Slow ComboBox Performance

Question

As explained in the following article http://vbcity.com/blogs/xtab/archive/2009/12/15/wpf-using-a-virtualizingstackpanel-to-improve-combobox-performance.aspx, I use the VirtualizingStackPanel to improve the performance of my project's ComboBoxes.

And it works great ... until I apply a style to ComboBox to change the layout (I found the style here : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee230084.aspx)

Here is the source code of a sample which demonstrate the matter (figuring that ItemSource propery of the ComboBox are filled with 10 000 items).

If anyone has an idea ...

    <Window.Resources>

    <!-- Fill Brushes -->
    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="NormalBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#CCC" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="HorizontalNormalBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="1,0">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#CCC" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="LightBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#EEE" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="HorizontalLightBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="1,0">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#EEE" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="DarkBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="PressedBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#BBB" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#EEE" Offset="0.1"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#EEE" Offset="0.9"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#FFF" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="DisabledForegroundBrush" Color="Black" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="DisabledBackgroundBrush" Color="#E5E5E5" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="WindowBackgroundBrush" Color="#FFF" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="SelectedBackgroundBrush" Color="#DDD" />

    <!-- Border Brushes -->
    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="NormalBorderBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="HorizontalNormalBorderBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="1,0">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="DefaultedBorderBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="PressedBorderBrush" StartPoint="0,0" EndPoint="0,1">
        <GradientBrush.GradientStops>
            <GradientStopCollection>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="0.0"/>
                <GradientStop Color="#AAA" Offset="1.0"/>
            </GradientStopCollection>
        </GradientBrush.GradientStops>
    </LinearGradientBrush>

    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="DisabledBorderBrush" Color="#AAA" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="SolidBorderBrush" Color="#888" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="LightBorderBrush" Color="#AAA" />

    <!-- Miscellaneous Brushes -->
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="GlyphBrush" Color="#444" />
    <SolidColorBrush x:Key="LightColorBrush" Color="#DDD" />

    <ControlTemplate x:Key="ComboBoxToggleButton" TargetType="ToggleButton">
        <Grid>
            <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                <ColumnDefinition />
                <ColumnDefinition Width="16" />
            </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
            <Border x:Name="Border" Grid.ColumnSpan="2" CornerRadius="2" Background="{StaticResource NormalBrush}" BorderBrush="{StaticResource NormalBorderBrush}" BorderThickness="1" />
            <Border x:Name="Border2" Grid.Column="0" CornerRadius="2,0,0,2" Margin="1" Background="{StaticResource WindowBackgroundBrush}" BorderBrush="{StaticResource NormalBorderBrush}" BorderThickness="0,0,1,0" />
            <Path x:Name="Arrow" Grid.Column="1" Fill="{StaticResource GlyphBrush}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Data="M 0 0 L 4 4 L 8 0 Z"/>
        </Grid>
        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
            <Trigger Property="ToggleButton.IsMouseOver" Value="true">
                <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource DarkBrush}" />
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="ToggleButton.IsChecked" Value="true">
                <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource PressedBrush}" />
            </Trigger>
            <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
                <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBackgroundBrush}" />
                <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="BorderBrush" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBorderBrush}" />
                <Setter TargetName="Border2" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBackgroundBrush}" />
                <Setter TargetName="Border2" Property="BorderBrush" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBorderBrush}" />
                <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}"/>
                <Setter TargetName="Arrow" Property="Fill" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}" />
            </Trigger>
        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
    </ControlTemplate>

    <ControlTemplate x:Key="ComboBoxTextBox" TargetType="TextBox">
        <Border x:Name="PART_ContentHost" Focusable="False" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" />
    </ControlTemplate>

