Imported from AleksaRistic216/dotnet-playground (.github/skills/wpf/wpf-devexpress-scheduler/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add AleksaRistic216/dotnet-playground --skill wpf-devexpress-scheduler. Copyright stays with the author.

DevExpress WPF Scheduler Control

DevExpress.Xpf.Scheduling.SchedulerControl is a full-featured calendar / scheduling control: appointments, recurring activities, resources (people, rooms, equipment), labels, statuses, time regions, reminders, time zones. Seven view types out of the box (Day / Work Week / Week / Month / Timeline / Agenda / List). Bind to a data source through DataSource.AppointmentsSource + AppointmentMappings, or use the unbound mode for runtime-managed data.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Add a calendar / scheduling view to a WPF app
• Display recurring appointments, all-day events, multi-day events
• Group appointments by resource (people, rooms, equipment) or by date
• Bind to a data source via mappings — AppointmentMappings, ResourceMappings, custom fields
• Switch among the seven view types
• Customize appointment look via templates, styles, brushes
• Manage labels, statuses, time regions, reminders
• Implement an Outlook-clone in WPF

Prerequisites & Installation

NuGet Packages

DevExpress.Wpf.Scheduling transitively brings DevExpress.Wpf.Core (themes, MVVM helpers).

.NET (6/7/8+)

dotnet add package DevExpress.Wpf.Scheduling

Add to .csproj:

<PropertyGroup>
  <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows</TargetFramework>
  <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
</PropertyGroup>

All DevExpress packages in a project must share the same version. A valid DevExpress license is required.

Before You Start — Ask the Developer

1. Target framework: .NET 8+, .NET 6/7, or .NET Framework 4.x?
2. Bound or unbound: Does the scheduler persist data to an external source (DB, file, EF), or run with in-memory data created at runtime?
3. Data model: What classes represent appointments and resources? Map their fields to the Scheduler's properties via AppointmentMappings / ResourceMappings. See data-binding.md.
4. Grouping: None (a single timeline), Resource (one lane per resource), Date (lanes by date)?
5. Active view: Day, Work Week, Week, Month, Timeline, Agenda, or List? Each has its own configuration. See views.md.
6. Recurrence: Are recurring appointments required? Yes → add RecurrenceInfo and Type mappings.
7. Appearance: Need custom appointment look (templates, styles), color themes (brushes), or both?

Component Overview

XAML Namespace

xmlns:dxsch="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/scheduling"
xmlns:dxschv="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/scheduling/visual"

dxsch: covers the main SchedulerControl, views, mappings, item types. dxschv: is for visual elements (AppointmentContentPanel, AppointmentIntervalSubjectPresenter, etc.) used inside custom templates.

Element Hierarchy

SchedulerControl
├── DataSource
│   ├── AppointmentsSource           — bound collection of appointments
│   ├── ResourcesSource              — bound collection of resources
│   ├── AppointmentLabelsSource      — bound collection of labels
│   ├── AppointmentStatusesSource    — bound collection of statuses
│   ├── TimeRegionsSource            — bound collection of time regions
│   ├── AppointmentMappings          — field-to-property bindings (Start, End, Subject, etc.)
│   ├── ResourceMappings             — field-to-property bindings (Id, Caption, Brush)
│   ├── AppointmentLabelMappings
│   ├── AppointmentStatusMappings
│   └── TimeRegionMappings
├── Views                            — collection of view types (Day, Week, Month, etc.)
├── AppointmentItems                 — imperative collection (unbound mode)
├── ResourceItems                    — imperative collection (unbound mode)
├── LabelItems / StatusItems / TimeRegionItems
├── BrushSet                         — color palette for resources/labels/statuses
└── BrushProvider                    — theme-aware brush customization

Two Operation Modes

Mixed mode is supported: appointments via DataSource, but labels/statuses created inline via LabelItems / StatusItems.

