WPF designer properties window: property does not show nested properties - wpf

Question

I am trying to edit a complex property of a WPF custom UserControl in the properties windows. But, the nested properties of the property are not always expandable. In the verbose form (don't know the corrent name):
<local:PointControl>
<local:PointControl.Point>
<local:Point X="3" Y="4"/>
</local:PointControl.Point>
</local:PointControl>
I can edit the nested properties:
In the short form, provided by a TypeConverter:
<local:PointControl Point="0,0"/>
I cannot edit the nested properties:
The code is as follows:
Point
namespace WpfApplication1
{
[TypeConverter(typeof(PointConverter))]
public class Point
{
public int X { get; set; }
public int Y { get; set; }
public Point() { }
public Point(int x, int y)
{
X = x;
Y = y;
}
public static bool CanParse(string value); // not important
public static Point Parse(string value); // not important
public override string ToString()
{
return string.Format("{0},{1}",X,Y);
}
}
}
PointConverter
namespace WpfApplication1
{
public class PointConverter : TypeConverter
{
public override bool GetPropertiesSupported(ITypeDescriptorContext context)
{
return true;
}
public override bool CanConvertTo(ITypeDescriptorContext context, Type destinationType)
{
return destinationType == typeof(string);
}
public override object ConvertTo(ITypeDescriptorContext context, CultureInfo culture, object value, Type destinationType)
{
if (value is Point)
{
return (value as Point).ToString();
}
return base.ConvertTo(context, culture, value, destinationType);
}
public override bool CanConvertFrom(ITypeDescriptorContext context, Type sourceType)
{
return sourceType == typeof(string) || base.CanConvertFrom(context, sourceType); ;
}
public override object ConvertFrom(ITypeDescriptorContext context, CultureInfo culture, object value)
{
if (value is string)
{
var point = Point.Parse(value as string);
return point;
}
return base.ConvertFrom(context, culture, value);
}
public override bool IsValid(ITypeDescriptorContext context, object value)
{
if (!(value is string))
{
return false;
}
return Point.CanParse(value as string);
}
}
}
UserControl
namespace WpfApplication1
{
public partial class PointControl : UserControl
{
public Point Point
{
get;set;
}
public PointControl()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
}
UPDATE
When I add an inline value editor it won't update the XAML... :(.
xaml:
<local:PointControl Point="2,2">
MetaData.cs
[assembly: ProvideMetadata(typeof(WpfApplication1.Design.Metadata))]
namespace WpfApplication1.Design
{
internal class Metadata : IProvideAttributeTable
{
public AttributeTable AttributeTable
{
get
{
AttributeTableBuilder builder = new AttributeTableBuilder();
builder.AddCustomAttributes(typeof(WpfApplication1.PointControl), nameof(WpfApplication1.PointControl.Point), PropertyValueEditor.CreateEditorAttribute(typeof(PointerValueEditor)));
return builder.CreateTable();
}
}
}
}
PointerValueEditor
namespace WpfApplication1.Design
{
class PointerValueEditor : PropertyValueEditor
{
public PointerValueEditor()
{
var stringReader = new System.IO.StringReader(
#"<DataTemplate xmlns=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"">
<StackPanel>
<TextBox Text=""{Binding Value.X, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=LostFocus}""/>
<TextBox Text=""{Binding Value.Y, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=LostFocus}""/>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>");
var xmlReader = System.Xml.XmlReader.Create(stringReader);
var dataTemplate = System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.Load(xmlReader) as DataTemplate;
this.InlineEditorTemplate = dataTemplate;
}
}
}
The Code is based on https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/visualstudio/visual-studio-2013/ayybcxe5(v=vs.120)

Answer 1

You will want to implment an inline value editor