C# winforms combobox dynamic autocomplete

Question

My problem is similar to this one: How can I dynamically change auto complete entries in a C# combobox or textbox? But I still don't find solution.

The problem briefly:

I have an ComboBox and a large number of records to show in it. When user starts typing I want to load records that starts with input text and offer the user for autocomplete. As described in the topic above I can't load them on сomboBox_TextChanged because I always overwrite the previous results and never see them.

Can I implement this using only ComboBox? (not TextBox or ListBox)

I use this settings:

сomboBox.AutoCompleteMode = AutoCompleteMode.SuggestAppend;
сomboBox.AutoCompleteSource = AutoCompleteSource.CustomSource;

Answer 1

I also came across these kinds of requirements recently. I set the below properties without writing the code and it works. See if this helps you.

Answer 2

Here is my final solution. It works fine with a large amount of data. I use Timer to make sure the user want find current value. It looks like complex but it doesn't. Thanks to Max Lambertini for the idea.

        private bool _canUpdate = true; 

        private bool _needUpdate = false;       

        //If text has been changed then start timer
        //If the user doesn't change text while the timer runs then start search
        private void combobox1_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (_needUpdate)
            {
                if (_canUpdate)
                {
                    _canUpdate = false;
                    UpdateData();                   
                }
                else
                {
                    RestartTimer();
                }
            }
        }

        private void UpdateData()
        {
            if (combobox1.Text.Length > 1)
            {
                List<string> searchData = Search.GetData(combobox1.Text);
                HandleTextChanged(searchData);
            }
        }       

        //If an item was selected don't start new search
        private void combobox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            _needUpdate = false;
        }

        //Update data only when the user (not program) change something
        private void combobox1_TextUpdate(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            _needUpdate = true;
        }

        //While timer is running don't start search
        //timer1.Interval = 1500;
        private void RestartTimer()
        {
            timer1.Stop();
            _canUpdate = false;
            timer1.Start();
        }

        //Update data when timer stops
        private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            _canUpdate = true;
            timer1.Stop();
            UpdateData();
        }

        //Update combobox with new data
        private void HandleTextChanged(List<string> dataSource)
        {
            var text = combobox1.Text;

            if (dataSource.Count() > 0)
            {
                combobox1.DataSource = dataSource;  

                var sText = combobox1.Items[0].ToString();
                combobox1.SelectionStart = text.Length;
                combobox1.SelectionLength = sText.Length - text.Length;
                combobox1.DroppedDown = true;


                return;
            }
            else
            {
                combobox1.DroppedDown = false;
                combobox1.SelectionStart = text.Length;
            }
        }

This solution isn't very cool. So if someone has another solution please share it with me.

Answer 3

Yes, you surely can... but it needs some work to make it work seamlessly. This is some code I came up with. Bear in mind that it does not use combobox's auto-complete features, and it might be quite slow if you use it to sift thru a lot of items...

string[] data = new string[] {
    "Absecon","Abstracta","Abundantia","Academia","Acadiau","Acamas",
    "Ackerman","Ackley","Ackworth","Acomita","Aconcagua","Acton","Acushnet",
    "Acworth","Ada","Ada","Adair","Adairs","Adair","Adak","Adalberta","Adamkrafft",
    "Adams"

};
public Form1()
{
    InitializeComponent();
}

private void comboBox1_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    HandleTextChanged();
}

private void HandleTextChanged()
{
    var txt = comboBox1.Text;
    var list = from d in data
               where d.ToUpper().StartsWith(comboBox1.Text.ToUpper())
               select d;
    if (list.Count() > 0)
    {
        comboBox1.DataSource = list.ToList();
        //comboBox1.SelectedIndex = 0;
        var sText = comboBox1.Items[0].ToString();
        comboBox1.SelectionStart = txt.Length;
        comboBox1.SelectionLength = sText.Length - txt.Length;
        comboBox1.DroppedDown = true;
        return;
    }
    else
    {
        comboBox1.DroppedDown = false;
        comboBox1.SelectionStart = txt.Length;
    }
}

private void comboBox1_KeyUp(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Back)
    {
        int sStart = comboBox1.SelectionStart;
        if (sStart > 0)
        {
            sStart--;
            if (sStart == 0)
            {
                comboBox1.Text = "";
            }
            else
            {
                comboBox1.Text = comboBox1.Text.Substring(0, sStart);
            }
        }
        e.Handled = true;
    }
}

