WPF, interesting things when binding with TemplatedParent - wpf

Control template:
<ControlTemplate x:Key="BasicShape2">
<StackPanel Name="sp">
<Border Name="bd" CornerRadius="3.5" BorderThickness="1" BorderBrush="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent},Path=DataContext.NodeType, Converter={StaticResource NodeTypeColorConverter}, Mode=OneWay}" Height="32" Padding="1">
<TextBlock Name="tbName" Grid.Column="1" Text="" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" FontSize="16" />
</Border>
</StackPanel>
</ControlTemplate>
a class which this template will apply to:
public class MyThumbEx : Thumb
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty MemberInfoProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("MemberInfo", typeof(FamilyMemberInfo), typeof(MyThumbEx));
public FamilyMemberInfo MemberInfo
{
get { return (FamilyMemberInfo)GetValue(MemberInfoProperty); }
set { SetValue(MemberInfoProperty, value); }
}
public MyThumbEx(ControlTemplate template, FamilyMemberInfo info, Point position)
{
this.MemberInfo = info;
this.DataContext = this.MemberInfo;
this.Template = template;
}
public override void OnApplyTemplate()
{
base.OnApplyTemplate();
this.ApplyTextContent();
}
public void ApplyTextContent()
{
TextBlock tbName = this.Template.FindName("tbName", this) as TextBlock;
if (tbName != null)
{
tbName.Text = this.MemberInfo.Name;
}
}
}
initialize and display it on a canvas:
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
//
FamilyMemberInfo mi = new FamilyMemberInfo();
mi.Name = "someone";
mi.ID = "id1";
MyThumbEx te = new MyThumbEx(Application.Current.Resources["BasicShape2"] as ControlTemplate, mi, new Point(0, 0));
//
this.cvMain.Children.Add(te);
}
These codes work fine, but be noticed that in the control template, I have to set Path=DataContext.NodeType, not just Path=NodeType. I'm new to WPF, and I found that normally, when I did binding without using this template stuff, I didn't need to specify the predicate 'DataContext', right? Why we need here?
Another thing I found is, I can comment out this.DataContext = this.MemberInfo, and change binding path to Path=MemberInfo.NodeType, the code still works fine. Could anyone explain that for me?
Thanks in advance!

If you dont change the DataContext manuelly, every child automatically has the DataContext of its Parent. So if your Window has f.e. the ViewModel as DataContext all of its Controls have access to the ViewModels Properties through {Binding Path=Property}.
But in case of a ControlTemplate the usual typical flow where DataContext just cascades through from the parent to child doesn’t apply here. So you have to set the DataContext first, either through Property="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}, Path=DataContext.Property}" or DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}, Path=DataContext}" Property="{Binding Path=Property}".
To your second point: It could be, that the ControlTemplate automatically uses the code-behind of its containing Element as DataContext, so you can use the code-behinds properties without setting the DataContext, but I am not 100% sure about this.

