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How does a child ViewModel prompt the parent ViewModel to navigate away in Caliburn.Micro?

In Caliburn.Micro I have a Shell ViewModel that has 3 IShell properties corresponding to 3 content controls in the associated View. They are 'Full', 'List' and 'Detail'. 'Full' sits above the other two and is as wide as the host Form. 'List' is on the left hand 1 row down and 'Detail' is in the same row as 'List' 1 column to the right.
When the app starts, a Login ViewModel is bound to 'Full' and nothing is bound to the other two. The screen shows only the Login screen. The user should login, and when complete the 'Full' content control should switch from displaying the Login ViewModel, to an AccountViewModel.
For that to work I need the LoginViewModel to tell the ShellViewModel (its parent) to navigate to AccountViewModel.
How do I do that?
public class ShellViewModel : Screen
{
#region Fields
private string _title = "License Manager";
private Conductor<IScreen> _fullFrameConductor;
private Conductor<IScreen> _listFrameConductor;
private Conductor<IScreen> _detailFrameConductor;
#endregion
public ShellViewModel()
{
_fullFrameConductor = new Conductor<IScreen>();
_listFrameConductor = new Conductor<IScreen>();
_detailFrameConductor = new Conductor<IScreen>();
FullFrame = Framework.GetContainer().Resolve<LoginViewModel>();
}
#region Properties
public string Title { get => _title; set => _title = value; }
public IScreen FullFrame
{
get { return _fullFrameConductor.ActiveItem; }
set {
_fullFrameConductor.ActivateItem(value);
NotifyOfPropertyChange(nameof(FullFrame));
}
}
public IScreen ListFrame
{
get { return _listFrameConductor.ActiveItem; }
set {
_listFrameConductor.ActivateItem(value);
NotifyOfPropertyChange(nameof(ListFrame));
}
}
public IScreen DetailFrame
{
get { return _detailFrameConductor.ActiveItem; }
set {
_detailFrameConductor.ActivateItem(value);
NotifyOfPropertyChange(nameof(DetailFrame));
}
}
#endregion
#region Commands
public void ShowProducts()
{
ListFrame = Framework.GetContainer().Resolve<ProductListViewModel>();
DetailFrame = Framework.GetContainer().Resolve<ProductViewModel>();
}
public void ShowLicenses()
{
ListFrame = Framework.GetContainer().Resolve<LicenseListViewModel>();
DetailFrame = Framework.GetContainer().Resolve<LicenseViewModel>();
}
#endregion
}
public class LicenseViewModel : Screen
{
public void Login()
{
// This should process the login and then tell the Shell it is done
// then the shell should navigate to the Account ViewModel sharing
// the user info with the AccountViewModel via a memory cache
// How do I alert the screen ViewModel causing it to close this viewmodel
// without causing a threading problem?
}
}

You can make use of Event Aggregator to communicate between LoginViewModel and ShellViewModel. You can read more on Event Aggregator here.
First, you need to create a Message Class
public class AuthenticationSuccessMessage
{
public bool IsValidLogin{get;set;}
}
Then next step is to use EventAggregator to notify the ShellViewModel from the LicenseViewModel .
private IEventAggregator _eventAggregator;
public LicenseViewModel (IEventAggregator eventAggregator)
{
_eventAggregator = eventAggregator;
}
public void Login()
{
_eventAggregator.PublishOnUIThread(new AuthenticationSuccessMessage{IsValidLogin=true});
}
The final step is to subscribe to the Events in ShellViewModel.
public class ShellViewModel:Screen, IHandle<AuthenticationSuccessMessage>
{
private readonly IEventAggregator _eventAggregator;
public ShellViewModel:Screen(IEventAggregator eventAggregator) {
_eventAggregator = eventAggregator;
_eventAggregator.Subscribe(this);
}
void Handle<AuthenticationSuccessMessage>(AuthenticationSuccessMessage message)
{
if(message.IsValidLogin)
{
// Do Task
}
}
}
You can read more on Event Aggregators here.
Update : Do not forget to subscribe to Event Aggregator in ShellViewModel.

