How to add WPF Behavior in the code behind - wpf

I am trying to find a way to add behavior in the code, I am able to add it successfully in XAML.
This is how I am adding the behavior in XAML to a grid, SelectedItems is a DP in the behavior and it is data bind to the view model selected items property. I am listening to the grid collection changed event and updating the DP which in turns notify the view mode of the selected items
/// <summary>
/// Dependency Property SelectedItems
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty SelectedItemsProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("SelectedItems",
typeof(INotifyCollectionChanged), typeof(MultiSelectBehavior),
new PropertyMetadata(null));
AssociatedObject.SelectedItems.CollectionChanged += GridSelectedItems_CollectionChanged;
<i:Interaction.Behaviors>
<behaviors:MultiSelectBehavior SelectedItems="{Binding SelectedItems}"/>
</i:Interaction.Behaviors>
What I need is to create this behavior in the code behind. I am doing this in the constructor of the window that contains the grid, but it is not working, the viewmodel selected items property is not getting updated.
var multiSelectBehavior = new MultiSelectBehaviorSingleton();
BindingOperations.SetBinding(this.BackupsGrid, MultiSelectBehavior.SelectedItemsProperty,
new Binding()
{
Source = this.DataContext,
Path = new PropertyPath("SelectedItems"),
Mode = BindingMode.OneWay
});
Interaction.GetBehaviors(this.BackupsGrid).Add(multiSelectBehavior);

Try this:
var multiSelectBehavior = new MultiSelectBehavior();
BindingOperations.SetBinding(multiSelectBehavior, MultiSelectBehavior.SelectedItemsProperty, new Binding("SelectedItems"));
Interaction.GetBehaviors(this.BackupsGrid).Add(multiSelectBehavior);

The accepted answer does not appear to work in the designer, because the OnAttached event is never raised. An approach that works at runtime and also in the designer is using the Attach() method on the behavior. In this case, that would look like this:
var multiSelectBehavior = new MultiSelectBehavior();
BindingOperations.SetBinding(multiSelectBehavior, MultiSelectBehavior.SelectedItemsProperty, new Binding("SelectedItems"));
multiSelectBehavior.Attach(this.BackupsGrid)

Related

Bind window model value to User Control Dependency Property

I have a simple user control that has One Dependency Property (the control is the model of itself)
The property is not directly bound to anything inside the user control, but I need to Bind its value to the Model of the window (or user control or whatever) where I put my user control.
If I set manually the User control Property Value, the property is modified correctly so I can assume the dependency property in the user control is working.
If I set the value to the Property binding it to my window model like this
<lctrl:InfoIconControl Grid.Row="0" Name="InfoIconTest" IconType="{Binding Path=IconTypeValue}"/>
Where IconTypeValue is a property of the window model, when I set the value of the window model property it does not change inside my user control. I presume I did something wrong but at the moment I have no clue.
Two possibilties come to mind as likely:
Your "model" (you mean viewmodel?) does not implement INotifyPropertyChanged and/or you're not firing the PropertyChanged when IconTypeValue changes its value.
You've done something like this.DataContext = this inside your UserControl and now the Binding is not working because it is looking for the IconTypeValue property inside your control, instead of looking for it in the "model".
Solution to option 1 is easy: implement the interface and make sure you fire the event when the property changes.
Solution to option 2 is simply removing any setting of DataContext inside your UserControl, and instead rely on relative Bindings (RelativeSource, ElementName, etc.) in your control's XAML. Or if you gotta set the DataContext of something, do NOT set the UserControl's one. Instead, set the DataContext of a container INSIDE the UserControl.
In your case, since you're using a viewmodel for your UserControl, using it as DataContext makes sense. But if you wanna support binding to the DependencyProperties of your UserControl, you're then gonna have to set your viewmodel as DataContext of something else... For instance, the first Grid in your XAML.
Just name the Grid:
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot">
And set your viewmodel as its DataContext:
InfoIconControlModel mModel;
public InfoIconControl()
{
InitializeComponent();
mModel = new InfoIconControlModel();
LayoutRoot.DataContext = mModel; // this.DataContext = mModel; <-- DON'T DO THIS
}
After that, the Bindings will begin to work. But you've made another typical mistake: you're only calling SetIcon from the CLR setter of your propertty.
public InfoIconType IconType
{
get
{
return (InfoIconType)this.GetValue(IconTypeProperty);
}
set
{
this.SetValue(IconTypeProperty, value);
this.SetIcon(); // <-- This won't work with Binding
}
}
Instead, you must also call it from the DependencyPropertyChanged callback (that you had already defined, on the other hand):
/// <summary>
/// Icon Type dependency Property
/// </summary>
public static readonly DependencyProperty IconTypeProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
FLD_IconType, typeof(InfoIconType), typeof(InfoIconControl), new PropertyMetadata(InfoIconType.ICPlus, IconTypePropertyChanged));
///<summary>
///
///</summary>
private static void IconTypePropertyChanged(DependencyObject sender, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
InfoIconControl ic = sender as InfoIconControl;
ic.SetIcon(); // <-- This will work with Binding
}