Documentation & Navigation Guide

Getting Started

Refer to references/getting-started.md

When you need to:

• Set up a .NET project with DevExpress.Wpf.Scheduling
• Build the minimum viable scheduler — view, data model, bindings
• Add a Ribbon UI for the scheduler (Quick Actions → "Create Ribbon")

Data Binding

Refer to references/data-binding.md

When you need to:

• Bind appointments, resources, labels, statuses, time regions
• Define mappings — AppointmentMappings, ResourceMappings, etc.
• Use CustomFieldMapping for project-specific extra fields
• Implement load-on-demand for large data sets
• Use Mapping Converters for custom storage formats (e.g., string ↔ RecurrenceInfo)

Data Items (Appointments, Resources, Labels, Statuses, Time Regions, Reminders)

Refer to references/data-items.md

When you need to:

• Understand what each item type represents
• Configure recurring appointments (AppointmentType.Pattern + RecurrenceInfo)
• Define labels (categories) and statuses (availability) for appointments
• Block off time ranges with time regions
• Set reminders on appointments

View Modes

Refer to references/views.md

When you need to:

• Pick between Day / Work Week / Week / Month / Timeline / Agenda / List views
• Configure view-specific properties (visible time, day count, work time only)
• Group by resource or date (GroupType)
• Switch views at runtime (ActiveViewIndex)
• Use multiple views of the same type with different settings

Appearance Customization (Styles and Templates)

Refer to references/styles-and-templates.md

When you need to:

• Override the appointment content template (AppointmentContentTemplate)
• Use the built-in appointment presenters (AppointmentIntervalSubjectPresenter, AppointmentLocationPresenter, AppointmentDescriptionPresenter, AppointmentImagesPanel)
• Apply per-view styles (AppointmentStyle)
• Customize colors via BrushSet / BrushName
• Use BrushProvider for theme-aware customization (resource cells, headers, navigation buttons)
• Choose between New (Outlook2019) and Classic UI styles

Quick Start Example

See the runnable quickstart sample in examples/quickstart.cs. If the sample includes companion XAML or resources, keep them alongside the C# entry point in the same examples/ folder.

The following XAML shows the core SchedulerControl setup used by that quickstart:

<Window x:Class="MyApp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:dxsch="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/scheduling"
        xmlns:dxmvvm="http://schemas.devexpress.com/winfx/2008/xaml/mvvm"
        xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:MyApp.ViewModels"
        Title="Calendar" Height="600" Width="900"
        DataContext="{dxmvvm:ViewModelSource vm:MainViewModel}">
    <dxsch:SchedulerControl GroupType="Resource"
                            FirstDayOfWeek="Monday"
                            ActiveViewIndex="0">
        <dxsch:SchedulerControl.DataSource>
            <dxsch:DataSource ResourcesSource="{Binding Doctors}"
                              AppointmentsSource="{Binding Appointments}">
                <dxsch:DataSource.ResourceMappings>
                    <dxsch:ResourceMappings Id="Id" Caption="Name"/>
                </dxsch:DataSource.ResourceMappings>
                <dxsch:DataSource.AppointmentMappings>
                    <dxsch:AppointmentMappings
                        Type="Type"
                        Start="StartTime"
                        End="EndTime"
                        Subject="PatientName"
                        Location="Location"
                        Description="Notes"
                        AllDay="AllDay"
                        Id="Id"
                        ResourceId="DoctorId"
                        StatusId="StatusId"
                        LabelId="CategoryId"
                        RecurrenceInfo="RecurrenceInfo"
                        Reminder="ReminderInfo"/>
                </dxsch:DataSource.AppointmentMappings>
            </dxsch:DataSource>
        </dxsch:SchedulerControl.DataSource>
    </dxsch:SchedulerControl>
</Window>

Key Properties & API Surface

SchedulerControl

DataSource (Bound Mode)

Bindings and mappings live inside this object. Use either <dxsch:SchedulerControl.DataSource> element syntax or assign in code.