    <Style x:Key="ComboBoxBaseStyle" TargetType="ComboBox">
        <Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels" Value="true"/>
        <Setter Property="OverridesDefaultStyle" Value="true"/>
        <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.HorizontalScrollBarVisibility" Value="Auto"/>
        <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.VerticalScrollBarVisibility" Value="Auto"/>
        <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.CanContentScroll" Value="true"/>
        <Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="20"/>
        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="ComboBox">
                    <Grid>
                        <ToggleButton Name="ToggleButton" Template="{StaticResource ComboBoxToggleButton}" Grid.Column="2" Focusable="false" IsChecked="{Binding Path=IsDropDownOpen,Mode=TwoWay,RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" ClickMode="Press">
                        </ToggleButton>
                        <ContentPresenter Name="ContentSite" IsHitTestVisible="False" Content="{TemplateBinding SelectionBoxItem}" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding SelectionBoxItemTemplate}" ContentTemplateSelector="{TemplateBinding ItemTemplateSelector}" Margin="3,3,23,3" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Left" />
                        <TextBox x:Name="PART_EditableTextBox" Style="{x:Null}" Template="{StaticResource ComboBoxTextBox}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="3,3,23,3" Focusable="True" Background="Transparent" Visibility="Hidden" IsReadOnly="{TemplateBinding IsReadOnly}"/>
                        <Popup Name="Popup" Placement="Bottom" IsOpen="{TemplateBinding IsDropDownOpen}" AllowsTransparency="True" Focusable="False" PopupAnimation="Slide">
                            <Grid Name="DropDown" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" MinWidth="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}" MaxHeight="{TemplateBinding MaxDropDownHeight}">
                                <Border x:Name="DropDownBorder" Background="{StaticResource WindowBackgroundBrush}" BorderThickness="1" BorderBrush="{StaticResource SolidBorderBrush}"/>
                                <ScrollViewer Margin="4,6,4,6" SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
                                    <StackPanel IsItemsHost="True" KeyboardNavigation.DirectionalNavigation="Contained" />
                                </ScrollViewer>
                            </Grid>
                        </Popup>
                    </Grid>
                    <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                        <Trigger Property="HasItems" Value="false">
                            <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="MinHeight" Value="95"/>
                        </Trigger>
                        <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="false">
                            <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}"/>
                        </Trigger>
                        <Trigger Property="IsGrouping" Value="true">
                            <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.CanContentScroll" Value="false"/>
                        </Trigger>
                        <Trigger SourceName="Popup" Property="Popup.AllowsTransparency" Value="true">
                            <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="CornerRadius" Value="4"/>
                            <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="Margin" Value="0,2,0,0"/>
                        </Trigger>
                        <Trigger Property="IsEditable" Value="true">
                            <Setter Property="IsTabStop" Value="false"/>
                            <Setter TargetName="PART_EditableTextBox" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible"/>
                            <Setter TargetName="ContentSite" Property="Visibility" Value="Hidden"/>
                        </Trigger>
                    </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
        <Style.Triggers>
        </Style.Triggers>
    </Style>

</Window.Resources>

<StackPanel>

    <ComboBox x:Name="CustomerComboBox_WithoutStyle" SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Text" >
        <ComboBox.ItemsPanel>
            <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                <VirtualizingStackPanel />
            </ItemsPanelTemplate>
        </ComboBox.ItemsPanel>
    </ComboBox>

    <ComboBox x:Name="CustomerComboBox_WithStyle" SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Text" Style="{StaticResource ComboBoxBaseStyle}" >
        <ComboBox.ItemsPanel>
            <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                <VirtualizingStackPanel />
            </ItemsPanelTemplate>
        </ComboBox.ItemsPanel>
    </ComboBox>

</StackPanel>

Clunk

having 10000 items in a combox is not very good design. You should consider using a listbox – Musil

Please, read the text carefully. There is no matter of design here. – Clunk

You can (if you want) put 100 000 items in a ComboBox and it will open immediately... UNTIL YOU APPLY A STYLE. So the matter here is the style and only the style. – Clunk

@Sisi: The point was that having that many items, no matter the performance, leads to horrible usability... – Qualified

Answer 1

The problem of your style is that it does not use any kind of UI Virtualization. Try replacing the StackPanel with a VirtualizingStackpanel and set the VirtualizationMode to Recycle and you will see a huge performance boost.

Your approach forces WPF to realize a container and FrameworkElement for each of your 10k items, which takes an eternity as you have only 1 UI thread. Just replace

<StackPanel IsItemsHost="True" KeyboardNavigation.DirectionalNavigation="Contained" />

with

<VirtualizingStackPanel IsItemsHost="True" KeyboardNavigation.DirectionalNavigation="Contained" />

and see if it gets faster.

To be more precise, you override the ItemsPanel in your derived styles, but have no "ItemsPresenter" in the base style. Instead to use the StackPanel "hardcoded"

Strapping

Exactly the kind of the answer I expected. – Clunk

This is perfect. I'm using WPF.Themes, and I had to actually go in and update all of them to use the virtualizing stack panel to get any decent performance. Thanks! – Catrinacatriona

Answer 2

So many items probably is the result of a (UI) design flaw.

Try using a listbox or multiple combo boxes where the first combo box is a category and second is a sub category of the first.

Bauske

The ComboBox contains customers and it's usual to have thousand of customers for a company. Remark that all is OK if I didn't apply any style and use the actual windows theme. – Clunk

it's usual to have thousand of customers for a company - well, it's unusual putting so many choices in a combobox though :) I'm glad I don't have to use this system / UI – Chlamydospore

When having thouisands of customers, and they can not be split in groups, than a search facility would be useful (to a list box). 10K is a lot, however with 3 combo boxes and 100 items per combo box, then you can find them reasonably easily. I always prefer list boxes above combo boxes, except when space is a problem, then combo boxes are ideal. – Bauske

In my case, the screen already contains a lot of information and ListBox is not really possible. The other idea would be to put a disabled TextBox and a button which would open a search form containing a paging ListView. This will probably be something I will do in the future but not now... I was lloking for a technical solution (not a user interface solution, I already thought about it) and Joachim give it to me. – Clunk

Answer 3

having 10000 items in a combox is not very good design. MaxDropDownItems might be able to help you as less rendering is required. (this is the number of visible items shown when clicking the dropdown)

But, you should consider using a listbox. When you apply a listbox you should uses pages and on each page have 1000 records. Or use a search box

Musil

This is WPF. Property MaxDropDownItems is not implemented. – Tenerife