Answer 4

I wrote something like this ....

private void frmMain_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    cboFromCurrency.Items.Clear();
    cboComboBox1.AutoCompleteMode = AutoCompleteMode.Suggest;
    cboComboBox1.AutoCompleteSource = AutoCompleteSource.ListItems;
    // Load data in comboBox => cboComboBox1.DataSource = .....
    // Other things
}

private void cboComboBox1_KeyPress(object sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
{
    cboComboBox1.DroppedDown = false;
}

That's all (Y)

Answer 5

I've found Max Lambertini's answer very helpful, but have modified his HandleTextChanged method as such:

    //I like min length set to 3, to not give too many options 
    //after the first character or two the user types
    public Int32 AutoCompleteMinLength {get; set;}

    private void HandleTextChanged() {
        var txt = comboBox.Text;
        if (txt.Length < AutoCompleteMinLength)
            return;

        //The GetMatches method can be whatever you need to filter 
        //table rows or some other data source based on the typed text.
        var matches = GetMatches(comboBox.Text.ToUpper());

        if (matches.Count() > 0) {
            //The inside of this if block has been changed to allow
            //users to continue typing after the auto-complete results
            //are found.
            comboBox.Items.Clear();
            comboBox.Items.AddRange(matches);
            comboBox.DroppedDown = true;
            Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
            comboBox.Select(txt.Length, 0);
            return;
        }
        else {
            comboBox.DroppedDown = false;
            comboBox.SelectionStart = txt.Length;
        }
    }

Answer 6

This code is write on your form load. It display all the Tour in database when user type letter in combo box. This code automatically suggest and append the right choice as user want.

            con.Open();
            cmd = new SqlCommand("SELECT DISTINCT Tour FROM DetailsTB", con);
            SqlDataReader sdr = cmd.ExecuteReader();
            DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            dt.Load(sdr);
            combo_search2.DisplayMember = "Tour";
            combo_search2.DroppedDown = true;

            List<string> list = new List<string>();
            foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)
            {
                list.Add(row.Field<string>("Tour"));
            }
            this.combo_search2.Items.AddRange(list.ToArray<string>());
            combo_search2.AutoCompleteMode = AutoCompleteMode.SuggestAppend;
            combo_search2.AutoCompleteSource = AutoCompleteSource.ListItems;
            con.Close();

Answer 7

In previous replies are drawbacks. Offers its own version with the selection in the drop down list the desired item:

    private ConnectSqlForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        cmbDatabases.TextChanged += UpdateAutoCompleteComboBox;
        cmbDatabases.KeyDown += AutoCompleteComboBoxKeyPress;
    }

    private void UpdateAutoCompleteComboBox(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        var comboBox = sender as ComboBox;
        if(comboBox == null)
        return;
        string txt = comboBox.Text;
        string foundItem = String.Empty;
        foreach(string item in comboBox.Items)
            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(txt) && item.ToLower().StartsWith(txt.ToLower()))
            {
                foundItem = item;
                break;
            }

        if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(foundItem))
        {
            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(txt) || !txt.Equals(foundItem))
            {
                comboBox.TextChanged -= UpdateAutoCompleteComboBox;
                comboBox.Text = foundItem;
                comboBox.DroppedDown = true;
                Cursor.Current = Cursors.Default;
                comboBox.TextChanged += UpdateAutoCompleteComboBox;
            }

            comboBox.SelectionStart = txt.Length;
            comboBox.SelectionLength = foundItem.Length - txt.Length;
        }
        else
            comboBox.DroppedDown = false;
    }

    private void AutoCompleteComboBoxKeyPress(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
    {
        var comboBox = sender as ComboBox;
        if (comboBox != null && comboBox.DroppedDown)
        {
            switch (e.KeyCode)
            {
                case Keys.Back:
                    int sStart = comboBox.SelectionStart;
                    if (sStart > 0)
                    {
                        sStart--;
                        comboBox.Text = sStart == 0 ? "" : comboBox.Text.Substring(0, sStart);
                    }
                    e.SuppressKeyPress = true;
                    break;
            }

        }
    }

Answer 8

 using (var client = new UserServicesClient())
 {
     var list = new AutoCompleteStringCollection();
     list.AddRange(client.ListNames(query).ToArray());
     comboBoxName.AutoCompleteCustomSource = list;
 }

Answer 9

This was a major pain to get working. I hit a bunch of dead ends, but the final result is reasonably straight forward. Hopefully it can be of benefit to someone. It may need a little spit and polish that's all.

