Why doesn't this Binding work - wpf

I have a 3rd party SplitButton control that exposes some DropDownContent and a boolean IsOpen dp to control whether the drop down content is shown or not.
In the case the DropDownContent is a StackPanel with several Buttons, each of which is bound to a command in the view model. In addition to executing that command, clicking the button needs to close the open DropDown content, which I am doing with the AttachedBehavior below.
But my binding, which simple needs to get a reference to the ancestor SplitButton control doesn't work. In the binding, you will note I am trying to Find the first Ancestor control of type SplitButton. I do see however that the debug info says ancestor level 1, so I changed the level to as high as 4, but still with an error.
Can someone see what the fix is?
binding error
System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference
'RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType='Xceed.Wpf.Toolkit.SplitButton',
AncestorLevel='1''. BindingExpression:(no path); DataItem=null; target element is
'CloseDropDownContentBehavior' (HashCode=8896066); target property is 'DropDownButtonElement' (type 'SplitButton')
xaml
<DataTemplate x:Key="AddNewPartyTemplate">
<StackPanel HorizontalAlignment="Right" Margin="10">
<toolkit:SplitButton x:Name="theSplitButton" Content="{resx:Resx Subject_AddNewWithChoices}">
<toolkit:SplitButton.DropDownContent>
<StackPanel x:Name="theStackPanel">
<Button Content="{resx:Resx Person}" Command="{Binding AddNewPersonCommand}"
>
<i:Interaction.Behaviors>
<local:CloseDropDownContentBehavior
*** DropDownButtonElement="{Binding
RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type toolkit:SplitButton}}}"/>
</i:Interaction.Behaviors>
</Button>
...
</StackPanel>
</toolkit:SplitButton.DropDownContent>
</toolkit:SplitButton>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
attached behavior
public class CloseDropDownContentBehavior : Behavior<ButtonBase>
{
private ButtonBase _button;
protected override void OnAttached()
{
_button = AssociatedObject;
_button.Click += OnPartyButtonClick;
}
protected override void OnDetaching()
{
_button.Click -= OnPartyButtonClick;
}
// **** the point of it all
void OnPartyButtonClick(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) { DropDownButtonElement.IsOpen = false; }
public static readonly DependencyProperty DropDownButtonElementProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("DropDownButtonElement",
typeof(SplitButton), typeof(CloseDropDownContentBehavior), new UIPropertyMetadata(null, OnDropDownElementChanged));
public DropDownButton DropDownButtonElement
{
get { return (DropDownButton)GetValue(DropDownButtonElementProperty); }
set { SetValue(DropDownButtonElementProperty, value); }
}
private static void OnDropDownElementChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e) {
}
}

Guessing it's because Interaction.Behaviors isn't part of the visual tree, so the binding won't find the ancestor. Have you tried simply:
DropDownElement="{Binding ElementName=theSplitButton}"
Update from comments: the solution in this case is to simply use x:Reference:
DropDownElement="{x:Reference theSplitButton}"

i dont know the SplitButton.DropDownContent but if its behave like a context menu the following answer might help: WPF context menu whose items are defined as data templates
this trick is to bind with RelativeSource Self or Type ContextMenu and then set the Path to PlacementTarget.DataContext.YourProperty

