What is it about DataTable Column Names with dots that makes them unsuitable for WPF's DataGrid control?

Question

Run this, and be confused:

<Window x:Class="Data_Grids.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
    <StackPanel>
        <DataGrid
        Name="r1"
              ItemsSource="{Binding Path=.}">
        </DataGrid>
        <DataGrid
        Name="r2"
              ItemsSource="{Binding Path=.}">
        </DataGrid>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Codebehind:

using System.Data;
using System.Windows;

namespace Data_Grids
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            DataTable dt1, dt2;
            dt1 = new DataTable();
            dt2 = new DataTable();
            dt1.Columns.Add("a-name", typeof(string));
            dt1.Columns.Add("b-name", typeof(string));
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 1, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 2, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 3, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 4, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 5, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 6, "Hi" });
            dt1.Rows.Add(new object[] { 7, "Hi" });
            dt2.Columns.Add("a.name", typeof(string));
            dt2.Columns.Add("b.name", typeof(string));
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 1, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 2, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 3, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 4, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 5, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 6, "Hi" });
            dt2.Rows.Add(new object[] { 7, "Hi" });
            r1.DataContext = dt1;
            r2.DataContext = dt2;
        }
    }
}

I'll tell you what happens. The top datagrid is populated with column headers and data. The bottom datagrid has column headers but all the rows are blank.

Answer 1

You can keep AutoGenerateColumns set to true and add an eventhandler to deal with any periods (or other special characters):

    <DataGrid
    Name="r2"
          ItemsSource="{Binding Path=.}"
          AutoGeneratingColumn="r2_AutoGeneratingColumn">
    </DataGrid>

Codebehind:

private void r2_AutoGeneratingColumn(object sender, DataGridAutoGeneratingColumnEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.PropertyName.Contains('.') && e.Column is DataGridBoundColumn)
    {
        DataGridBoundColumn dataGridBoundColumn = e.Column as DataGridBoundColumn;
        dataGridBoundColumn.Binding = new Binding("[" + e.PropertyName + "]");
    }
}

This worked better for me in a MVVM scenario.