Note: _addressFinder.CompleteAsync returns a list of KeyValuePairs.

public partial class MyForm : Form
{
    private readonly AddressFinder _addressFinder;
    private readonly AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventHandler _addressSuggestionsUpdated;

    private delegate void AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventHandler(object sender, AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs e);

    public MyForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        _addressFinder = new AddressFinder(new AddressFinderConfigurationProvider());

        _addressSuggestionsUpdated += AddressSuggestions_Updated;

        MyComboBox.DropDownStyle = ComboBoxStyle.DropDown;
        MyComboBox.DisplayMember = "Value";
        MyComboBox.ValueMember = "Key";
    }

    private void MyComboBox_KeyPress(object sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
    {
        if (char.IsControl(e.KeyChar))
        {
            return;
        }

        var searchString = ThreadingHelpers.GetText(MyComboBox);

        if (searchString.Length > 1)
        {
            Task.Run(() => GetAddressSuggestions(searchString));
        }
    }

    private async Task GetAddressSuggestions(string searchString)
    {
        var addressSuggestions = await _addressFinder.CompleteAsync(searchString).ConfigureAwait(false);

        if (_addressSuggestionsUpdated.IsNotNull())
        {
            _addressSuggestionsUpdated.Invoke(this, new AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs(addressSuggestions));
        }
    }

    private void AddressSuggestions_Updated(object sender, AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs eventArgs)
    {
        try
        {
            ThreadingHelpers.BeginUpdate(MyComboBox);

            var text = ThreadingHelpers.GetText(MyComboBox);

            ThreadingHelpers.ClearItems(MyComboBox);

            foreach (var addressSuggestions in eventArgs.AddressSuggestions)
            {
                ThreadingHelpers.AddItem(MyComboBox, addressSuggestions);
            }

            ThreadingHelpers.SetDroppedDown(MyComboBox, true);

            ThreadingHelpers.ClearSelection(MyComboBox);
            ThreadingHelpers.SetText(MyComboBox, text);
            ThreadingHelpers.SetSelectionStart(MyComboBox, text.Length);
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(ex);
        }
        finally
        {
            ThreadingHelpers.EndUpdate(MyComboBox);
        }
    }

    private class AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs : EventArgs
    {
        public IList<KeyValuePair<string, string>> AddressSuggestions { get; private set; }

        public AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs(IList<KeyValuePair<string, string>> addressSuggestions)
        {
            AddressSuggestions = addressSuggestions;
        }
    }
}

ThreadingHelpers is just a set of static methods of the form:

    public static string GetText(ComboBox comboBox)
    {
        if (comboBox.InvokeRequired)
        {
            return (string)comboBox.Invoke(new Func<string>(() => GetText(comboBox)));
        }

        lock (comboBox)
        {
            return comboBox.Text;
        }
    }

    public static void SetText(ComboBox comboBox, string text)
    {
        if (comboBox.InvokeRequired)
        {
            comboBox.Invoke(new Action(() => SetText(comboBox, text)));
            return;
        }

        lock (comboBox)
        {
            comboBox.Text = text;
        }
    }

Answer 10

Take 2. My answer below didn't get me all the way to the desired result, but it may still be useful to somebody. The auto-select feature of the ComboBox was causing me major pain. This one uses a TextBox sitting over the top of a ComboBox, allowing me to ignore whatever appears in the ComboBox itself and just respond to the selection changed event.