Related

Binding Button.IsEnabled to position of current in CollectionView

I am trying to bind the IsEnabled property of a button to properties of the window's CollectionViewSource. I am doing this to implement First/Previous/Next/Last buttons and want the First and Previous to be disabled when the view is on the first item etc.
I have the collection view source set up, UI controls binding to it correctly, with access to its view in code so the click event handlers work fine in navigating through the view.
<CollectionViewSource x:Key="cvMain" />
The DockPanel is the root element of the window
<DockPanel DataContext="{StaticResource cvMain}">
FoJobs is an observable collection, cvJobs is a CollectionView that I use in the button's click handler
private void Window_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
((CollectionViewSource)Resources["cvMain"]).Source = FoJobs;
cvJobs = (CollectionView)((CollectionViewSource)Resources["cvMain"]).View;
}
I have tried this but get a binding error "BindingExpression path error: '' property not found on 'object' ''ListCollectionView'"
<Button Name="cbFirst" Click="cbMove_Click" IsEnabled="{Binding Source={StaticResource cvMain}, Converter={StaticResource CurrPos2BoolConverter}}" />
I am trying to do with a converter first but figure a style with triggers would be more efficient, but cant get access to the collection view. Even though the underlying datacontext is set to a collection view source, the binding is passed to the converter as the view's source (if I dont explicity set the binding's Source, as above), which has no currency properties (CurrentPosition, Count etc).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Why don't you use a RoutedCommand for this(even if you don't use MVVM that is)?
say something like:
<Button x:Name="nextButton"
Command="{x:Static local:MainWindow.nextButtonCommand}"
Content="Next Button" />
and in your code-behind:
public static RoutedCommand nextButtonCommand = new RoutedCommand();
public MainWindow() {
InitializeComponent();
CommandBinding customCommandBinding = new CommandBinding(
nextButtonCommand, ExecuteNextButton, CanExecuteNextButton);
nextButton.CommandBindings.Add(customCommandBinding); // You can attach it to a top level element if you wish say the window itself
}
private void CanExecuteNextButton(object sender, CanExecuteRoutedEventArgs e) {
e.CanExecute = /* Set to true or false based on if you want button enabled or not */
}
private void ExecuteNextButton(object sender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e) {
/* Move code from your next button click handler in here */
}
You can also apply one of the suggestions from Explicitly raise CanExecuteChanged() to manually re-evaluate Button.isEnabled state.
This way your encapsulating logic relating to the button in one area.

Trigger on attached property of DataGridTextColumn

I am trying to define a custom attached property on DataGridTextColumn and writing a DataTrigger against it in my xaml file. Here is how the attached property (FilterDisplayStyle) is defined in my class.
//Dependency Property whether Column Filter is combobox or textbox or editable combobox.
public static FrameworkPropertyMetadata inheritsMetaData =
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(FilterDisplayTypeEnum.TextBoxOnly, FrameworkPropertyMetadataOptions.Inherits);
public static DependencyProperty FilterDisplayTypeProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("FilterDisplayType",
typeof(FilterDisplayTypeEnum), typeof(DataGridColumn), inheritsMetaData);
public static FilterDisplayTypeEnum GetFilterDisplayType(DependencyObject target) {
if (target == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("Invalid Parameter Element"); }
return (FilterDisplayTypeEnum)target.GetValue(FilterDisplayTypeProperty);
}
public static void SetFilterDisplayType(DependencyObject target, FilterDisplayTypeEnum value) {
if (target == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("Invalid Parameter Element"); }
target.SetValue(FilterDisplayTypeProperty, value);
}
The above attached property's type is FilterDisplayTypeEnum which is defined as below.
public enum FilterDisplayTypeEnum {
TextBoxOnly,
NonEditableComboBox,
EditableComboBox
}
Here is how I set this property in DataGridTextColumn
<DataGrid.Columns>
<DataGridTextColumn Binding="{Binding Id}" f:DataGridColumnExtensions.FilterDisplayType="NonEditableComboBox" />
....
</DataGrid.Columns>
Now I am trying to retrieve this property in using the following
<TextBox Text="{Binding Mode=OneWay, Path=FilterDisplayType, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType={x:Type DataGridTextColumn}}}"/>
But I don't get any text on my TextBox above.
Surprisingly, I have another attached property (this time attached to DataGrid instead) that works perfectly fine. The issue is only with DataGridTextColumn. Also, using WPF Inspector, I see there is no direct visual representation of DataGridTextColumn in the Visual Tree , so I was skeptical whether I could use FindAncestor way of binding on ancestor which is DataGridTextColumn. Can anyone help me out in this scenario. To Summarize, I can't access a custom attached property defined on DataGridTextColumn using FindAncestor type of Binding. Are there any alternatives to this?
regards,
Nirvan
Edit:
As per #Clemens suggestions, I changed the definition of the Attached Property to something like this. But I still can't access the attached property in my xaml.
Attached Property Definition:
public static DependencyProperty FilterDisplayTypeProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("FilterDisplayType",
typeof(FilterDisplayTypeEnum), typeof(DataGridColumnExtensions), inheritsMetaData);
public static FilterDisplayTypeEnum GetFilterDisplayType(DataGridBoundColumn target) {
if (target == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("Invalid Parameter target"); }
return (FilterDisplayTypeEnum)target.GetValue(FilterDisplayTypeProperty);
}
public static void SetFilterDisplayType(DataGridBoundColumn target, FilterDisplayTypeEnum value) {
if (target == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("Invalid Parameter target"); }
target.SetValue(FilterDisplayTypeProperty, value);
}
I am still unable to access the property "FilterDisplayType" in my xaml code as given below
<TextBox Text="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type DataGridTextColumn}}, Path=FilterDisplayType}"/>
The owner type must be the type that declares the property, here DataGridColumnExtensions:
public static DependencyProperty FilterDisplayTypeProperty =
DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("FilterDisplayType",
typeof(FilterDisplayTypeEnum),
typeof(DataGridColumnExtensions), // here
inheritsMetaData);
This seems to be a common misunderstanding with attached properties. See also here.
And also note that the syntax for binding to an attached property is (Class.Property), so you would need to bind like this:
<TextBox
Text="{Binding Path=(DataGridColumnExtensions.FilterDisplayType)}"/>
And just another note: i haven't quite understood why the property inherits. As far as i can see you intend to set it explicitly on DataGridTextColumn objects.

