WPF DataGridComboBoxColumn Edit on Key press - wpf

Question

I have a datagrid with a DataGridComboBoxColumn in it.
I want my users to be able to enter edit mode by just typing.
This is the default behavior for DataGridTextColumn and I don't like that they have to press F2 in order to enable editing for just this column type.
How can I make the DataGridComboBoxColumn enter edit mode without them needing to press F2? Ideally on Key Press, but I would be fine if it entered edit mode on focus as well.
Solution
Modifications to the accepted answer that bring back the basic functionality of the datagrid:
void Cell_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
if(e.Key == Key.Enter || e.Key == Key.Tab)
{
dgBins.CommitEdit();
dgBins.SelectedIndex += 1;
}else if(e.Key.ToString().Length == 1
|| (e.Key.ToString().StartsWith("D") && e.Key.ToString().Length == 2)
|| e.Key.ToString().StartsWith("NumPad")
|| e.Key == Key.Delete
|| e.Key == Key.Back )
{
if (e.OriginalSource is DataGridCell)
{
DataGridCell cell = (sender as DataGridCell);
Control elem = FindChild<Control>(cell, null);
elem.Focus();
}
}
}

Answer 1

<DataGrid.CellStyle>
<Style TargetType="DataGridCell">
<EventSetter Event="PreviewKeyDown" Handler="Cell_PreviewKeyDown"/>
<EventSetter Event="GotFocus" Handler="Cell_GotFocus"/>
</Style>
</DataGrid.CellStyle>
Handlers :
void Cell_PreviewKeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
if (e.OriginalSource is DataGridCell)
{
DataGridCell cell = (sender as DataGridCell);
Control elem = FindChild<Control>(cell, null);
elem.Focus();
}
}
void Cell_GotFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
DataGridCell cell = (sender as DataGridCell);
cell.IsEditing = true;
}
Helper :
public static T FindChild<T>(DependencyObject parent, string childName)
where T : DependencyObject
{
// Confirm parent and childName are valid.
if (parent == null) return null;
T foundChild = null;
int childrenCount = VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(parent);
for (int i = 0; i < childrenCount; i++)
{
var child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(parent, i);
// If the child is not of the request child type child
T childType = child as T;
if (childType == null)
{
// recursively drill down the tree
foundChild = FindChild<T>(child, childName);
// If the child is found, break so we do not overwrite the found child.
if (foundChild != null) break;
}
else if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(childName))
{
var frameworkElement = child as FrameworkElement;
// If the child's name is set for search
if (frameworkElement != null && frameworkElement.Name == childName)
{
// if the child's name is of the request name
foundChild = (T)child;
break;
}
}
else
{
// child element found.
foundChild = (T)child;
break;
}
}
return foundChild;
}
If this solves your problem.

Answer 2

You can try to use SelectedCellsChanged event. It works on focus changing.
If you don't want that behaviour on other columns you can check e.AddedCells[0].Column property (if your SelectionUnit="Cell" of DataGrid).
private void dgTest_SelectedCellsChanged( object sender, SelectedCellsChangedEventArgs e )
{
( sender as DataGrid ).BeginEdit();
}

Answer 3

My answer might be a little late but I want to add this, because no given answer was solving the problem for me without breaking normal DataGrid keyboard handling.
The question is simple:
I want my users to be able to enter edit mode by just typing.
So is the solution:
<DataGrid KeyDown="DataGrid_KeyDown">
...
</DataGrid>
With code in code behind xaml.cs:
private void DataGrid_KeyDown(object sender, KeyEventArgs e)
{
DataGrid dg = (sender as DataGrid);
if (dg.CurrentColumn is DataGridComboBoxColumn)
{
dg.BeginEdit();
}
}
Because this already is the normal behavior of TextBoxes I only wanted to apply this to DataGridComboBoxColumn. Of course this will be called on every key press, but a call to 'BeginEdit' does not seem to hurt when the DataGrid already is in edit mode.