Using ICustomTypeDescriptor is definitely the good solution when you want dynamic (set at runtime) properties. Here is generic ICustomTypeDescriptor utility class that I’ve been using for this sort of property grid hacking, it’s pretty straightforward to use:
public sealed class DynamicTypeDescriptor: ICustomTypeDescriptor, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private Type _type;
private AttributeCollection _attributes;
private TypeConverter _typeConverter;
private Dictionary<Type, object> _editors;
private EventDescriptor _defaultEvent;
private PropertyDescriptor _defaultProperty;
private EventDescriptorCollection _events;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private DynamicTypeDescriptor()
{
}
public DynamicTypeDescriptor(Type type)
{
if (type == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("type");
_type = type;
_typeConverter = TypeDescriptor.GetConverter(type);
_defaultEvent = TypeDescriptor.GetDefaultEvent(type);
_defaultProperty = TypeDescriptor.GetDefaultProperty(type);
_events = TypeDescriptor.GetEvents(type);
List<PropertyDescriptor> normalProperties = new List<PropertyDescriptor>();
OriginalProperties = TypeDescriptor.GetProperties(type);
foreach (PropertyDescriptor property in OriginalProperties)
{
if (!property.IsBrowsable)
continue;
normalProperties.Add(property);
}
Properties = new PropertyDescriptorCollection(normalProperties.ToArray());
_attributes = TypeDescriptor.GetAttributes(type);
_editors = new Dictionary<Type, object>();
object editor = TypeDescriptor.GetEditor(type, typeof(UITypeEditor));
if (editor != null)
{
_editors.Add(typeof(UITypeEditor), editor);
}
editor = TypeDescriptor.GetEditor(type, typeof(ComponentEditor));
if (editor != null)
{
_editors.Add(typeof(ComponentEditor), editor);
}
editor = TypeDescriptor.GetEditor(type, typeof(InstanceCreationEditor));
if (editor != null)
{
_editors.Add(typeof(InstanceCreationEditor), editor);
}
}
public T GetPropertyValue<T>(string name, T defaultValue)
{
if (name == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("name");
foreach (PropertyDescriptor pd in Properties)
{
if (pd.Name == name)
{
try
{
return (T)Convert.ChangeType(pd.GetValue(Component), typeof(T));
}
catch
{
return defaultValue;
}
}
}
return defaultValue;
}
public void SetPropertyValue(string name, object value)
{
if (name == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("name");
foreach (PropertyDescriptor pd in Properties)
{
if (pd.Name == name)
{
pd.SetValue(Component, value);
break;
}
}
}
internal void OnValueChanged(PropertyDescriptor prop)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(prop.Name));
}
}
internal static T GetAttribute<T>(AttributeCollection attributes) where T : Attribute
{
if (attributes == null)
return null;
foreach (Attribute att in attributes)
{
if (typeof(T).IsAssignableFrom(att.GetType()))
return (T)att;
}
return null;
}
public sealed class DynamicProperty: PropertyDescriptor, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private readonly Type _type;
private readonly bool _hasDefaultValue;
private readonly object _defaultValue;
private readonly PropertyDescriptor _existing;
private readonly DynamicTypeDescriptor _descriptor;
private Dictionary<Type, object> _editors;
private bool? _readOnly;
private bool? _browsable;
private string _displayName;
private string _description;
private string _category;
private List<Attribute> _attributes = new List<Attribute>();
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
internal DynamicProperty(DynamicTypeDescriptor descriptor, Type type, object value, string name, Attribute[] attrs)
: base(name, attrs)
{
_descriptor = descriptor;
_type = type;
Value = value;
DefaultValueAttribute def = DynamicTypeDescriptor.GetAttribute<DefaultValueAttribute>(Attributes);
if (def == null)
{
_hasDefaultValue = false;
}
else
{
_hasDefaultValue = true;
_defaultValue = def.Value;
}
if (attrs != null)
{
foreach (Attribute att in attrs)
{
_attributes.Add(att);
}
}
}
internal static Attribute[] GetAttributes(PropertyDescriptor existing)
{
List<Attribute> atts = new List<Attribute>();
foreach (Attribute a in existing.Attributes)
{
atts.Add(a);
}
return atts.ToArray();
}
internal DynamicProperty(DynamicTypeDescriptor descriptor, PropertyDescriptor existing, object component)