Get info from another window in Caliburn.Micro, WPF, MVVM

Im making Login Window in my app based on Caliburn.Micro mvvm framework. So, how to return an property (for example, true if user passed good data or false, if he pass bad credentials) from TryClose() method from my Login Window that is initialize by Caliburn.Micro? How to get information from window opened in IWindowManager.ShowDialog()?
First, my MainWindowViewModel.cs:
using Caliburn.Micro;
namespace TaskManager.ViewModels
{
class MainWindowViewModel : Conductor<IScreen>.Collection.OneActive
{
protected override void OnViewLoaded(object view)
{
IWindowManager manager = new WindowManager();
//Login page, context is data with user's lists
LoginViewModel loginView = new LoginViewModel(context);
manager.ShowDialog(loginView, null, null);
//here i want to get info, if i get logged properly or not
}
public void LoadUserInfoPage() //here starts "main" program
{
ActivateItem(new UserInfoViewModel());
}
//and so on...
}
}
My LoginViewModel.cs:
namespace TaskManager.ViewModels
{
class LoginViewModel : Screen
{
public string Login { get; set; }
public string Password { get; set; }
public LoginViewModel(FakeData context)
{
this.context = context;
}
public void LoginButton()
{
bool check = Services.Login.IsValid(Login, Password, context);
if(check) //if login is OK, check == true
TryClose();
}
private FakeData context { get; set; } //data is here
}
}
Then, my IsValid() Method:
namespace TaskManager.Services
{
static class Login
{
static public bool IsValid(string login, string password, FakeData context)
=> context.users.Any(i => i.Login == login);
//i know it is bad, but its only example
}
}
Buttons, opening and closing windows works great (reading from textboxes too). I want only get info (maybe by reference?) if user is pass good data.
THanks for your advices!

You can make use of EventAggregator for the purpose.
"An Event Aggregator is a service that provides the ability to publish
an object from one entity to another in a loosely based fashion. "
The first step would be create instance of EventAggregator in your ViewModels and subscribe to it. You can do it via DI in constructor of both ViewModels.
For LoginViewModel,
private IEventAggregator _eventAggregator;
public LoginViewModel(FakeData context,IEventAggregator eventAggregator)
{
_eventAggregator = eventAggregator;
}
And MainWindowViewModel,
private IEventAggregator _eventAggregator;
public MainWindowViewModel (IEventAggregator eventAggregator)
{
_eventAggregator = eventAggregator;
_eventAggregator.Subscribe(this);
}
The next step is to create a Message Object, which can transmit the required information between the ViewModels.
public class OnLoginAttemptMessage
{
string UserName { get; set; }
bool IsLoginSuccessful { get; set; }
}
Finally, it is time to put everything together. In youg LoginButton method in LoginViewModel, we modify the code to raise the event on successfull login.
public void LoginButton()
{
bool check = Services.Login.IsValid(Login, Password, context);
if(check) //if login is OK, check == true
{
_eventAggregator.PublishOnUIThread(new OnLoginAttemptMessage
{
UserName = Login,
IsLoginSuccessful = check;
});
TryClose();
}
}
The last step is in MainWindowViewModel, where you need to implement the IHandle interface.
class MainWindowViewModel : Conductor<IScreen>.Collection.OneActive, IHandle<OnLoginSuccessMessage>
{
public void Handle(OnLoginSuccessMessage message)
{
if(message.IsLoginSuccessful)
{
// Login is successfull, do next steps.
}
}
}
You can read more on EventAggregator here (https://caliburnmicro.com/documentation/event-aggregator)

