http://blogs.msdn.com/winformsue/archive/2008/01/02/datagridview-watermark-cell.aspxI returned from my end-of-the-year vacation to find the following reader comment in my inbox: &gt; I am trying to create a custom DGV column that will show a watermark for the empty cells , in the same manner like windows live search box ... any advice?en-USCommunityServer 2.1 SP1 (Build: 61025.2)http://blogs.msdn.com/winformsue/archive/2008/01/02/datagridview-watermark-cell.aspx#6968703Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:23:42 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:6968703thies<p>Thank you for this how-to. One comment that may help others. Watch out for SharedRows - they will give you InvalidOperationExceptions when you check for IsInEditMode. To check if the row is being shared, make sure that &quot;this.RowIndex &gt;= 0&quot; in the beginning of the Paint method. (Shared rows have a RowIndex == -1).</p> <p>Cheers,</p> <p> &nbsp; Thies Schrader.</p> http://blogs.msdn.com/winformsue/archive/2008/01/02/datagridview-watermark-cell.aspx#6975536Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:31:00 GMT91d46819-8472-40ad-a661-2c78acb4018c:6975536Karl Erickson<p>Good catch, Thies. Thanks! I updated the text and the code to take shared rows into consideration. The revised if statement enables the watermark to appear for shared rows, including the row for new records. </p> <p>-Karl</p>