Related

UserControl DependencyProperty propertyChangedCallback not called

So I have an ItemsControl set in my xaml as such:
<ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
<ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
<ItemsPanelTemplate>
<WrapPanel Orientation="Horizontal" />
</ItemsPanelTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
<ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<Grid>
<local:ToggleButton Command="{Binding DataContext.ItemSelectedCommand, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type WrapPanel}}}"
CommandParameter="{Binding DataContext, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Grid}}}"
Text="{Binding DataContext.ItemEnum, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Grid}}, Converter={StaticResource EnumToStringConverter}}"
IsActive="{Binding DataContext.Selected, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Grid}}, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
Width="96"
Height="88"
Margin="5" />
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
</ItemsControl>
I have the 4 dependency properties Command, CommandParameter, Text, and IsActive.
The first 3 dependency properties work correctly, the text is set, and the command callback works with the parameter.
The IsActive property however does NOT work.
The Items property in the main viewmodel is defined as:
List<ItemViewModel> Items { get; set; }
The ItemViewModel is defined as:
public class ItemViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ItemViewModel()
{
this.Selected = true;
}
private bool? _selected;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public ItemEnum ItemEnum { get; set; }
public bool? Selected
{
get { return this._selected; }
set
{
this._selected = value;
this.OnPropertyChanged(nameof(this.Selected));
}
}
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName = null)
{
this.PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
the dependency property for the IsActive property in the ToggleButton.xaml.cs file looks like:
public static readonly DependencyProperty IsActiveProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(nameof(IsActive), typeof(bool?), typeof(ToggleButton), new PropertyMetadata(null, IsActiveSetCallback));
private static void IsActiveSetCallback(DependencyObject obj, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var button = (ToggleButton)obj;
button.IsActive = (bool)(e.NewValue ?? e.OldValue);0xa5, 0xa5));
}
My command callback in the main view model looks like this:
this.ItemSelectedCommand =
new DelegateCommand(
itemVm =>
{
bool? setTo = !((ItemViewModel) itemVm).Selected;
this.Items.ForEach(i => i.Selected = false);
((ItemViewModel) itemVm).Selected = setTo;
});
Again, the other dependency properties (defined basically identically to IsActiveProperty) work correctly, so when I click the item, the above command gets called (verified by breakpoint), the item's Selected flag gets toggled properly, but the IsActiveSetCallback never gets hit. I can't see what I'm doing wrong, but clearly it's something.
Does anyone see something that I don't?
Thanks in advance!
After spending too much time trying to solve this, of course I manage to solve it myself within half an hour of posting this question..
I pulled this from the Microsoft DependencyProperty docs, specifically the section about 'Dependency Property Setting Precedence List':
Local value. A local value might be set through the convenience of the "wrapper" property, which also equates to setting as an attribute or property element in XAML, or by a call to the SetValue API using a property of a specific instance. If you set a local value by using a binding or a resource, these each act in the precedence as if a direct value was set.
So, I was setting this.Active in two places in the ToggleButton.xaml.cs, once in the constructor as a default value, and once in the IsActiveSetCallback .. turns out by doing that, I was overriding the binding, and neither of those calls were necessary anyways. So simple!

How to bind an ItemsControl to a dependency property of a usercontrol?

Trying to understand this better.
I have an ItemsControl defined in my mainview something like this
<ItemsControl Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="2"
ItemsSource="{Binding Notes}"
ItemTemplate="{Binding Source={StaticResource MyParagraph}}"
>
</ItemsControl>
in which I would like to use a DataTemplate:
<UserControl.Resources>
<DataTemplate x:Key="MyParagraph">
<v:InkRichTextView
RichText="{Binding ?????? "
</DataTemplate>
</UserControl.Resources>
The InkRichTextView is a view with a dependency property, RichText, being used to pass a paragraph from the ObservableCollection(InkRichViewModel) Notes in the mainview to the user control. That is, this works correctly for one paragragh:
<v:InkRichTextView RichText ="{Binding Path=Note}" Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="0" />
where Note is defined as a paragraph in the MainView.
The problem is, how do I write the DataTemplate and the ItemsControl such that the ItemsControl can pass each paragraph from the observablecollection to the dependency property RichText in the InkRichTextView?
Thanks for any guidance.
(I hope this is understandable!)
Items control:
<ItemsControl x:Name="NotesItemsControl" Grid.Column="2" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
<ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<Grid>
<local:InkRichTextView RichText="{Binding Note}"/>
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
</ItemsControl>
Code behind:
class InkRichViewModel : System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged
{
#region Note (INotifyPropertyChanged Property)
private string _note;
public string Note
{
get { return _note; }
set
{
if (_note != value)
{
_note = value;
RaisePropertyChanged("Note");
}
}
}
#endregion
public event System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void RaisePropertyChanged(string p)
{
var propertyChanged = PropertyChanged;
if (propertyChanged != null)
{
propertyChanged(this, new System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs(p));
}
}
}
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
var item01 = new InkRichViewModel() { Note = "Note 01", };
var item02 = new InkRichViewModel() { Note = "Note 02", };
var item03 = new InkRichViewModel() { Note = "Note 03", };
var item04 = new InkRichViewModel() { Note = "Note 04", };
var item05 = new InkRichViewModel() { Note = "Note 05", };
var itemList = new List<InkRichViewModel>()
{
item01, item02, item03, item04, item05,
};
NotesItemsControl.ItemsSource = itemList;
}
How it looks at runtime:
Is that what you're looking for?
Based on what you describe, it seems that each item in your ItemsControl is a paragraph, the very object you want to assign to the InkRichTextView.RichText property. Is that correct?
If so, keep in mind that within the item template, the data context is the collection item itself - thus, the path you are looking for does not refer to a property of the data context, but to the data context itself.
That is done with the dot (.) path:
<v:InkRichTextView RichText="{Binding .}"/>
I'm posting this as an answer, although the credit goes to O.R.Mapper and Murven for pointing me in the right direction. My post is to help anyone else just learning this.
In very simple terms, the ItemControl performs a looping action over the collection in its ItemsSource. In my case the ItemsSource is a collection of type InkRichViewModel. (Hence the question from Murven). In its looping action, the ItemsSource will create objects from the InkRichViewModel. (Thus, my usercontrol now has an individual datacontext!) Each of these objects will use the ItemTemplate for display. So to simplify things, I moved the DataTemplate from the UserControl Resources to within the ItemControl itself as:
<ItemsControl Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="2"
ItemsSource="{Binding Notes}"
>
<ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<v:InkRichTextView RichText="{Binding Note}" />
</DataTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
</ItemsControl>
Now that each of my usercontrols has its own datacontext being assigned by the ItemsControl, the Output window (VS2010) now shows the binding errors. Fixing these errors leads to a working solution.
Hope this helps other newbies like myself. Thanks everyone.
(Ooops! Just saw the answer from Murven but I'll leave this if it helps somebody to understand.)

