How to allow users hide columns in dataGridView?

Question

I have a WinForms application with a dataGridView which has 26 columns and is filled with data from a database. How can I allow users to hide the columns they don't want to see and show them again later? I know how to do it programmatically, but the question is how should the user do it. Here are my bad ideas:

A list of checkboxes with each column to be clicked there - this is bad because the list would be too long and won't fit inside the form.
A checkbox over each header, but I don't know how to make these checkboxes "stick" and horizontally scroll with the headers.
Clicking on a header - this works well for hiding, but there is no way to show this column again.

So what would be the solution here?

One more bad one is to create a ContextMenuStrip that includes ToolStripMenuItem for each column. Check to show, UnCheck to hide. — user10216583
– user10216583, Commented Jan 29, 2020 at 13:21
@JQSOFT: Agree with you, that's what e.g. Windows Explorer does on the right pane. And Windows users are familiar with that procedure. — KBO
– KBO, Commented Jan 29, 2020 at 13:31
@JQSOFT Why is that a bad one? Many applications that allow to show/hide columns use something similar, Explorer included. -- Besides the previous solution (which you can easily adopt), you can also show/hide a CheckedListBox, using an option Button, maybe in an ad hoc configuration panel, if you plan on providing more options to configure the DGV layout/appearance. — Jimi
– Jimi, Commented Jan 29, 2020 at 13:31
@JQSOFT that sounds like an elegant improvement on my #1 idea, I like it — TK-421
– TK-421, Commented Jan 29, 2020 at 13:36

TK-421 · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-30 10:04:03Z

The best solution is to hide the columns after double-clicking the header and adding hidden columns to a popup menu. The popup menu contains only the hidden columns, so it is not too long. Clicking on a popup menu item removes it from the menu and shows the column.

Code:

private void DataGridView1_CellDoubleClick(object sender, DataGridViewCellEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.RowIndex < 0)
            {
                string column = dataGridView1.Columns[e.ColumnIndex].Name;
                dataGridView1.Columns[column].Visible = false;
                contextMenuStrip1.Items.Add(column);
            }
        }

private void contextMenuStrip1_ItemClicked(object sender, ToolStripItemClickedEventArgs e)
        {
            var menuText = e.ClickedItem.Text;
            dataGridView1.Columns[menuText].Visible = true;
            contextMenuStrip1.Items.Remove(e.ClickedItem);
        }

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