Breakpoint (and extra code) not being hit in set block of data-bound property, though property value is being updated

I am using a custom control derived from a listbox, but with added features. One of the key features is the addition of a bindable SelectedItems property on the control, so the view model can keep track of the multiple selections made in the control. The binding does work - when you select items in the control, the view model's property is updated. However, I would like to add INotifyDataErrorInfo validation to the view model, so I implemented the interface and added a call to my validation method in the set block of the data-bound property in the viewmodel. For some reason that set block is never being called, even though I am updating the control in the view, and am verifying that the view model's property value is actually being changed correctly to match the control.
I know that when I use binding with standard WPF controls, such as a TextBox, the set block of the source (view model) property is called when the target (view) property changes. Is there a reason it wouldn't be called here?
The custom control I am using is found here. This is my property on the viewmodel (I have the console output there just to ensure the code isn't being called):
private ObservableCollection<Car> _testListSelections;
public ObservableCollection<Car> testListSelections
{
get
{
return _testListSelections;
}
set
{
Console.WriteLine("Value changed.");
_testListSelections = value;
OnPropertyChanged("testListSelections");
Validate();
}
}
This is my XAML (note that I didn't need to use Mode=TwoWay here as I am using an ObservableCollection, but I did try specifying Mode=TwoWay and the set block still didn't get hit):
<src:MultiComboBox SelectionMode="Multiple"
VerticalAlignment="Center"
ItemsSource="{Binding testList}"
SelectedItems="{Binding testListSelections, ValidatesOnNotifyDataErrors=True}"/>
This is the SelectedItems property on the custom control (the author overrode the base read-only SelectedItems property in order to allow binding):
/// <summary>
/// The SelectedItems dependency property. Access to the values of the items that are
/// selected in the selectedItems box. If SelectionMode is Single, this property returns an array
/// of length one.
/// </summary>
public static new readonly DependencyProperty SelectedItemsProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("SelectedItems", typeof(IList), typeof(BindableListBox),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(
(d, e) =>
{
// When the property changes, update the selected values in the selectedItems box.
(d as BindableListBox).SetSelectedItemsNew(e.NewValue as IList);
}));
/// <summary>
/// Get or set the selected items.
/// </summary>
public new IList SelectedItems
{
get
{
return GetValue(SelectedItemsProperty) as IList;
}
set { SetValue(SelectedItemsProperty, value); }
}
You should perform the validation in the OnCollectionChanged event of the list.
The SelectedItems list should be set only once, and then changes are made to the same list.
You can then check if the operation is Add, Remove or Reset, and perform validation accordingly.