Add data-binding for DataGridTemplateColumn created in code

The question:
Is there a way to define a DataTemplate in XAML and instantiate it in code (rather than retrieve singleton by FindResource) and modify its VisualTree before sending to where a DataTemplate is required such as DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate?
Background:
I am displaying a 2-dimensional array data[][] in a DataGrid by adding DataGridTemplateColumn columns on my own and there is a DataTemplate defined in XAML that knows how to present each element in the array. However the default DataContext for each cell is the row, i.e. data[x]. So I need to "parameterize" the DataTemplate for each column by setting the root visual element's DataContext to binding "[y]" where y is the column index. Currently the DataTemplate is defined as in DataGrid.Resources and retrieved by FindResource() which is returning the same instance every time. Besides calling LoadContent() gives me the UIElement tree rather than loading the VisualTree on the DataTemplate itself. I am looking for a way to instantiate the DataTemplate in code, do the desired modification and set to DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate.
Inspired by Sisyphe's answer, I found this more portable solution:
public class DataGridBoundTemplateColumn : DataGridTemplateColumn
{
public string BindingPath { get; set; }
protected override FrameworkElement GenerateEditingElement(DataGridCell cell, object dataItem)
{
var element = base.GenerateEditingElement(cell, dataItem);
element.SetBinding(ContentPresenter.ContentProperty, new Binding(this.BindingPath));
return element;
}
protected override FrameworkElement GenerateElement(DataGridCell cell, object dataItem)
{
var element = base.GenerateElement(cell, dataItem);
element.SetBinding(ContentPresenter.ContentProperty, new Binding(this.BindingPath));
return element;
}
}
Usage:
var cellTemplate = (DataTemplate)this.dataGrid.FindResource("cellTemplate");
foreach (var c in data.Columns)
{
var col = new DataGridBoundTemplateColumn
{
Header = c.HeaderText,
CellTemplate = cellTemplate,
BindingPath = string.Format("[{0}]", c.Index)
};
this.dataGrid.Columns.Add(col);
}
Hope this helps someone who has the same requirement as the one in my question.
(templateKey as DataTemplate).LoadContent()
Description:
When you call LoadContent, the UIElement objects in the DataTemplate are created, and you can add them to the visual tree of another UIElement.
You should see DataTemplate in WPF as a Factory. Thus I think that you don't really need a new instance of the DataTemplate, you just want it to be applied differently based on your context.
If I understand correctly your issue, the problem is that the DataContext of your DataGrid Cells is not correct : it's the Row ViewModel whereas you want it to be the Cell ViewModel (which makes perfect sense). This is however the basic behavior of the DataGrid and is probably tied to the fact that Cells in each rows are hold by a DataGridCellsPresenter (which is basically an ItemsControl) whose ItemsSource dependency property has not been set (thus explaining the bad DataContext).
I've run into this problem and found two way to fix this (but I only managed to make one work).
First one is to subclass DataGridCellsPresenter and override OnItemChanged method to set the ItemsSource manually.
protected override void OnItemChanged(object oldItem, object newItem)
{
var rowViewModel = newItem as ViewModel;
if (rowViewModel != null)
{
ItemsSource = rowViewModel.Items;
}
else
{
ItemsSource = null;
}
}
where rowViewModel.Items should point to something like data[x] in your case. However I ran into some troubles using this fix and couldnt make it work correctly.
Second solution is to subclass DataGridCell and update the dataContext on change of the ColumnProperty. You also have to subclass DataGridCellsPresenter to make it create the right cell controls
public class MyDataGridCell : DataGridCell
{
protected override void OnPropertyChanged(DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.Property == ColumnProperty)
{
var viewModel = DataContext as YourViewModelType;
if (viewModel != null)
{
var column = (e.NewValue as DataGridTemplateColumn);
if (column != null)
{
var cellViewModel = viewModel[column.DisplayIndex];
DataContext = cellViewModel;
}
}
}
base.OnPropertyChanged(e);
}
}
public class MyDataGridCellsPresenterControl : DataGridCellsPresenter
{
protected override System.Windows.DependencyObject GetContainerForItemOverride()
{
return new MyDataGridCell();
}
}
Finally you will also have to override the DataGridRow default ControlTemplate to make it use your custom DataGridCellsPresenter in place of the original DataGridCellsPresenter.
<ControlTemplate x:Key="DataGridRowControlTemplate" TargetType="{x:Type DataGridRow}">
<Border x:Name="DGR_Border" BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
<SelectiveScrollingGrid>
<SelectiveScrollingGrid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
</SelectiveScrollingGrid.ColumnDefinitions>
<SelectiveScrollingGrid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</SelectiveScrollingGrid.RowDefinitions>
<local:MyDataGridCellsPresenter Grid.Column="1" ItemsPanel="{TemplateBinding ItemsPanel}" SnapsToDevicePixels="{TemplateBinding SnapsToDevicePixels}"/>
<DataGridDetailsPresenter Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="1" Visibility="{TemplateBinding DetailsVisibility}">
<SelectiveScrollingGrid.SelectiveScrollingOrientation>
<Binding Path="AreRowDetailsFrozen" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorLevel=1, AncestorType={x:Type DataGrid}}">
<Binding.ConverterParameter>
<SelectiveScrollingOrientation>Vertical</SelectiveScrollingOrientation>
</Binding.ConverterParameter>
</Binding>
</SelectiveScrollingGrid.SelectiveScrollingOrientation>
</DataGridDetailsPresenter>
<DataGridRowHeader Grid.RowSpan="2" SelectiveScrollingGrid.SelectiveScrollingOrientation="Vertical">
<DataGridRowHeader.Visibility>
<Binding Path="HeadersVisibility" RelativeSource="{RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorLevel=1, AncestorType={x:Type DataGrid}}">
<Binding.ConverterParameter>
<DataGridHeadersVisibility>Row</DataGridHeadersVisibility>
</Binding.ConverterParameter>
</Binding>
</DataGridRowHeader.Visibility>
</DataGridRowHeader>
</SelectiveScrollingGrid>
</Border>
</ControlTemplate>

