---
title: ColumnPreferenceList.Preference
summary: API reference for ColumnPreferenceList.Preference.
status: draft
owner: SAIF documentation generator
last_reviewed: 2026-08-17
library: SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103
reference_type: package
---

# ColumnPreferenceList.Preference

`ColumnPreferenceList.Preference` is the single structured entry produced when [ColumnPreferenceList](ColumnPreferenceList.md) parses or builds a column-visibility preference list — one instance per grid column, pairing the column's key with its selected/visible state.

## Purpose
- Holds one column's key (`ColumnKey`) and its user-selected visibility flag (`IsSelected`), as recorded in a checkbox-list selection or parsed from a persisted preference string.
- Is the element type of the `Generic.List(Of Preference)` that `ColumnPreferenceList` derives from, so every list/lookup/serialization operation on `ColumnPreferenceList` ultimately operates on `Preference` instances.

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.V2.AJAX`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103`
- Declared as a nested `Public Class` inside `ColumnPreferenceList`.

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ColumnKey | `ReadOnly Property ColumnKey() As String` | The grid column key this preference entry applies to |
| IsSelected | `Property IsSelected() As Boolean` | Whether the column was selected (visible) when this preference entry was recorded |
| New | `Sub New(inColumnKey As String, inIsSelected As Boolean)` | Constructs a preference entry from a column key and its selected state |

## Behavioral notes
- `ColumnKey` is immutable after construction; only `IsSelected` can be changed on an existing entry*.

## Constraints and usage notes
- Instances are created and owned by `ColumnPreferenceList`; consumers typically add/look up preferences through `ColumnPreferenceList.Add`/`Contains` rather than constructing `Preference` directly, though the constructor is public.

> **Note:** Statements marked with * were inferred from code structure, naming conventions, or
> contextual evidence where direct confirmation was not available in source artifacts. Statements
> marked with ** could not be confirmed; treat as unknown until verified.

## Sources
- `SAIF.Presentation.Web.Controls.AJAX.Infragistics103\InfragisticsGridCustomizer.vb`