Binding in Code doesn't react to source object changing

I have a dependency property on a class inheriting from adorner, like so:
public class LoadingAdorner : Adorner
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty TextProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Text", typeof (string), typeof (LoadingAdorner), new PropertyMetadata(default(string)));
public string Text
{
get { return (string) GetValue(TextProperty); }
set { SetValue(TextProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty IsShowingProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("IsShowing", typeof (bool), typeof (LoadingAdorner), new PropertyMetadata(default(bool)));
...
}
Adorner's don't really have any XAML, but I wanted the text of this adorner to be bindable to the viewmodel. So I create the binding in code, in the view's constructor, like so:
private readonly LoadingAdorner _loading;
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
_loading = new LoadingAdorner(MainPage);
var bind = new Binding("LoadingText"){Source = DataContext};
_loading.SetBinding(LoadingAdorner.TextProperty, bind);
}
The DataContext is my view model, my view model implements INotifyPropertyChanged, LoadingText is a string property that calls OnPropertyChanged, etc. All bindings in XAML work fine, however, the code binding does not.
I believe it is because at the time of creating the binding, the view model has not yet been set to the DataContext (it is null), I do this on the line after creating the view. If I set this binding to a property on my view using Source = this, it works.
My question is, why are the XAML bindings are capable of reacting to the source object changing, while the code binding doesn't appear to be? Is there a proper way for me to create a binding that will react to this similiar to the XAML bindings?
Binding do not and cannot react to source changes, it is a logical impossibility, objects do not change properties and references to objects change. Bindings can react to DataContext property changes but only if you do not do something horrible like Source = DataContext which kills the mechanism by getting the current data context once only. Just drop that so the DataContext is the default source again and the binding should react to the changes.
If the DataContext is on another object than the one that is bound it needs to be moved into the Path, i.e. new Binding("DataContext.LoadingText"){ Source = this }.

Getting Value from ViewModel through DataContext WITHOUT Binding?

New to WPF. I am creating UserControls that need read access to the ViewModel state to do their thing. I currently use the following technique:
public partial class ControlBar : UserControl
{
private static readonly DependencyProperty URLProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("URL", typeof(string), typeof(ControlBar),
new UIPropertyMetadata(null));
public ControlBar()
{
InitializeComponent();
SetBinding(URLProperty, "CurrentPage.URL");
Pin.Click += Pin_Click;
}
private void Pin_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
var URL = (string)GetValue(URLProperty);
}
}
Is this the correct way and is it not overkill to set up a long-term binding for each variable I need access to? Or can you do something like:
GetValue(new Path("CurrentPage.URL.....
I made up the above obviously.
Thanks!
In general data-binding is the way to go. However sometimes when you are creating controls that have view-specific concerns for which data-binding will not be appropriate.
In those cases you will want to be able to interact with the DependencyProperty to set it and know when it changes. I have been following a pattern that I picked up from a Charles Petzold article in MSDN magazine.
My answer to another question shows the pattern for creating a DependencyProperty for a UserControl Stack Overflow: Dependency Property In WPF/SilverLight
Again, data-binding to a view model will likely solve your problem, but a DependencyProperty may come in useful depending on the situation.
Update in response to comment:
In many situations you can data bind your in a UserControl without using a DependencyProperty. For example if you have a TextBlock that displays a name you would put a TextBlock in the XAML of the UserControl
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=NameString}" />
In the view model which is present in the DataContext you would have a property NameString and if the TextBlock is to update the display when the NameString property changes the view model should implement INotifyPropertyChanged and the property should fire the PropertyChanged event with the name of the property sent along with the event.
protected string _NameString;
public string NameString
{
get { return _NameString; }
set { _NameString = value: Notify("NameString"); }
}
Where Notify is a method that checks the PropertyChanged event for null and sends the event if not null.
This works well if everywhere that you want to use the UserControl has a view model with a Name property. The great thing is that the UserControl can pick up on the DataContext of wherever it is hosted and bind to an external view model.
When you want to start binding the same UserControl to different properties is one place that you may want to use a DependencyProperty. In that case you could make a UserControl with a DependencyProperty and bind it to different properties
<my:SampleControl NameString="{Binding Path=GivenName}" />
<my:SampleControl NameString="{Binding Path=FamilyName}" />
And then have an internal view model that the DependencyProperty change handler updates when the bound property changes.
Update: No DependencyProperty or binding
You can always add an ordinary C# property to the UserControl and pass the data in that way.
public MyClass Data { get; set; }
Then in the code-behind of the UserControl you can simply use the property:
if (this.Data != null)
{
this.textBox1.Text = Data.NameString;
}
Update in response to comment:
Another way to access the view model in code is to cast the DataContext to your view model type:
MyClass data = this.DataContext as MyClass;
if (data != null)
{
// do something
this.textBox1.Text = data.NameString;
}