WPF - Apply a converter to all textboxes

Using WPF, I want to apply a converter within the binding of the Text property within all my TextBoxes.
The following works for a single TextBox:
<TextBox Style="{StaticResource TextBoxStyleBase2}"
Text="{Binding Text, Converter={StaticResource MyConverter}}">
</TextBox>
However, our TextBoxes uses a style with a Control Template that looks like this:
<Grid>
<Border x:Name="Border"
Background="{TemplateBinding Background}"
BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}"
BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}"
CornerRadius="{StaticResource DefaultCornerRadius}">
<Grid>
<Border BorderThickness="1">
<ScrollViewer x:Name="PART_ContentHost" Margin="0"/>
</Border>
</Grid>
</Border>
</Grid>
How can I apply my converter using this Template?
Thanks!
Any attempt to modify TextBox properties from inside the ControlTemplate will be messy, so I recommend you do it in the Style instead of the ControlTemplate if at all possible. I'll start by explaining how to do it with a Style then explain how to adapt the technique for use in a ControlTemplate if necessary.
What you need to do is create an attached property that can be used like this:
<Style x:Name="TextBoxStyleBase2" TargetType="TextBox">
<Setter Property="local:ConverterInstaller.TextPropetyConverter"
Value="{StaticResource MyConverter}" />
...
</Style>
The ConverterInstaller class has a simple attached property that installs the converter into any Binding initially set on the TextBox:
public class ConverterInstaller : DependencyObject
{
public static IValueConverter GetTextPropertyConverter(DependencyObject obj) { return (IValueConverter)obj.GetValue(TextPropertyConverterProperty); }
public static void SetTextPropertyConverter(DependencyObject obj, IValueConverter value) { obj.SetValue(TextPropertyConverterProperty, value); }
public static readonly DependencyProperty TextPropertyConverterProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("TextPropertyConverter", typeof(IValueConverter), typeof(Converter), new PropertyMetadata
{
PropertyChangedCallback = (obj, e) =>
{
var box = (TextBox)obj;
box.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(DispatcherPriority.Normal, new Action(() =>
{
var binding = BindingOperations.GetBinding(box, TextBox.TextProperty);
if(binding==null) return;
var newBinding = new Binding
{
Converter = GetTextPropertyConverter(box),
Path = binding.Path,
Mode = binding.Mode,
StringFormat = binding.StringFormat,
}
if(binding.Source!=null) newBinding.Source = binding.Source;
if(binding.RelativeSource!=null) newBinding.RelativeSource = binding.RelativeSource;
if(binding.ElementName!=null) newBinding.ElementName = binding.ElementName;
BindingOperations.SetBinding(box, TextBox.TextProperty, newBinding);
}));
}
});
}
The only complexity here is:
The use of Dispatcher.BeginInvoke to ensure the binding update happens after the XAML finishes loading and all styles are applied, and
The need to copy Binding properties into a new Binding to change the Converter, since the original Binding is sealed
To attach this property to an element inside the ControlTemplate instead of doing it in the style, the same code is used except the original object passed into the PropertyChangedCallback is cast var element = (FrameworkElement)obj; and inside the Dispatcher.BeginInvoke action the actual TextBox is found with var box = (TextBox)element.TemplatedParent;

