Automate the creation of converters or other generic solution - wpf

Question

When i need to display an enumeration in a View, i write a converter for this type of enumeration
For Example:
Public Enum ReportTypes
Overview
Crosstable
AllCPDetails
End Enum
My converter is:
Public Class ReportTypeToStringConverter
Implements IValueConverter
Public Property Overview As String
Public Property Crosstable As String
Public Property AllCPDetails As String
Public Function Convert(value As Object, targetType As Type, parameter As Object, culture As System.Globalization.CultureInfo) As Object Implements System.Windows.Data.IValueConverter.Convert
Dim enumValue As ReportTypes = DirectCast(value, ReportTypes)
Select Case enumValue
Case ReportTypes.Overview
Return Overview
Case ReportTypes.Crosstable
Return Crosstable
Case ReportTypes.AllCPDetails
Return AllCPDetails
Case Else
Return DependencyProperty.UnsetValue
End Select
End Function
Public Function ConvertBack(value As Object, targetType As Type, parameter As Object, culture As System.Globalization.CultureInfo) As Object Implements System.Windows.Data.IValueConverter.ConvertBack
Throw New NotImplementedException()
End Function
End Class
then, in my XAML i can write this:
<local:ReportTypeToStringConverter x:Key="ReportTypeToStringConverter"
Overview="Overview"
Crosstable="Cross Table"
AllCPDetails="All CP Details"/>
In this example there is an relationship of "Enum <--> String", but i can need write another relationships: "Enum <--> Color", "Enum <--> Visibility"....
The code is very clean and all work ok, but when i have many enums, or many relationships... How can i automatice the converter creation? Snippets? Item Template in Visual Studio?
Another generic solution?

Answer 1

The probably most generic converter could use a ResourceDictionary to map from the a value's ToString() result to an arbitrary object. The source value does not even need to be an enum.
public class GenericConverter : IValueConverter
{
private readonly ResourceDictionary resources = new ResourceDictionary();
public ResourceDictionary Resources
{
get { return resources; }
}
public object Convert(
object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
return resources[value.ToString()];
}
public object ConvertBack(
object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotSupportedException();
}
}
You would e.g. use it like this to convert Visibility values:
<Window.Resources>
<local:GenericConverter x:Key="VisibilityToSomeStringConverter">
<local:GenericConverter.Resources>
<sys:String x:Key="Visible">VISIBLE</sys:String>
<sys:String x:Key="Hidden">HIDDEN</sys:String>
<sys:String x:Key="Collapsed">COLLAPSED</sys:String>
</local:GenericConverter.Resources>
</local:GenericConverter>
<local:GenericConverter x:Key="VisibilityToSomeIntConverter">
<local:GenericConverter.Resources>
<sys:Int32 x:Key="Visible">10</sys:Int32>
<sys:Int32 x:Key="Hidden">20</sys:Int32>
<sys:Int32 x:Key="Collapsed">30</sys:Int32>
</local:GenericConverter.Resources>
</local:GenericConverter>
</Window.Resources>