Databind Combobox in WPF

I'm trying to databind a combobox in WPF for the first time and I can't get it to happen.
The image below shows my code, can you please tell me what I am missing? I only want graphic stuff in the xaml.
private void Window_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
Patient p = new Patient();
this.cbPatient.DataContext = p.SelfListAll();
this.cbPatient.DisplayMemberPath = "Name";
this.cbPatient.SelectedValuePath = "PatientIDInternal";
}
...
Short explanation: Just make the following change to your XAML:
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=patientList}" />
Then, in your Window_Loaded event handler, just add
this.DataContext = this
Then make a new member called patientList of type ObservableCollection<Patient>.
Long explanation:
You don't have a binding set up. You need to create one through XAML like this:
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=patientList}" />
Then, the combobox will look for a member or property called "patientList" on the object that is set as its DataContext. I'd recommend using an ObservableCollection for patientList.
Alternatively, to create one in code, you can follow the examples here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms752347.aspx#specifying_the_binding_source
Binding myBinding = new Binding("patientList");
myBinding.DataContext = someObject; //whatever object has 'patientList' as a member
mycombobox.SetBinding(ComboBox.ItemsSourceProperty, myBinding);
This will set a binding on the mycombobox ComboBox with a path of patientList and a DataContext of someObject. In other words, mycombobox will show the contents of someObject.patientList (which would ideally be some ObservableCollection, so that updates to the collection notify the binding to update).
You need to actually add the binding, e.g.:
Binding binding = new Binding();
binding.Source = MySourceObject;
binding.Path = new PropertyPath("MyPropertyPath");
binding.Mode = BindingMode.OneWay;
BindingOperations.SetBinding(cbPatient, SomeDependencyProperty, binding);
Ok, here is the answer to how to populate a combobox in WPF. First, thanks to everyone above who made suggestions. The part I was missing was that I was not populating the ItemsSource property but the DataContext property. Again, thanks to everyone for their help.
private void Window_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
Patient p = new Patient();
this.cbPatient.ItemsSource = p.SelfListAll();
this.cbPatient.DisplayMemberPath = "Name";
this.cbPatient.SelectedValuePath = "PatientIDInternal";
this.cbPatient.SelectedIndex = 0;
}
You need to set the ItemsSource property relative to the DataContext:
cbPatient.SetBinding(ItemsSourceProperty, new Binding());
EDIT
The ItemsSource property of the ComboBox is the property that should point to the collection of items to be shown.
The collection you are interested in, is in the DataContext.
The Binding is an object that keeps track of changes of the collection and reports them to the ComboBox and its Path is relative to the object in the DataContext.
Because the Binding also needs to know the ComboBox you use the static SetBinding method that ties the connection between ComboBox and the Binding.
As in your code the collection itself is in the DataContext, the Path is empty.
The ItemsSource property should point to the collection of Patients. Because the collection of Patients is already in the DataContext, the Binding's Path property is empty.
Suppose an class named Hospital has two properties: Patients and Docters (and perhaps more: Rooms, Appointments, ...) and you set the DataContext of the ComboBox to an instance of Hospital. Then you would have to set the Binding's Path Property to "Patients"
Now the ComboBox will display each item (Patient) in the collection. To specify how a single Patient should be displayed you need to set the ItemTemplate property of the ComboBox.

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