Dynamically add BoundField column from CSV file into ASP.Net GridView using C# and VB.Net

Hi RivickJoe,

Refer below sample.

Database

For this example I have used of Northwind database that you can download using the link given below.

Download Northwind Database

HTML

<asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" AutoGenerateColumns="false">
</asp:GridView><br />
<asp:Button Text="Refresh" runat="server" OnClick="Refresh" />

Namespaces

C#

using System.IO;
using System.Data;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Data.SqlClient;

VB.Net

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Data.SqlClient

Code

C#

protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!this.IsPostBack)
    {
        this.GetData("SELECT TOP 5 CustomerId,ContactName Name,Country FROM Customers");
    }
}

private void GetData(string query)
{
    string csvData = File.ReadAllText(Server.MapPath("~/Files/DataField.csv"));
    int rowIndex = 0;
    foreach (string row in csvData.Split('\n'))
    {
        if (rowIndex > 0)
        {
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(row))
            {
                string[] columns = row.Split(',');
                BoundField bfield = new BoundField();
                bfield.DataField = columns[0];
                bfield.HeaderText = columns[1];
                bfield.ItemStyle.CssClass = columns[2];
                bfield.ItemStyle.Width = Convert.ToInt16(columns[3]);
                GridView1.Columns.Add(bfield);
            }
        }
        rowIndex++;
    }

    string conString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
    using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(conString))
    {
        SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(query, con);
        using (SqlDataAdapter sda = new SqlDataAdapter(cmd))
        {
            using (DataTable dt = new DataTable())
            {
                sda.Fill(dt);
                GridView1.DataSource = dt;
                GridView1.DataBind();
            }
        }
    }
}

protected void Refresh(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    GridView1.Columns.Clear();
    this.GetData("SELECT TOP 5 EmployeeId AS 'CustomerId',Firstname + ' ' + LastName AS 'Name',Country FROM Employees");
}

VB.Net

Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    If Not Me.IsPostBack Then
        Me.GetData("SELECT TOP 5 CustomerId,ContactName Name,Country FROM Customers")
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub GetData(ByVal query As String)
    Dim csvData As String = File.ReadAllText(Server.MapPath("~/Files/DataField.csv"))
    Dim rowIndex As Integer = 0
    For Each row As String In csvData.Split(vbLf)
        If rowIndex > 0 Then
            If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(row) Then
                Dim columns As String() = row.Split(","c)
                Dim bfield As BoundField = New BoundField()
                bfield.DataField = columns(0)
                bfield.HeaderText = columns(1)
                bfield.ItemStyle.CssClass = columns(2)
                bfield.ItemStyle.Width = Convert.ToInt16(columns(3))
                GridView1.Columns.Add(bfield)
            End If
        End If
        rowIndex += 1
    Next

    Dim conString As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
    Using con As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(conString)
        Dim cmd As SqlCommand = New SqlCommand(query, con)
        Using sda As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(cmd)
            Using dt As DataTable = New DataTable()
                sda.Fill(dt)
                GridView1.DataSource = dt
                GridView1.DataBind()
            End Using
        End Using
    End Using
End Sub

Protected Sub Refresh(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    GridView1.Columns.Clear()
    Me.GetData("SELECT TOP 5 EmployeeId AS 'CustomerId',Firstname + ' ' + LastName AS 'Name',Country FROM Employees")
End Sub

Screenshots

The CSV file

The Form