This is not a simple request; you will have to write a wrapper class (for XmlNode ) that has a custom TypeConverter (alternatively: ICustomTypeDescriptor or TypeDescriptionProvider , but TypeConverter simplest). Then write a custom PropertyDescriptor (or more) to represent fake properties. Assuming TypeConverter , override GetProperties to return artificial properties (for values or sub-nodes).
It would be easier to build it up from TreeView ...
OK it is not easy; this is a very untested start point - crude and barely functional, but here it is anyway.
For more information about what is happening here, look, in particular, at the PropertyDescriptor , which mimics properties, and TypeConverter , which provides properties (although there are other options for this).
Some other articles that may help:
code:
using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.ComponentModel; using System.Windows.Forms; using System.Xml; namespace DemoApp { class Program { [STAThread] static void Main() { Application.EnableVisualStyles(); XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument(); doc.LoadXml("<xml a=\"b\"><c>d<ef=\"g\">h</e>i</c>j</xml>"); using (var grid = new PropertyGrid { Dock = DockStyle.Fill, SelectedObject = new XmlNodeWrapper(doc.DocumentElement)}) using (var form = new Form { Controls = {grid}}) { Application.Run(form); } } } } [TypeConverter(typeof(XmlNodeWrapperConverter))] class XmlNodeWrapper { private readonly XmlNode node; public XmlNodeWrapper(XmlNode node) { this.node = node; } class XmlNodeWrapperConverter : ExpandableObjectConverter { public override PropertyDescriptorCollection GetProperties(ITypeDescriptorContext context, object value, Attribute[] attributes) { List<PropertyDescriptor> props = new List<PropertyDescriptor>(); XmlElement el = ((XmlNodeWrapper)value).node as XmlElement; if (el != null) { foreach (XmlAttribute attr in el.Attributes) { props.Add(new XmlNodeWrapperPropertyDescriptor(attr)); } } foreach (XmlNode child in ((XmlNodeWrapper)value).node.ChildNodes) { props.Add(new XmlNodeWrapperPropertyDescriptor(child)); } return new PropertyDescriptorCollection(props.ToArray(), true); } public override object ConvertTo(ITypeDescriptorContext context, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture, object value, Type destinationType) { return destinationType == typeof(string) ? ((XmlNodeWrapper)value).node.InnerXml : base.ConvertTo(context, culture, value, destinationType); } } class XmlNodeWrapperPropertyDescriptor : PropertyDescriptor { private static readonly Attribute[] nix = new Attribute[0]; private readonly XmlNode node; public XmlNodeWrapperPropertyDescriptor(XmlNode node) : base(GetName(node), nix) { this.node = node; } static string GetName(XmlNode node) { switch (node.NodeType) { case XmlNodeType.Attribute: return "@" + node.Name; case XmlNodeType.Element: return node.Name; case XmlNodeType.Comment: return "<!-- -->"; case XmlNodeType.Text: return "(text)"; default: return node.NodeType + ":" + node.Name; } } public override bool ShouldSerializeValue(object component) { return false; } public override void SetValue(object component, object value) { node.Value = (string)value; } public override bool CanResetValue(object component) { return !IsReadOnly; } public override void ResetValue(object component) { SetValue(component, ""); } public override Type PropertyType { get { switch (node.NodeType) { case XmlNodeType.Element: return typeof(XmlNodeWrapper); default: return typeof(string); } } } public override bool IsReadOnly { get { switch (node.NodeType) { case XmlNodeType.Attribute: case XmlNodeType.Text: return false; default: return true; } } } public override object GetValue(object component) { switch (node.NodeType) { case XmlNodeType.Element: return new XmlNodeWrapper(node); default: return node.Value; } } public override Type ComponentType { get { return typeof(XmlNodeWrapper); } } } }