Set a Property in a ViewModel from Another ViewModel

I am trying to pass a value to a view model from another view model before navigating to the page attached to that view model.
I was previously passing it to the view, then passing it to the view model. This seems like a clumsy way of doing things.
I am not using any kind of framework so that is not an option.
At the moment the property is set as static and this works but im not sure if this is good practice.
The code:
View model 1:
This command opens the new page:
public void OpenRouteDetails()
{
RouteStopPopOverViewModel.RouteName = "TestRoute";
App.Page.Navigation.PushAsync(new RouteStopPopOverView());
}
View model 2: (RouteStopPopOverViewModel)
public static string RouteName { get; set; }
This does work but I would prefer not to use static as a way to achieve this.
Is there some way to set the RouteName property without using static or passing it through view-> view model.
I have seen some answers about this but they don't seem to answer to question clearly.

Share a controller class between view models.
The same instance has to be supplied to the constructor in both view models.
So you can set values, and listen for events in both view models.
The controller class becomes the intermediary.
public class SharedController : IControlSomething
{
private string _sharedValue;
public string SharedValue
{
get => _sharedValue;
set
{
if (_sharedValue == value)
return;
_sharedValue = value;
OnSharedValueUpdated();
}
}
public event EventHandler SharedValueUpdated;
protected virtual void OnSharedValueUpdated()
{
SharedValueUpdated?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
public class ViewModel1
{
private readonly IControlSomething _controller;
public ViewModel1(IControlSomething controller)
{
// Save to access controller values in commands
_controller = controller;
_controller.SharedValueUpdated += (sender, args) =>
{
// Handle value update event
};
}
}
public class ViewModel2
{
private readonly IControlSomething _controller;
public ViewModel2(IControlSomething controller)
{
// Save to access controller values in commands
_controller = controller;
_controller.SharedValueUpdated += (sender, args) =>
{
// Handle value update event
};
}
}

here the sample you can achieve your requirement easily with navigation
public class ViewModelFrom : BaseViewModel
{
async Task ExecuteCommand()
{
string routeName="value to trasfer";
Navigation.PushAsync(new View(routeName));
}
}
public partial class View : ContentPage
{
public View(string routeName)
{
InitializeComponent();
BindingContext = new ViewModelTo(routeName);
}
}
public class ViewModelTo : BaseViewModel
{
public string RouteName { get; set; }
public ViewModelTo(string routeName)
{
RouteName=routeName;
}
}

If there is a hierarchy you could express that in a parent to both of them.
public class Route
{
private string Name;
}
public class RouteSelectedArgs : EventArgs
{
public Route Selected { get; set; }
}
public interface IRouteSelection
{
event EventHandler<RouteSelectedArgs> RouteSelected;
}
public interface IRouteDetails { }
public class RouteWizard
{
public UserControl view { get; set; }
private IRouteSelection _selection;
private IRouteDetails _details;
public RouteWizard(IRouteSelection selection, IRouteDetails details)
{
_selection = selection;
_details = details;
_selection.RouteSelected += Selection_RouteSelected;
view = MakeView(_selection);
}
private void Selection_RouteSelected(object sender, RouteSelectedArgs e)
{
_selection.RouteSelected -= Selection_RouteSelected;
view = MakeView(_details, e.Selected);
}
private UserControl MakeView(params object[] args)
{
////magic
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}

As you are using the MVVM pattern, you can use one of the many MVVM Frameworks to achieve this.
I use FreshMvvm and it allow me to pass parameters between view models like this
await CoreMethods.PushPageModel<SecondPageModel>(myParameter, false);
Then in SecondPageModel I can see access the parameters in the Init method
private MyParamType _myParameter;
public override void Init(object initData)
{
base.Init(initData);
var param = initData as MyParamType;
if (param != null)
{
_myParameter = param;
}
}
You can find more details about FreshMvvm here although most MVVM frameworks have similar functionality.

