Combination or Treeview & ListView - your opinions

[Daisy]

I'm writing a NewsReader (seemed like a decent project to start learning
with), and want threading like in OE.

I've got a treeview and a listview. On Expand/Contract on the listview, I
spin through the nodes checking .IsVisible, and those that are visible, I
take the info I need (posted name / date) out of the .Tag (is there a better
place to put this?), and add them to the listview.

For now, it loops from the top, though it might be possible to just do the
node that was expanded/contracted, and just remove/insert rows to the
listview.

Anyways, just wanted to know if this is an acceptable way, you all know how
many posts might be available in a newsgroup, would this get bogged down
(both as it is now, and if I just analysed the changed node), and are there
any better ways?

Many thanks,

 

[Daisy]

With a list view it's probably not too onerous to do it that way. If the
list is actually a fully-fledged grid (each row corresponding to a tree
node), then in my experience is yes, you do get bogged down, and it is
actually better to draw your own tree inside the grid rather than manage the
interaction between the two controls.

Not saying I'm right, just that's my experience. Took about 2 years
developing one component, but that was very long before .NET.

I've discovered I can't have a row in each selected, and I'm getting closer
to thinking about a custom control, but the whole idea scares me, I've never
had to paint things before... I'm sure it's not going to be as easy as using
things that are there!

I'm not sure if it'd be easier to start with a TreeView and add colums, or
with a ListView and add nesting. Either way, sorting is also going to be an
issue, I'll want to be able to sort on different colums :-\

It can't be such a hard thing to do, Outlook Express does it, I noticed
MusicMatch Jukebox has exactly the same in it's Library, and so many other
apps do it.. I'm disappointed MS haven't release one!