Is every Property in WPF Dependency Property? - c#

I read this post and this one about depency properties and I am confused, are all properties in XAML dependency properties ? and what about normal properties we define in C# ? I mean like this : Public int num {get; set;} .
Because the normal properties in C# have some features that they mentioned as a option for dependency property for example I can bind their values to a textbox value.
And if you can make a simple example I will be grateful.

I feel that the other posts answer what a Dependency Property is fairly well so I will address your question showing how to make a Dependency Property, hopefully that will help.
Are all properties in XAML dependency properties?
No, Dependency properties must be specified as such. See below...
public class MyDataGridControl : DataGrid
{
public string SomeName
{
get { return (string)GetValue(SomeNameProperty); }
set { SetValue(SomeNameProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty SomeNameProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(
nameof(SomeName), typeof(string), typeof(MyDataGridControl),
new PropertyMetadata(null));
}
In the example above, I have created a class that inherits from DataGrid to make my own DataGrid control. I have created the "normal property" SomeName. I then register SomeName as a Dependency Property. Notice that while SomeName is a "normal property", the getter and setter are referencing the SomeNameProperty Dependency Property.

Related

ObservableCollection is Null when I try to add TextBlocks through XAML to a custom control

In my WPF Project, i am trying to create an ObservalbeCollection dependency property inside a custom control. I am not sure if i am doing it the right way but i am using the below code :
public static readonly DependencyProperty MenuOptionsDependency = DependencyProperty.Register("MenuOptions", typeof(ObservableCollection<TextBlock>), typeof(DropDownButton));
public ObservableCollection<TextBlock> MenuOptions
{
get
{
return (ObservableCollection<TextBlock>)GetValue(MenuOptionsDependency);
}
set
{
SetValue(MenuOptionsDependency, value);
}
}
The problem arises when i try to add TextBlocks through XAML to this control as follows :
<local:CustomControl1 x:Name="cmm">
<local:CustomControl1.MenuOptions>
<TextBlock/>
</local:CustomControl1.MenuOptions>
</local:CustomControl1>
This throws a design time error saying :
Collection 'CustomControl1'.'MenuOptions' is null
After going through the accepted answer on this SO post, i understand ObservableCollection, being a reference type, will be null as it will be default value. I read through the answer but i am still unclear/unsure on how to implement the solution in my situation.
I need to be able to add objects to the collection through XAML(and also through C#). I would really appreciate if someone points out where i am missing/what i am doing wrong.
You must never set the default value of a collection type dependency property to something else than null. When you assign a non-null default value by (static) property metadata, all instances of your control will use the same collection object.
Instead, set a default value in the control's constructor by SetCurrentValue:
public DropDownButton()
{
SetCurrentValue(MenuOptionsDependency, new ObservableCollection<TextBlock>());
}
Besides that, there is a strict naming convention, according to which the dependency property identifier field must be named as the property with a Property suffix. So your MenuOptionsDependency should actually be named MenuOptionsProperty.
It's also unclear whether the property type really needs to be ObservableCollection. You don't seem to register a CollectionChanged event handler anywhere, which indicates that your control is not supposed to react on such changes.
Consider a property declaration like this:
public DropDownButton()
{
SetCurrentValue(MenuOptionsProperty, new List<TextBlock>());
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty MenuOptionsProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(
nameof(MenuOptions), typeof(IEnumerable<TextBlock>), typeof(DropDownButton));
public IEnumerable<TextBlock> MenuOptions
{
get { return (IEnumerable<TextBlock>)GetValue(MenuOptionsProperty); }
set { SetValue(MenuOptionsProperty, value); }
}

Dotvvm run-time binding to 'object' type

i have this class
public class Property{
public string Name {get;set;}
public object Value {get;set;}
}
i want to create list of the above class List<Property> and dynamically add Mark Up Controls Code only
, so as their website they have an example HERE and what i did to that example is adding a public property of type Property to the TextBoxWithLabel class and changed the setter of the above example for binding as follows:
[MarkupOptions(AllowHardCodedValue = false)]
public string Text
{
get { return (string)GetValue(TextProperty); }
set {
SetValue(TextProperty, value);
Property.Value = value;
}
}
public static readonly DotvvmProperty TextProperty
= DotvvmProperty.Register<string, TextBoxWithLabel>(c => c.Text, "");
when i run the app and type something in the input field, the Value property of Type Property still null and here is where i'm stuck
i tried also to debug setter and it turns out it does not reach there so there is problem with run-time binding, which is 'as their example' this line of code
textBox.SetBinding(TextBox.TextProperty, GetValueBinding(TextProperty));
any help will appreciated :)
EDIT:
for more clarification,i have page called MainAppPage
and Markup Control with code behind called ContentControl
simply , MainAppPage passes List<Property> to ContentControl using this in MainAppPage
<controls:ContentControl Instance="{value: ClassObject}"/> then ContentControl start iterating through List<Property> and creating InputField's that derive from HtmlGenericControl
InputField's rendering like a charm in ContentControl
only thing is not working is binding , so again, how to bind Property.Value to InputField.Text so any changes happens in UI from user reflects on Property.Value after the InputField gets unfocused like any other MVVM pattern ?
DotVVM does not assign to the property usning the setter, is sets the underlying property store in DotvvmBindableObject instead. It's very simmilar what WPF does with their DependencyProperty, it's needed to represent the data bindings. You can actually completely omit the C# property declaration, declaring the field TextProperty and calling the DotvvmProperty.Register is enough to declare a property for dotvvm.
Other "problem" is that the controls do not store any data, everything has to be persisted in the view model. You can only use the control properties to data-bind a view model property. I think we are running here into a XY problem, I can only tell why your code does not work, but I have no idea what are actually trying to do...
Anyway, if you just want to "bind" your control to a view model property, have a look at https://www.dotvvm.com/docs/tutorials/control-development-markup-controls-with-code/2.0. You can declare the property like that:
[MarkupOptions(AllowHardCodedValue = false)]
public string Text
{
get { return (string)GetValue(TextProperty); }
set { SetValue(TextProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DotvvmProperty TextProperty
= DotvvmProperty.Register<string, TextBoxWithLabel>(c => c.Text, "");
Use it in the markup of you control
#baseType FullName.Of.YourControl
{{value: _control.Text}}
And use the control in your page (or other control)
<cc:YourControl Text="{value: _this.Property.Value}" />

