How to add one item containing multiple columns to a WPF listview control

The error message is the best indicator of what is required.

WPF Data Binding[^] is far superior and simpler to the WinForm Data Binding system. Once you invest the time to learn how data binding works in WPF, you won't want to look back.

Here is an example for you to show you quickly how Data Binding works:

WPF Binding for property updates requires a PropertyChanged event to be fired for each property. For collections, we can use a specialized collection class called ObservableCollection which fires a CollectionChanged event.

For the properties, below is a base class to simplify the repetitive code required for each property in a class:

Public MustInherit Class ObservableBase
    Implements INotifyPropertyChanged

    Public Event PropertyChanged As PropertyChangedEventHandler _
        Implements INotifyPropertyChanged.PropertyChanged

    Public Sub [Set](Of TValue)(ByRef field As TValue, ByVal newValue As TValue,
                                <CallerMemberName> ByVal Optional propertyName As String = "")
        If EqualityComparer(Of TValue).[Default].Equals(field, Nothing) OrElse Not field.Equals(newValue) Then
            field = newValue
            RaiseEvent PropertyChanged(Me, New PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName))

        End If
    End Sub

End Class

For this example, I will use a PersonModel class which inherits the ObservableBase base class above:

Public Class PersonModel
    Inherits ObservableBase

    Private mName As String

    Public Property Name As String
        Get
            Return mName
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            [Set](mName, value)
        End Set
    End Property

    Private mAge As Integer

    Public Property Age As Integer
        Get
            Return mAge
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            [Set](mAge, value)
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Now we can create our collection and add a event to demonstrate the binding system in action:

Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel

Class MainWindow

    Public Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()
        DataContext = Me
        Mock()
    End Sub

    Public Property Persons As ObservableCollection(Of PersonModel) = New ObservableCollection(Of PersonModel)()
    Private rand As Random = New Random()

    Private Sub Mock()
        For i As Integer = 0 To 10 - 1
            Persons.Add(New PersonModel With {
                    .Name = String.Format("Person {0}", i),
                    .Age = rand.[Next](20, 50)
                })
        Next
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
        For Each person In Persons
            person.Age = rand.[Next](20, 50)
        Next
    End Sub
End Class

In the above code-behind page, I set the form's DataContext to the code-behind page itself. This will allow the UI (XAML) to see the binding notifications and update the display.

Lastly, we can bind the properties of the code-behind to the UI elements:

<Window x:Class="MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"

        mc:Ignorable="d"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfSimpleBindingVB"
        Title="MainWindow"
    WindowStartupLocation="CenterScreen" Height="400" Width="300">

    <Grid>
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition />
            <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>

        <Grid.Resources>
            <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type local:PersonModel}">
                <Grid>
                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                        <ColumnDefinition/>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}" Margin="10 3"/>
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Age}" Margin="10 3"
                               Grid.Column="1"/>
                </Grid>
            </DataTemplate>
        </Grid.Resources>

        <ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Persons}">
            <ListBox.ItemContainerStyle>
                <Style TargetType="ListBoxItem">
                    <Setter Property="HorizontalContentAlignment" Value="Stretch"/>
                </Style>
            </ListBox.ItemContainerStyle>
        </ListBox>
        <Button Content="Randomize" Padding="10 5" Margin="10"
                HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"
                Grid.Row="1" Click="Button_Click"/>
    </Grid>

</Window>

The above example uses a ListBox control. The principles for the ListView is exactly the same. Here is the UI using the ListView instead:

<Window x:Class="MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"

        mc:Ignorable="d"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfSimpleBindingVB"
        Title="MainWindow"
    WindowStartupLocation="CenterScreen" Height="400" Width="300">

    <Grid>
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition />
            <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>

        <ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Persons}">
            <ListView.View>
                <GridView>
                    <GridViewColumn Header="Name" DisplayMemberBinding="{Binding Name}"  />
                    <GridViewColumn Header="Age" DisplayMemberBinding="{Binding Age}" />
                </GridView>
            </ListView.View>
        </ListView>

        <Button Content="Randomize" Padding="10 5" Margin="10"
                HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"
                Grid.Row="1" Click="Button_Click"/>
    </Grid>

</Window>

This example is using the same data binding technique used in the MVVM (Model View ViewModel) Design Pattern except the ViewModel is in the code behind. MVVM is a little bit more involved and is beyond the scope of this answer but worthwhile investing the time in learning.

Persons.Add(New PersonModel With {
    .Name = String.Format("Person {0}", i),
    .Age = rand.[Next](20, 50)
})