: this(descriptor, existing.PropertyType, existing.GetValue(component), existing.Name, GetAttributes(existing))
{
_existing = existing;
}
public void RemoveAttributesOfType<T>() where T : Attribute
{
List<Attribute> remove = new List<Attribute>();
foreach (Attribute att in _attributes)
{
if (typeof(T).IsAssignableFrom(att.GetType()))
{
remove.Add(att);
}
}
foreach (Attribute att in remove)
{
_attributes.Remove(att);
}
}
public IList<Attribute> AttributesList
{
get
{
return _attributes;
}
}
public override AttributeCollection Attributes
{
get
{
return new AttributeCollection(_attributes.ToArray());
}
}
public object Value { get; set; }
public override bool CanResetValue(object component)
{
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.CanResetValue(component);
return _hasDefaultValue;
}
public override Type ComponentType
{
get
{
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.ComponentType;
return typeof(object);
}
}
public override object GetValue(object component)
{
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.GetValue(component);
return Value;
}
public override string Category
{
get
{
if (_category != null)
return _category;
return base.Category;
}
}
public void SetCategory(string category)
{
_category = category;
}
public override string Description
{
get
{
if (_description != null)
return _description;
return base.Description;
}
}
public void SetDescription(string description)
{
_description = description;
}
public override string DisplayName
{
get
{
if (_displayName != null)
return _displayName;
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.DisplayName;
return base.DisplayName;
}
}
public void SetDisplayName(string displayName)
{
_displayName = displayName;
}
public override bool IsBrowsable
{
get
{
if (_browsable.HasValue)
return _browsable.Value;
return base.IsBrowsable;
}
}
public void SetBrowsable(bool browsable)
{
_browsable = browsable;
}
public override bool IsReadOnly
{
get
{
if (_readOnly.HasValue)
return _readOnly.Value;
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.IsReadOnly;
ReadOnlyAttribute att = DynamicTypeDescriptor.GetAttribute<ReadOnlyAttribute>(Attributes);
if (att == null)
return false;
return att.IsReadOnly;
}
}
public void SetIsReadOnly(bool readOnly)
{
_readOnly = readOnly;
}
public override Type PropertyType
{
get
{
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.PropertyType;
return _type;
}
}
public override void ResetValue(object component)
{
if (_existing != null)
{
_existing.ResetValue(component);
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(Name));
}
_descriptor.OnValueChanged(this);
return;
}
if (CanResetValue(component))
{
Value = _defaultValue;
_descriptor.OnValueChanged(this);
}
}
public override void SetValue(object component, object value)
{
if (_existing != null)
{
_existing.SetValue(component, value);
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(Name));
}
_descriptor.OnValueChanged(this);
return;
}
Value = value;
_descriptor.OnValueChanged(this);
}
public override bool ShouldSerializeValue(object component)
{
if (_existing != null)
return _existing.ShouldSerializeValue(component);
return false;
}
public override object GetEditor(Type editorBaseType)
{
if (editorBaseType == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("editorBaseType");
if (_editors != null)
{
object type;
if ((_editors.TryGetValue(editorBaseType, out type)) && (type != null))
return type;
}
return base.GetEditor(editorBaseType);
}
public void SetEditor(Type editorBaseType, object obj)
{
if (editorBaseType == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("editorBaseType");
if (_editors == null)
{
if (obj == null)
return;
_editors = new Dictionary<Type, object>();
}
if (obj == null)
{
_editors.Remove(editorBaseType);
}
else
{
_editors[editorBaseType] = obj;
}
}
}
public PropertyDescriptor AddProperty(Type type, string name, object value, string displayName, string description, string category, bool hasDefaultValue, object defaultValue, bool readOnly)
{
return AddProperty(type, name, value, displayName, description, category, hasDefaultValue, defaultValue, readOnly, null);
}
public PropertyDescriptor AddProperty(
Type type,
string name,
object value,
string displayName,
string description,
string category,
bool hasDefaultValue,
object defaultValue,
bool readOnly,
Type uiTypeEditor)
{