1. Create Form
2. Add ComboBox
   • Set desired size and location
   • Set DropDownStyle to DropDown
   • Set TabStop to false
   • Set DisplayMember to Value (I'm using a list of KeyValuePairs)
   • Set ValueMember to Key
3. Add Panel
   • Set to same size as ComboBox
   • Cover ComboBox with the Panel (This accounts for the standard ComboBox being taller than the standard TextBox)
4. Add TextBox
   • Place TextBox over the top of the Panel
   • Align bottom of the TextBox with the bottom of Panel/ComboBox

Code behind

public partial class TestForm : Form
{
    // Custom class for managing calls to an external address finder service
    private readonly AddressFinder _addressFinder;

    // Events for handling async calls to address finder service
    private readonly AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventHandler _addressSuggestionsUpdated;
    private delegate void AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventHandler(object sender, AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs e);

    public TestForm()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        _addressFinder = new AddressFinder(new AddressFinderConfigurationProvider());
        _addressSuggestionsUpdated += AddressSuggestions_Updated;
    }

    private void textBox1_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, PreviewKeyDownEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Tab)
        {
            comboBox1_SelectionChangeCommitted(sender, e);
            comboBox1.DroppedDown = false;
        }
    }

    private void textBox1_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Up)
        {
            if (comboBox1.Items.Count > 0)
            {
                if (comboBox1.SelectedIndex > 0)
                {
                    comboBox1.SelectedIndex--;
                }
            }

            e.Handled = true;
        }
        else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Down)
        {
            if (comboBox1.Items.Count > 0)
            {
                if (comboBox1.SelectedIndex < comboBox1.Items.Count - 1)
                {
                    comboBox1.SelectedIndex++;
                }
            }

            e.Handled = true;
        }
        else if (e.KeyCode == Keys.Enter)
        {
            comboBox1_SelectionChangeCommitted(sender, e);
            comboBox1.DroppedDown = false;

            textBox1.SelectionStart = textBox1.TextLength;

            e.Handled = true;
        }
    }

    private void textBox1_KeyPress(object sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.KeyChar == '\r')  // Enter key
        {
            e.Handled = true;
            return;
        }

        if (char.IsControl(e.KeyChar) && e.KeyChar != '\b') // Backspace key
        {
            return;
        }

        if (textBox1.Text.Length > 1)
        {
            Task.Run(() => GetAddressSuggestions(textBox1.Text));
        }
    }

    private void comboBox1_SelectionChangeCommitted(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (comboBox1.Items.Count > 0 &&
            comboBox1.SelectedItem.IsNotNull() &&
            comboBox1.SelectedItem is KeyValuePair<string, string>)
        {
            var selectedItem = (KeyValuePair<string, string>)comboBox1.SelectedItem;

            textBox1.Text = selectedItem.Value;

            // Do Work with selectedItem
        }
    }

    private async Task GetAddressSuggestions(string searchString)
    {
        var addressSuggestions = await _addressFinder.CompleteAsync(searchString).ConfigureAwait(false);

        if (_addressSuggestionsUpdated.IsNotNull())
        {
            _addressSuggestionsUpdated.Invoke(this, new AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs(addressSuggestions));
        }
    }

    private void AddressSuggestions_Updated(object sender, AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs eventArgs)
    {
        try
        {
            ThreadingHelper.BeginUpdate(comboBox1);

            ThreadingHelper.ClearItems(comboBox1);

            if (eventArgs.AddressSuggestions.Count > 0)
            {
                foreach (var addressSuggestion in eventArgs.AddressSuggestions)
                {
                    var item = new KeyValuePair<string, string>(addressSuggestion.Key, addressSuggestion.Value.ToUpper());
                    ThreadingHelper.AddItem(comboBox1, item);
                }

                ThreadingHelper.SetDroppedDown(comboBox1, true);
                ThreadingHelper.SetVisible(comboBox1, true);
            }
            else
            {
                ThreadingHelper.SetDroppedDown(comboBox1, false);
            }
        }
        finally
        {
            ThreadingHelper.EndUpdate(comboBox1);
        }
    }

    private class AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs : EventArgs
    {
        public IList<KeyValuePair<string, string>> AddressSuggestions { get; }

        public AddressSuggestionsUpdatedEventArgs(IList<KeyValuePair<string, string>> addressSuggestions)
        {
            AddressSuggestions = addressSuggestions;
        }
    }
}

You may or may not have issues with setting the DroppedDown property of the ComboBox. I eventually just wrapped it up in a try block with an empty catch block. Not a great solution, but it works.

Please see my other answer below for info on ThreadingHelpers.

Enjoy.