How do I dynamically generate columns in a WPF DataGrid?

Question

I am attempting to display the results of a query in a WPF datagrid. The ItemsSource type I am binding to is IEnumerable. As the fields returned

Answer 1

Although there is an accepted answer by the OP, it uses AutoGenerateColumns="False" which is not exactly what the original question asked for. Fortunately, it can be solved with auto-generated columns as well. The key to the solution is the DynamicObject that can have both static and dynamic properties:

public class MyObject : DynamicObject, ICustomTypeDescriptor {
  // The object can have "normal", usual properties if you need them:
  public string Property1 { get; set; }
  public int Property2 { get; set; }

  public MyObject() {
  }

  public override IEnumerable GetDynamicMemberNames() {
    // in addition to the "normal" properties above,
    // the object can have some dynamically generated properties
    // whose list we return here:
    return list_of_dynamic_property_names;
  }

  public override bool TryGetMember(GetMemberBinder binder, out object result) {
    // for each dynamic property, we need to look up the actual value when asked:
    if () {
      result = 
      return true;
    }
    else {
      result = null;
      return false;
    }
  }

  public override bool TrySetMember(SetMemberBinder binder, object value) {
    // for each dynamic property, we need to store the actual value when asked:
    if () {
       = value;
      return true;
    }
    else
      return false;
  }

  public PropertyDescriptorCollection GetProperties() {
    // This is where we assemble *all* properties:
    var collection = new List();
    // here, we list all "standard" properties first:
    foreach (PropertyDescriptor property in TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(this, true))
      collection.Add(property);
    // and dynamic ones second:
    foreach (string name in GetDynamicMemberNames())
      collection.Add(new CustomPropertyDescriptor(name, typeof(property_type), typeof(MyObject)));
    return new PropertyDescriptorCollection(collection.ToArray());
  }

  public PropertyDescriptorCollection GetProperties(Attribute[] attributes) => TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(this, attributes, true);
  public AttributeCollection GetAttributes() => TypeDescriptor.GetAttributes(this, true);
  public string GetClassName() => TypeDescriptor.GetClassName(this, true);
  public string GetComponentName() => TypeDescriptor.GetComponentName(this, true);
  public TypeConverter GetConverter() => TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(this, true);
  public EventDescriptor GetDefaultEvent() => TypeDescriptor.GetDefaultEvent(this, true);
  public PropertyDescriptor GetDefaultProperty() => TypeDescriptor.GetDefaultProperty(this, true);
  public object GetEditor(Type editorBaseType) => TypeDescriptor.GetEditor(this, editorBaseType, true);
  public EventDescriptorCollection GetEvents() => TypeDescriptor.GetEvents(this, true);
  public EventDescriptorCollection GetEvents(Attribute[] attributes) => TypeDescriptor.GetEvents(this, attributes, true);
  public object GetPropertyOwner(PropertyDescriptor pd) => this;
}

For the ICustomTypeDescriptor implementation, you can mostly use the static functions of TypeDescriptor in a trivial manner. GetProperties() is the one that requires real implementation: reading the existing properties and adding your dynamic ones.

As PropertyDescriptor is abstract, you have to inherit it:

public class CustomPropertyDescriptor : PropertyDescriptor {
  private Type componentType;

  public CustomPropertyDescriptor(string propertyName, Type componentType)
    : base(propertyName, new Attribute[] { }) {
    this.componentType = componentType;
  }

  public CustomPropertyDescriptor(string propertyName, Type componentType, Attribute[] attrs)
    : base(propertyName, attrs) {
    this.componentType = componentType;
  }

  public override bool IsReadOnly => false;

  public override Type ComponentType => componentType;
  public override Type PropertyType => typeof(property_type);

  public override bool CanResetValue(object component) => true;
  public override void ResetValue(object component) => SetValue(component, null);

  public override bool ShouldSerializeValue(object component) => true;

  public override object GetValue(object component) {
    return ...;
  }

  public override void SetValue(object component, object value) {
    ...
  }