I've used the subclass of ObservableCollection from this post to add a .AddRange that batches updates and allows you to add items in bulk without triggering the update notification until the very end.
I've copied the code from the original post for completeness, but please upvote the linked post if you found it useful.
Imports System.Collections.Specialized
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel
Public Class ObservableRangeCollection(Of T) : Inherits ObservableCollection(Of T) : Implements INotifyCollectionChanging(Of T)
''' <summary>
''' Initializes a new instance of the System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection(Of T) class.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Sub New()
MyBase.New()
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Initializes a new instance of the System.Collections.ObjectModel.ObservableCollection(Of T) class that contains elements copied from the specified collection.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="collection">collection: The collection from which the elements are copied.</param>
''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentNullException">The collection parameter cannot be null.</exception>
Public Sub New(ByVal collection As IEnumerable(Of T))
MyBase.New(collection)
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Adds the elements of the specified collection to the end of the ObservableCollection(Of T).
''' </summary>
Public Sub AddRange(ByVal collection As IEnumerable(Of T))
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add, collection)
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
Dim index = Items.Count - 1
For Each i In collection
Items.Add(i)
Next
OnCollectionChanged(New NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add, collection, index))
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Inserts the collection at specified index.
''' </summary>
Public Sub InsertRange(ByVal index As Integer, ByVal Collection As IEnumerable(Of T))
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add, Collection)
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
For Each i In Collection
Items.Insert(index, i)
Next
OnCollectionChanged(New NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset))
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Removes the first occurence of each item in the specified collection from ObservableCollection(Of T).
''' </summary>
Public Sub RemoveRange(ByVal collection As IEnumerable(Of T))
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Remove, collection)
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
For Each i In collection
Items.Remove(i)
Next
OnCollectionChanged(New NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset))
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Clears the current collection and replaces it with the specified item.
''' </summary>
Public Sub Replace(ByVal item As T)
ReplaceRange(New T() {item})
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Clears the current collection and replaces it with the specified collection.
''' </summary>
Public Sub ReplaceRange(ByVal collection As IEnumerable(Of T))
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Replace, Items)
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
Items.Clear()
For Each i In collection
Items.Add(i)
Next
OnCollectionChanged(New NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset))
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub ClearItems()
Dim e As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset, Items)
OnCollectionChanging(e)
If e.Cancel Then Exit Sub
MyBase.ClearItems()
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub InsertItem(ByVal index As Integer, ByVal item As T)
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Add, item)
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
MyBase.InsertItem(index, item)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub MoveItem(ByVal oldIndex As Integer, ByVal newIndex As Integer)
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)()
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
MyBase.MoveItem(oldIndex, newIndex)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub RemoveItem(ByVal index As Integer)
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Remove, Items(index))
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
MyBase.RemoveItem(index)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub SetItem(ByVal index As Integer, ByVal item As T)
Dim ce As New NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Replace, Items(index))
OnCollectionChanging(ce)
If ce.Cancel Then Exit Sub
MyBase.SetItem(index, item)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub OnCollectionChanged(ByVal e As Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs)
If e.NewItems IsNot Nothing Then
For Each i As T In e.NewItems
If TypeOf i Is INotifyPropertyChanged Then AddHandler DirectCast(i, INotifyPropertyChanged).PropertyChanged, AddressOf Item_PropertyChanged
Next
End If
MyBase.OnCollectionChanged(e)
End Sub
Private Sub Item_PropertyChanged(ByVal sender As T, ByVal e As ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs)
OnCollectionChanged(New NotifyCollectionChangedEventArgs(NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Reset, sender, IndexOf(sender)))
End Sub
Public Event CollectionChanging(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T)) Implements INotifyCollectionChanging(Of T).CollectionChanging
Protected Overridable Sub OnCollectionChanging(ByVal e As NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T))
RaiseEvent CollectionChanging(Me, e)
End Sub
End Class
Public Interface INotifyCollectionChanging(Of T)
Event CollectionChanging(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T))
End Interface
Public Class NotifyCollectionChangingEventArgs(Of T) : Inherits CancelEventArgs
Public Sub New()
m_Action = NotifyCollectionChangedAction.Move
m_Items = New T() {}
End Sub
Public Sub New(ByVal action As NotifyCollectionChangedAction, ByVal item As T)
m_Action = action
m_Items = New T() {item}
End Sub
Public Sub New(ByVal action As NotifyCollectionChangedAction, ByVal items As IEnumerable(Of T))
m_Action = action
m_Items = items
End Sub
Private m_Action As NotifyCollectionChangedAction
Public ReadOnly Property Action() As NotifyCollectionChangedAction
Get
Return m_Action
End Get
End Property
Private m_Items As IList
Public ReadOnly Property Items() As IEnumerable(Of T)
Get
Return m_Items
End Get
End Property
End Class