diff --git a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CButtonColumn.php b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CButtonColumn.php
index 20ca54b38..378db2955 100644
--- a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CButtonColumn.php
+++ b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CButtonColumn.php
@@ -305,13 +305,15 @@ EOD;
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the data cell content.
+	 * Returns the data cell content.
 	 * This method renders the view, update and delete buttons in the data cell.
 	 * @param integer $row the row number (zero-based)
-	 * @param mixed $data the data associated with the row
+	 * @return string the data cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderDataCellContent($row,$data)
+	public function getDataCellContent($row)
 	{
+		$data=$this->grid->dataProvider->data[$row];
 		$tr=array();
 		ob_start();
 		foreach($this->buttons as $id=>$button)
@@ -321,7 +323,7 @@ EOD;
 			ob_clean();
 		}
 		ob_end_clean();
-		echo strtr($this->template,$tr);
+		return strtr($this->template,$tr);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CCheckBoxColumn.php b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CCheckBoxColumn.php
index 5a582bdf4..9a2779ae8 100644
--- a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CCheckBoxColumn.php
+++ b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CCheckBoxColumn.php
@@ -187,43 +187,39 @@ EOD;
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the header cell content.
+	 * Returns the header cell content.
 	 * This method will render a checkbox in the header when {@link selectableRows} is greater than 1
 	 * or in case {@link selectableRows} is null when {@link CGridView::selectableRows} is greater than 1.
+	 * @return string the header cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderHeaderCellContent()
+	public function getHeaderCellContent()
 	{
 		if(trim($this->headerTemplate)==='')
-		{
-			echo $this->grid->blankDisplay;
-			return;
-		}
+			return $this->grid->blankDisplay;
 
-		$item = '';
 		if($this->selectableRows===null && $this->grid->selectableRows>1)
-			$item = CHtml::checkBox($this->id.'_all',false,array('class'=>'select-on-check-all'));
+			$item=CHtml::checkBox($this->id.'_all',false,array('class'=>'select-on-check-all'));
 		elseif($this->selectableRows>1)
-			$item = CHtml::checkBox($this->id.'_all',false);
+			$item=CHtml::checkBox($this->id.'_all',false);
 		else
-		{
-			ob_start();
-			parent::renderHeaderCellContent();
-			$item = ob_get_clean();
-		}
+			$item=parent::getHeaderCellContent();
 
-		echo strtr($this->headerTemplate,array(
+		return strtr($this->headerTemplate,array(
 			'{item}'=>$item,
 		));
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the data cell content.
+	 * Returns the data cell content.
 	 * This method renders a checkbox in the data cell.
 	 * @param integer $row the row number (zero-based)
-	 * @param mixed $data the data associated with the row
+	 * @return string the data cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderDataCellContent($row,$data)
+	public function getDataCellContent($row)
 	{
+		$data=$this->grid->dataProvider->data[$row];
 		if($this->value!==null)
 			$value=$this->evaluateExpression($this->value,array('data'=>$data,'row'=>$row));
 		elseif($this->name!==null)
@@ -243,6 +239,6 @@ EOD;
 		unset($options['name']);
 		$options['value']=$value;
 		$options['id']=$this->id.'_'.$row;
-		echo CHtml::checkBox($name,$checked,$options);
+		return CHtml::checkBox($name,$checked,$options);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CDataColumn.php b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CDataColumn.php
index 7d2abc91f..92c90760b 100644
--- a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CDataColumn.php
+++ b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CDataColumn.php
@@ -85,54 +85,59 @@ class CDataColumn extends CGridColumn
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the filter cell content.
-	 * This method will render the {@link filter} as is if it is a string.
+	 * Returns the filter cell content.
+	 * This method will return the {@link filter} as is if it is a string.
 	 * If {@link filter} is an array, it is assumed to be a list of options, and a dropdown selector will be rendered.
 	 * Otherwise if {@link filter} is not false, a text field is rendered.
-	 * @since 1.1.1
+	 * @return string the filter cell content
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderFilterCellContent()
+	public function getFilterCellContent()
 	{
 		if(is_string($this->filter))
-			echo $this->filter;
+			return $this->filter;
 		elseif($this->filter!==false && $this->grid->filter!==null && $this->name!==null && strpos($this->name,'.')===false)
 		{
 			if(is_array($this->filter))
-				echo CHtml::activeDropDownList($this->grid->filter, $this->name, $this->filter, array('id'=>false,'prompt'=>''));
+				return CHtml::activeDropDownList($this->grid->filter, $this->name, $this->filter, array('id'=>false,'prompt'=>''));
 			elseif($this->filter===null)
-				echo CHtml::activeTextField($this->grid->filter, $this->name, array('id'=>false));
+				return CHtml::activeTextField($this->grid->filter, $this->name, array('id'=>false));
 		}
 		else
-			parent::renderFilterCellContent();
+			return parent::getFilterCellContent();
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the header cell content.
+	 * Returns the header cell content.
 	 * This method will render a link that can trigger the sorting if the column is sortable.
+	 * @return string the header cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderHeaderCellContent()
+	public function getHeaderCellContent()
 	{
 		if($this->grid->enableSorting && $this->sortable && $this->name!==null)
-			echo $this->grid->dataProvider->getSort()->link($this->name,$this->header,array('class'=>'sort-link'));
+			return $this->grid->dataProvider->getSort()->link($this->name,$this->header,array('class'=>'sort-link'));
 		elseif($this->name!==null && $this->header===null)
 		{
 			if($this->grid->dataProvider instanceof CActiveDataProvider)
-				echo CHtml::encode($this->grid->dataProvider->model->getAttributeLabel($this->name));
+				return CHtml::encode($this->grid->dataProvider->model->getAttributeLabel($this->name));
 			else
-				echo CHtml::encode($this->name);
+				return CHtml::encode($this->name);
 		}
 		else
-			parent::renderHeaderCellContent();
+			return parent::getHeaderCellContent();
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the data cell content.
+	 * Returns the data cell content.
 	 * This method evaluates {@link value} or {@link name} and renders the result.
 	 * @param integer $row the row number (zero-based)
-	 * @param mixed $data the data associated with the row
+	 * @return string the data cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderDataCellContent($row,$data)
+	public function getDataCellContent($row)
 	{
+		$data=$this->grid->dataProvider->data[$row];
 		if($this->value!==null)
 			$value=$this->evaluateExpression($this->value,array('data'=>$data,'row'=>$row));
 		elseif($this->name!==null)
diff --git a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CLinkColumn.php b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CLinkColumn.php
index f73b8a23a..12a73c3d4 100644
--- a/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CLinkColumn.php
+++ b/framework/zii/widgets/grid/CLinkColumn.php
@@ -87,13 +87,15 @@ class CLinkColumn extends CGridColumn
 	public $linkHtmlOptions=array();
 
 	/**
-	 * Renders the data cell content.
+	 * Returns the data cell content.
 	 * This method renders a hyperlink in the data cell.
 	 * @param integer $row the row number (zero-based)
-	 * @param mixed $data the data associated with the row
+	 * @return string the data cell content.
+	 * @since 1.1.15
 	 */
-	protected function renderDataCellContent($row,$data)
+	public function getDataCellContent($row)
 	{
+		$data=$this->grid->dataProvider->data[$row];
 		if($this->urlExpression!==null)
 			$url=$this->evaluateExpression($this->urlExpression,array('data'=>$data,'row'=>$row));
 		else