Silverlight DataTrigger not firing on load

I'm attempting to convert some of my WPF skills to Silverlight, and have run into a slightly odd problem in the test mini-app I've been working on. In WPF, I got used to using DataTriggers within a style to set up control properties based on properties of the bound data. I discovered that some assemblies related to Blend allow you to do something like this in Silverlight, and I came up with something like this, in which I've got the following namespaces declared:
xmlns:ia="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Expression.Interactivity.Core;assembly=Microsoft.Expression.Interactions"
xmlns:iv="clr-namespace:System.Windows.Interactivity;assembly=System.Windows.Interactivity"
<DataTemplate x:Key="testItemTemplate">
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
<TextBox Text="{Binding Name, Mode=TwoWay}" x:Name="thing"/>
<iv:Interaction.Triggers>
<ia:DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Name}" Value="ReddenMe" Comparison="Equal">
<ia:ChangePropertyAction TargetName="thing" PropertyName="Foreground" Value="Red">
</ia:ChangePropertyAction>
</ia:DataTrigger>
</iv:Interaction.Triggers>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
In this example, I've got a data object implementing INotifyPropertyChanged and raising the PropertyChanged event as usual for the Name property. I get the expected behaviour if I change the value of the textbox and lose focus, but if the initial value of the textbox is set to ReddenMe (which for this contrived example I'm using as the trigger for the text to be red), the text doesn't go red. Does anybody know what's going on here? For DataTriggers in WPF, the trigger would be fired immediately for any data.
I realise that I could use a Converter here, but I can think of situations where I'd want to use triggers, and I wonder if there's anything I could do to make this work.
Here's a solution I found on Tom Peplow's blog: inherit from DataTrigger, and make the trigger evaluate the condition when its associated element is loaded.
Here's how you can code it:
public class DataTriggerEvaluateOnLoad : Microsoft.Expression.Interactivity.Core.DataTrigger
{
protected override void OnAttached()
{
base.OnAttached();
var element = AssociatedObject as FrameworkElement;
if (element != null)
{
element.Loaded += OnElementLoaded;
}
}
protected override void OnDetaching()
{
base.OnDetaching();
var element = AssociatedObject as FrameworkElement;
if (element != null)
{
element.Loaded -= OnElementLoaded;
}
}
private void OnElementLoaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
EvaluateBindingChange(null);
}
}

WPF custom control databinding

I'm new to the development of custom controls in WPF, but I tried to develop a single one to use in a application that I'm developing. This control is an autocomplete textbox. In this control, I have a DependencyProprety that has a list of possible entries so a person can choose from while entering the text
public static readonly DependencyProperty ItemsSourceProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("ItemsSource",typeof (IList<object>),typeof (AutoCompleteTextBox),new PropertyMetadata(null));
public IList<object> ItemsSource
{
get { return (IList<object>) GetValue(ItemsSourceProperty); }
set
{
SetValue(ItemsSourceProperty, value);
RaiseOnPropertyChanged("ItemsSource");
}
}
I use this control in a usercontrol and associate this control to a property in the viewmodel
<CustomControls:AutoCompleteTextBox Height="23" Width="200"
VerticalAlignment="Center" Text="{Binding Path=ArticleName, Mode=TwoWay,
UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Articles,
Mode=OneWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}">
</CustomControls:AutoCompleteTextBox>
I have a viewmodel that I assign on the usercontrol load to the datacontext of the usercontrol load
protected virtual void Window_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
if (!DesignerProperties.GetIsInDesignMode(this))
{
this.DataContext = viewModel;
SetLabels();
}
}
This viewmodel has the property Articles with values but the ItemsSource property of the control is null when I try to search in the list after the user enter some text.
Is there any special step that I missed when I create the control so use the mvvm pattern.
I hope that the explain the problem in a understandable way. Any help/hints would be welcome.
There are two issues here:
First, you're dependency property is defining the "default" value for this property to be null. You can change that by changing the metadata to specify a new collection:
public static readonly DependencyProperty ItemsSourceProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("ItemsSource",typeof (IList<object>),typeof (AutoCompleteTextBox),
new PropertyMetadata(new List<object>));
Secondly, when using dependency properties, the setter can't contain any logic. You should keep your property set as:
public IList<object> ItemsSource
{
get { return (IList<object>) GetValue(ItemsSourceProperty); }
set { SetValue(ItemsSourceProperty, value); }
}
This is because the setter doesn't actually get called by the binding system - only when you use code. However, since the class is a DependencyObject and this is a DP, you don't need to raise property changed events.