if (type == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("type");
if (name == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("name");
List<Attribute> atts = new List<Attribute>();
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(displayName))
{
atts.Add(new DisplayNameAttribute(displayName));
}
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(description))
{
atts.Add(new DescriptionAttribute(description));
}
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(category))
{
atts.Add(new CategoryAttribute(category));
}
if (hasDefaultValue)
{
atts.Add(new DefaultValueAttribute(defaultValue));
}
if (uiTypeEditor != null)
{
atts.Add(new EditorAttribute(uiTypeEditor, typeof(UITypeEditor)));
}
if (readOnly)
{
atts.Add(new ReadOnlyAttribute(true));
}
DynamicProperty property = new DynamicProperty(this, type, value, name, atts.ToArray());
AddProperty(property);
return property;
}
public void RemoveProperty(string name)
{
if (name == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("name");
List<PropertyDescriptor> remove = new List<PropertyDescriptor>();
foreach (PropertyDescriptor pd in Properties)
{
if (pd.Name == name)
{
remove.Add(pd);
}
}
foreach (PropertyDescriptor pd in remove)
{
Properties.Remove(pd);
}
}
public void AddProperty(PropertyDescriptor property)
{
if (property == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("property");
Properties.Add(property);
}
public override string ToString()
{
return base.ToString() + " (" + Component + ")";
}
public PropertyDescriptorCollection OriginalProperties { get; private set; }
public PropertyDescriptorCollection Properties { get; private set; }
public DynamicTypeDescriptor FromComponent(object component)
{
if (component == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("component");
if (!_type.IsAssignableFrom(component.GetType()))
throw new ArgumentException(null, "component");
DynamicTypeDescriptor desc = new DynamicTypeDescriptor();
desc._type = _type;
desc.Component = component;
// shallow copy on purpose
desc._typeConverter = _typeConverter;
desc._editors = _editors;
desc._defaultEvent = _defaultEvent;
desc._defaultProperty = _defaultProperty;
desc._attributes = _attributes;
desc._events = _events;
desc.OriginalProperties = OriginalProperties;
// track values
List<PropertyDescriptor> properties = new List<PropertyDescriptor>();
foreach (PropertyDescriptor pd in Properties)
{
DynamicProperty ap = new DynamicProperty(desc, pd, component);
properties.Add(ap);
}
desc.Properties = new PropertyDescriptorCollection(properties.ToArray());
return desc;
}
public object Component { get; private set; }
public string ClassName { get; set; }
public string ComponentName { get; set; }
AttributeCollection ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetAttributes()
{
return _attributes;
}
string ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetClassName()
{
if (ClassName != null)
return ClassName;
if (Component != null)
return Component.GetType().Name;
if (_type != null)
return _type.Name;
return null;
}
string ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetComponentName()
{
if (ComponentName != null)
return ComponentName;
return Component != null ? Component.ToString() : null;
}
TypeConverter ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetConverter()
{
return _typeConverter;
}
EventDescriptor ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetDefaultEvent()
{
return _defaultEvent;
}
PropertyDescriptor ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetDefaultProperty()
{
return _defaultProperty;
}
object ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetEditor(Type editorBaseType)
{
object editor;
if (_editors.TryGetValue(editorBaseType, out editor))
return editor;
return null;
}
EventDescriptorCollection ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetEvents(Attribute[] attributes)
{
return _events;
}
EventDescriptorCollection ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetEvents()
{
return _events;
}
PropertyDescriptorCollection ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetProperties(Attribute[] attributes)
{
return Properties;
}
PropertyDescriptorCollection ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetProperties()
{
return Properties;
}
object ICustomTypeDescriptor.GetPropertyOwner(PropertyDescriptor pd)
{
return Component;
}
}