Property just has default value in code-behind - WPF

I'm using some UserControls that automatically "register" in a dictionary in the main window. The UserControls have some values set to them in the main window's XAML.
I've implemented Dependency Properties and all that, working fine.
But when I'm accessing the values from custom properties like
Main.Conn.RequestStatus(sf.Address);
the property is returning the default value I set in the class definiton.
public string Address {get; set;} = "";
However when I call
Main.Conn.RequestStatus((string)GetValue(AddressProperty)));
it's working as it should (Address being "1/11").
Why is that? Do I have to get property values with the Dependecy Property methods? Or did I implement the properties the wrong way?
The declaration
public string Address {get; set;} = "";
is not a valid wrapper for a dependency property.
It must look like this:
public string Address
{
get { return (string)GetValue(AddressProperty); }
set { SetValue(AddressProperty, value); }
}
The dependency property identifier field should be defined like this:
public static readonly DependencyProperty AddressProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(
nameof(Address),
typeof(string),
typeof(YourControl),
new PropertyMetadata(""));

Updating a Custom Control's binded Property on its property change

App.cs
class customRadioButton:RadioButton
{
private Brush enableColor;
private Brush disableColor;
public EnableColor()
{
get{ /*get value */}
set{ /* set value */}
}
}
Main.xaml
<local:customRadioButton EnableColor={Binding ElementName=disableButton, Path=EnableColor} />
<local:customRadioButton x:Name="disableButton" EnableColor="Red", Path=EnableColor} />
Now I am changing the value of EnableColor dynamically. Problem I am having is that the value assigned but is not getting reflected in main.window
I don't want to use dependency property
Is there any other method to Tell the Binded Elements that its property has changed.
Note:I have tried UpdateTrigger its also not working
In order to get Binding work, you will need to create a DependencyProperty.
public Brush EnableColor
{
get { return (Brush)this.GetValue(EnableColorProperty); }
set { this.SetValue(EnableColorProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty EnableColorProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
"EnableColor", typeof(Brush), typeof(customRadioButton), new PropertyMetadata(default(Brush));
Read MSDN for details.
Curious what your aversion is to using a dependencyproperty? I answering this on my phone so cant mock one up for you but it would be extremely simple to do.
Just do a Google for "WPF custom control dependency property example" and do exactly what they do just customized for your needs.
The dependency peppery will give you the change notification that you're looking for.
The UpdateTrigger would only apply if you were binding to something that's part of your XAML data context. I mean I guess toy could fudge around to get that to work but DependencyProperty is absolutely the way too go

Custom WPF binding not being updated on listbox selection

I'm puzzled by this probably trivial matter. I have my custom property on a descendant of DevExpresses class LayoutGroup (shouldn't make any difference IMO):
public class ExpandableLayoutGroup : LayoutGroup
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty IsExpandedProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("IsExpanded", typeof(Boolean), typeof(ExpandableLayoutGroup));
public Boolean IsExpanded
{
get { return (Boolean) GetValue(IsExpandedProperty); }
set
{
expandCheckBox.IsChecked = value;
SetValue(IsExpandedProperty, value);
}
}
}
Then I have XAML binding to a listbox (containing 2 items at this time) called listStates.
<ExpandableLayoutGroup x:Name="groupTool" IsExpanded="{Binding SelectedValue.IsTool, ElementName=listStates}" DataContext="{Binding Tool}" Header="Tool" View="GroupBox" />
The object list binding to listStates contains both properties (simplified):
public class State
{
public Boolean IsItemTool { get; private set; }
public Tool Tool { get; private set; }
}
Am I missing something obvious? Because I would expect that when I change listbox selection (single) it would also update IsExpanded property on a group. I have more subproperties of Tool binded (as apparent by DataContext="{Binding Tool}") and those update well. So the DataContext is changing correctly on listbox selection. Except this one property IsExpanded (that should expand/collapse layoutgroup).
What am I doing wrong, and how to make it so, that when listbox changes, IsExpanded binding is polled to get value from IsTool, and will set it (depending on selection).
Getters and setters of dependency properties must contain only GetValue and SetValue calls, because there're two ways to get and set their values: using getters and setters and using DependencyProperty or DependencyPropertyKey. This is why code in your setter is not executed (bindings don't use them for dependency properties). If you want some code to be executed when the value is changed, specify it as a PropertyChangedCallback callback in PropertyMetadata.
See PropertyChangedCallback Delegate on MSDN.
The setter for a dependency property must only set the value for it's underlying type. The .NET internals reserve the right to call SetValue() directly (and in my experience WPF usually does, while Silverlight uses the setter that you've defined).
Refer to the "Implications for Custom Dependency Properties" section of XAML Loading and Dependency Properties for details

Categories

Resources