View Classes

DayView, WorkWeekView, WeekView, MonthView, TimelineView, AgendaView, ListView — each is a ViewBase descendant with its own configuration properties. See views.md.

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Minimal Unbound Scheduler

<dxsch:SchedulerControl/>

That's it. The scheduler shows today, lets users create appointments by selecting time cells and typing. Appointments live in memory — they're lost on app close.

Pattern 2: Bound to ViewModel Collections

<dxsch:SchedulerControl>
    <dxsch:SchedulerControl.DataSource>
        <dxsch:DataSource AppointmentsSource="{Binding Appointments}"
                          ResourcesSource="{Binding Resources}">
            <dxsch:DataSource.AppointmentMappings>
                <dxsch:AppointmentMappings Start="StartTime"
                                           End="EndTime"
                                           Subject="Title"
                                           ResourceId="ResourceId"/>
            </dxsch:DataSource.AppointmentMappings>
            <dxsch:DataSource.ResourceMappings>
                <dxsch:ResourceMappings Id="Id" Caption="Name"/>
            </dxsch:DataSource.ResourceMappings>
        </dxsch:DataSource>
    </dxsch:SchedulerControl.DataSource>
</dxsch:SchedulerControl>

Start and End are the only required mappings for non-recurring appointments. Recurring ones additionally need Type and RecurrenceInfo.

Pattern 3: Pre-Configure Views in XAML

<dxsch:SchedulerControl ActiveViewIndex="0">
    <dxsch:DayView DayCount="2"/>
    <dxsch:WorkWeekView/>
    <dxsch:MonthView/>
</dxsch:SchedulerControl>

Adding any view to the Views collection in XAML overrides the default "all views enabled" behavior — only the listed views are active.

Pattern 4: Custom Appointment Template

<dxsch:DayView>
    <dxsch:DayView.AppointmentContentTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel>
                <dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel.IntervalSubject>
                    <dxschv:AppointmentIntervalSubjectPresenter WordWrap="True" FontWeight="Bold"/>
                </dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel.IntervalSubject>
                <dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel.Description>
                    <dxschv:AppointmentDescriptionPresenter Margin="0,2,0,0"/>
                </dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel.Description>
            </dxschv:AppointmentContentPanel>
        </DataTemplate>
    </dxsch:DayView.AppointmentContentTemplate>
</dxsch:DayView>

Troubleshooting

Constraints & Rules

CRITICAL — follow these rules in every interaction:

1. Build verification: After changes, run dotnet build and report errors before claiming success.
2. Target framework: Windows-only (net{X}-windows, UseWPF=true).
3. NuGet: Use DevExpress.Wpf.Scheduling. All DevExpress packages share one version.
4. XAML namespace: dxsch: (scheduling), dxschv: (visual presenters used inside templates).
5. Required mappings: Start and End are always required in AppointmentMappings. For recurring appointments, also Type and RecurrenceInfo.
6. Mapping names are case-sensitive and must match the data class's property names exactly.
7. Don't mix *Items and *Source for the same item type. Pick one mode per item type — bound (*Source + mappings) or unbound (*Items directly).
8. Application ambiguity: When generating App.xaml.cs on .NET 6+, qualify System.Windows.Application.

Using DevExpress Documentation MCP

• Search: devexpress_docs_search(technology="WPF Scheduler", query="<your question>")
• Fetch: devexpress_docs_get_content(url="<documentation URL>")

Use MCP for: Outlook 365 integration, drag-and-drop customization, custom edit dialogs, time-zone handling, printing-template authoring, Save / Load layout — these are deep specialized topics beyond the core references.

Next Steps

Start with Getting Started for .NET 6/7/8+ project setup, or Getting Started (.NET Framework) for .NET Framework 4.6.2+ projects. Then use Data Binding for the mappings, Data Items to understand the model, Views to pick a view, and Styles and Templates for appearance.