Outside Property inside a DataTemplate WPF

Scenario: I have a ListBox and the ListBoxItems have a DataTemplate. What I want to do is put a ContextMenu in the DataTemplate. The catch is that I want this ContextMenu ItemsSource to be different depending on certain properties in the window. My initial thought is that I could just bind the ItemsSource to a Property in the window and that would return an ItemsSource; however, I cant seem to bind to this property correctly. I believe this is because I am in the DataTemplate and consequently the DataContext (I believe that is the right word) is of that ListBoxItem and not of the window.
How could I get the ContextMenu that is inside a DataTemplate to bind to a Property outside of the DataTemplate.
You can get the DataContext from your window by using the RelativeSource FindAncestor syntax
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding MyInfo}">
<TextBlock.ContextMenu>
<Menu ItemsSource="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Window}}, Path=DataContext.MyContextMenuItems}"/>
</TextBlock.ContextMenu>
</TextBlock>
</DataTemplate>
Not totally sure, but the binding is correct...
If your DataContext is on another object type, you just have to change the AncestorType (eg. by UserControl).
This might be a good candidate for an AttachedProperty. Basically what you would do is wrap your ContextMenu in a UserControl and then add a Dependency Property to the UserControl. For example:
MyContextMenu.xaml
<UserControl x:Class="MyContextMenu" ...>
<UserControl.Template>
<ContextMenu ItemSource="{Binding}" />
</UserControl.Template>
</UserControl>
MyContextMenu.xaml.cs
public static readonly DependencyProperty MenuItemsSourceProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
"MenuItemsSource",
typeof(Object),
typeof(MyContextMenu),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(false, FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.AffectsRender)
);
public static void SetMenuItemsSource(UIElement element, Boolean value)
{
element.SetValue(MenuItemsSourceProperty, value);
// assuming you want to change the context menu when the mouse is over an element.
// use can use other events. ie right mouse button down if its a right click menu.
// you may see a perf hit as your changing the datacontext on every mousenter.
element.MouseEnter += (s, e) => {
// find your ContextMenu and set the DataContext to value
var window = element.GetRoot();
var menu = window.GetVisuals().OfType<MyContextMenu>().FirstOrDefault();
if (menu != null)
menu.DataContext = value;
}
}
public static Object GetMenuItemsSource(UIElement element)
{
return element.GetValue(MenuItemsSourceProperty);
}
Window1.xaml
<Window ...>
<Window.Resources>
<DataTemplate TargetType="ListViewItem">
<Border MyContextMenu.MenuItemsSource="{Binding Orders}">
<!-- Others -->
<Border>
</DataTemplate>
</Window.Resources>
<local:MyContextMenu />
<Button MyContextMenu.MenuItemsSource="{StaticResource buttonItems}" />
<ListView ... />
</Window>
VisualTreeHelpers
public static IEnumerable<DependencyObject> GetVisuals(this DependencyObject root)
{
int count = VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(root);
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
var child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(root, i);
yield return child;
foreach (var descendants in child.GetVisuals())
{
yield return descendants;
}
}
}
public static DependencyObject GetRoot(this DependencyObject child)
{
var parent = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child)
if (parent == null)
return child;
return parent.GetRoot();
}
This example is un-tested I'll take a look later tonight and make sure its accurate.

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