Remove sorting arrow in datagridview header and put the text in the center of the box

Question

I am working on a project which required header text to be in the center, and when click the header it will do the sorting. But the problem is, there is a sorting arrow icon

Answer 1

For aligning column header text at the middle, you can rely on DataGridView properties. But for custom sort icon, you need custom paint.

To set column header text alignment:

• Set Alignment property of the ColumnHeadersDefaultCellStyle to MiddleCenter.

To paint custom sort icon:

• Handle the CellPainting event and check if we are painting the header:

  if (e.RowIndex == -1) //It's header cell
  

• Paint cell background

  e.PaintBackground(e.CellBounds, false);
  

• Paint content foreground (text):

  e.Paint(e.CellBounds, DataGridViewPaintParts.ContentForeground);
  

• Paint custom sort glyph using DrawImage or by drawing a suitable character:

  if (grid.SortedColumn?.Index == e.ColumnIndex)
  {
      var sortIcon = grid.SortOrder == SortOrder.Ascending ? "▲":"▼";
  
      //Just for example I rendered a character, you can draw an image.
      TextRenderer.DrawText(e.Graphics, sortIcon,
          e.CellStyle.Font, e.CellBounds, sortIconColor,
          TextFormatFlags.VerticalCenter | TextFormatFlags.Right);
  }
  

• Stop default paint

  e.Handled = true;
  

Note - Draw Visual Styles Sort Icon

• If you wanted to draw default sort icon:

  e.Paint(e.CellBounds, DataGridViewPaintParts.ContentBackground);
  

• Just as an example, drawing visual style sort icon:

  if (grid.SortedColumn?.Index == e.ColumnIndex)
  {
      var sortIcon = grid.SortOrder == SortOrder.Ascending ?
          VisualStyleElement.Header.SortArrow.SortedUp : 
          VisualStyleElement.Header.SortArrow.SortedDown;
      var renderer = new VisualStyleRenderer(sortIcon);
      var size = renderer.GetPartSize(e.Graphics, ThemeSizeType.Draw);
      renderer.DrawBackground(e.Graphics,
          new Rectangle(e.CellBounds.Right - size.Width,
          e.CellBounds.Top, size.Width, e.CellBounds.Height));
  }