How to databind Click= to a function on the object and not the page

I'm using Silverlight, but I'd be interested in a WPF answer as well
I have a list that is databound to an linked list of “Favorites”. Each favorite contains a name and a phone number.
The list is bound to a DataTemplate that describes the graphical aspects. In the this template is a button – Dial. When you click on that button I want the Dial() method of the Favorite to be called. Right now the Dial method of the page/window is called.
If this is not possible is there a way I can get the Favorite to somehow be attached to the Button? such that I know which Favorite was associated with the button press?
the below XAML does not work, Text="{Binding Name}" works great as it binds to the Name property on the Favorite, but Click="{Binding Dial}" does not call Dial() on the Favorite.
<DataTemplate x:Key="DataTemplate1">
<StackPanel d:DesignWidth="633" Orientation="Horizontal" Height="93">
<Button x:Name="DialButton" Content="Edit" Click="{Binding Dial}"/>
<TextBlock x:Name="TextBlock" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding Name}" FontSize="64" Height="Auto" FontFamily="Segoe WP SemiLight"/>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
So it should go:
<Button CommandParameter="{Binding}" Command="{Binding Dial}"/>
Then you will receive the data object as the command parameter. In this scenario you must provide a Property that is called Dial and returns an ICommand-implementation. If the property is not available on your data-object but on the main class (code-behind), you must look for it within the binding, use for this the RelativeSource keyword.
Another way is to make a click handler. In the click handler you can cast the sender to a Button (or FrameworkElement) and then get the data object from the DataContext. I assume you tried to create such a solution.
private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
Button btn = (Button)sender;
MyObject obj = btn.DataContext as MyObject;
if(null != obj){
obj.Dial();
// or Dial(obj);
}
}
The markup must be as follows:
<Button x:Name="DialButton" Content="Edit" Click="Button_Click"/>
The main difference is, that I removed the binding from the Click-Event and registered an event-handler.
A third solution would be, to register a handler in the code behind for the Button.ClickEvent. The principle is similiar as in the second example.
I don't know silverlight very well. Perhaps there are the things a little bit other.
HappyClicker's first solution is the best one for most purposes, since it supports good design patterns such as MVVM.
There is another simple way to get the same result using an attached property, so you can write:
<Button Content="Edit" my:RouteToContext.Click="Edit" />
and the Edit() method will be called on the button's DataContext.
Here is how the RouteToContext class might be implemented:
public class RouteToContext : DependencyObject
{
public static string GetClick(FrameworkElement element) { return (string)element.GetValue(ClickProperty); }
public static void SetClick(FrameworkElement element, string value) { element.SetValue(ClickProperty, value); }
public static DependencyProperty ClickProperty = ConstructEventProperty("Click");
// Additional proprties can be defined here
private static DependencyProperty ConstructEventProperty(string propertyName)
{
return DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
propertyName, typeof(string), typeof(RouteToContext),
new PropertyMetadata
{
PropertyChangedCallback = (obj, propertyChangeArgs) =>
obj.GetType().GetEvent(propertyName)
.AddEventHandler(obj, new RoutedEventHandler((sender, eventArgs) =>
((FrameworkElement)sender).DataContext
.GetType().GetMethod((string)propertyChangeArgs.NewValue)
.Invoke(((FrameworkElement)sender).DataContext,
new object[] { sender, eventArgs }
)
))
}
);
}
}
How it works: When the RouteToContext.Click attached property is set, Type.GetEvent() is used to find the event named "Click", and an event handler is added to it. This event handler uses Type.GetMethod() to find the specified method on the DataContext, then invokes the method on the DataContext, passing the same sender and eventArgs it received.

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