C#: What is the best way to implement a 'filter' mechanism for ListView Items?

Question

C#: What is the best way to implement a 'filter' mechanism for ListView Items?

I want to filter out some listview items from view in 'details' mode where it contains rows and columns. What would be the best option to create such a mechanism where I could rapidly remove the items in question from view, leaving the others intact, and putting them back into the listview when there is no more need to filter out listview items? Should I remove/copy them to a List and just and add them back when done or would there be a better method of doing this more effeciently? The listview will be handeling about 100-500 items.

Answer 1

This behavior is built in to BindingSources using DataSets in .Net 2.0.

For .Net 3.0+, you can use LINQ.

Answer 2

If you are working with a databound control you will have this facility within the binding framework.

If not, I would probably store all the items for the list separately and populate the control in full each time, based on any contextual requirements such as filtering. The code to iterate through the list and move items not required at present is probably unnecessarily complicated. A full repopulate each time will be easier and won't differ much in terms of computational expense.