to combine multiple data sources (Orders and Baskets) at the same hierarchical level
public class MultipleDataSources : IListSource
{
    private readonly IList _sources;

    public MultipleDataSources(IList[] sources)
    {
        _sources = sources;
    }

    public IList GetList()
    {
        return _sources;
    }

    public bool ContainsListCollection
    {
        get { return true; }
    }
}

//Bind the grid to multiple data sources    
public void PopulateGrid(GridControl grid, IBindingList baskets, IBindingList singleOrders)
{
    grid.ItemsSource = new MultipleDataSources(new IList[] {baskets, singleOrders});
}

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