How to change header text and hide columns when exporting GridView to CSV using C# and VB.Net in ASP.Net

Hi kai,

You can directly change the header row text but you cant directly hide columns and rows which you dont want to display so you need to do workaround like below.

Please go through the code carefully you will get to know where exactly you need to make the changes according to your need.

VB.Net

Protected Sub btnExportCSV_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
    Response.Clear()
    Response.Buffer = True
    Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=GridViewExport.csv")
    Response.Charset = ""
    Response.ContentType = "application/text"

    GridView1.AllowPaging = False

    'changing the header text.                        
    GridView1.Columns(0).HeaderText = "SpecimenIdentifier"

    'hiding the header cell to be displayed in csv file.
    GridView1.Columns(1).HeaderText = ""

    'hiding the rows cells to be displayed in csv file.
    GridView1.Columns(1).Visible = False

    GridView1.DataBind()

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder()
    For k As Integer = 0 To GridView1.Columns.Count - 1
        'add separator
        If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(GridView1.Columns(k).HeaderText) Then
            sb.Append(GridView1.Columns(k).HeaderText + ","c)
        End If
    Next
    'append new line
    sb.Append(vbCr & vbLf)
    For i As Integer = 0 To GridView1.Rows.Count - 1
        For k As Integer = 0 To GridView1.Columns.Count - 1
            'add separator
            If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(GridView1.Rows(i).Cells(k).Text) Then
                sb.Append(GridView1.Rows(i).Cells(k).Text + ","c)
            End If
        Next
        'append new line
        sb.Append(vbCr & vbLf)
    Next
    Response.Output.Write(sb.ToString())
    Response.Flush()
    Response.[End]()
End Sub

C#

protected void btnExportCSV_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Response.Clear();
    Response.Buffer = true;
    Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=GridViewExport.csv");
    Response.Charset = "";
    Response.ContentType = "application/text";

    GridView1.AllowPaging = false;

    GridView1.Columns[0].HeaderText = "SpecimenIdentifier"; //changing the header text.                        
    GridView1.Columns[1].HeaderText = ""; // hiding the header cell to be displayed in csv file.
    GridView1.Columns[1].Visible = false; //hiding the rows cells to be displayed in csv file.
    GridView1.DataBind();

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    for (int k = 0; k < GridView1.Columns.Count; k++)
    {
        //add separator
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(GridView1.Columns[k].HeaderText))
        {
            sb.Append(GridView1.Columns[k].HeaderText + ',');
        }
    }
    //append new line
    sb.Append("\r\n");
    for (int i = 0; i < GridView1.Rows.Count; i++)
    {
        for (int k = 0; k < GridView1.Columns.Count; k++)
        {
            //add separator
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[k].Text))
            {
                sb.Append(GridView1.Rows[i].Cells[k].Text + ',');
            }
        }
        //append new line
        sb.Append("\r\n");
    }
    Response.Output.Write(sb.ToString());
    Response.Flush();
    Response.End();
}