How to pass value in Viewmodel to other ViewModel with mvvmcross UWP

I would like to know how to send the value of a view model to another viewmodel using mvvcross and uwp
Does anyone know how to do it?
Thanks,

You can use the IMvxNavigationService to pass and return objects. The full documentation is at: https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/fundamentals/navigation?scroll=26
In your ViewModel this could look like:
public class MyViewModel : MvxViewModel
{
private readonly IMvxNavigationService _navigationService;
public MyViewModel(IMvxNavigationService navigationService)
{
_navigationService = navigationService;
}
public override void Prepare()
{
//Do anything before navigating to the view
}
public async Task SomeMethod()
{
_navigationService.Navigate<NextViewModel, MyObject>(new MyObject());
}
}
public class NextViewModel : MvxViewModel<MyObject>
{
public override void Prepare(MyObject parameter)
{
//Do anything before navigating to the view
//Save the parameter to a property if you want to use it later
}
public override async Task Initialize()
{
//Do heavy work and data loading here
}
}
Using a IMvxMessenger you can send values without have a connection: https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/plugins/messenger?scroll=1446
public class LocationViewModel
: MvxViewModel
{
private readonly MvxSubscriptionToken _token;
public LocationViewModel(IMvxMessenger messenger)
{
_token = messenger.Subscribe<LocationMessage>(OnLocationMessage);
}
private void OnLocationMessage(LocationMessage locationMessage)
{
Lat = locationMessage.Lat;
Lng = locationMessage.Lng;
}
// remainder of ViewModel
}

ICommand with ViewModel dependency

I am searching a pattern to keep SOLID principles in my application when I use ICommand. Basically my problem is the command execution has a dependency with the view model but at the same time the view model has a dependency with the command (I inject them by constructor). I would like to keep the viewmodel with properties only, so this is an example of my current implementation:
public class MyViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand MyCommand { get; private set; }
public string Message { get; set; } // PropertyChanged ommited
public MyViewModel()
{
}
public void SetCommand(ICommand myCommand)
{
this.MyCommand = myCommand;
}
....
}
internal interface IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
void ExectueMyCommand();
}
internal class MyViewModelCommandManager : IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
private readOnly MyViewModel myViewModel;
public MyViewModelCommandManager(MyViewModel myViewModel)
{
this.myViewModel = myViewModel;
}
public ExectueMyCommand()
{
MessageBox.Show(this.myViewModel.Message);
}
}
internal class MyViewModelFactory: IMyViewModelFactory
{
private readonly IContainerWrapper container;
public MyViewModelFactory(IContainerWrapper container)
{
this.container = container;
}
public MyViewModel Create()
{
MyViewModel viewModel = new MyViewModel();
IMyViewmodelCommandManager manager = this.container.Resolve<IMyViewmodelCommandManager>(new ResolverOverride[] { new ParameterOverride("viewModel", viewModel) });
ICommand myCommand = new DelegateCommand(manager.ExecuteMyCommand);
viewModel.SetCommand(myCommand);
return viewModel;
}
}
So, to avoid use the SetCommand method. I have thought two solutions but I don't know if they are elegant.
The first one is to move the viewmodel dependency from the constructor to the method updating the code in this way:
public class MyViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand MyCommand { get; private set; }
public string Message { get; set; } // PropertyChanged ommited
public MyViewModel(ICommand myCommand)
{
this.MyCommand = myCommand;
}
....
}
internal interface IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
void ExectueMyCommand(MyViewModel viewModel);
}
internal class MyViewModelCommandManager : IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
public MyViewModelCommandManager()
{
....
}
public ExectueMyCommand(MyViewModel viewModel)
{
MessageBox.Show(myViewModel.Message);
}
}
internal class MyViewModelFactory: IMyViewModelFactory
{
private readonly IContainerWrapper container;
public MyViewModelFactory(IContainerWrapper container)
{
this.container = container;
}
public MyViewModel Create()
{
IMyViewmodelCommandManager manager = this.container.Resolve<IMyViewmodelCommandManager>(..);
ICommand myCommand = new DelegateCommand<MyViewModel>(manager.ExecuteMyCommand);
MyViewModel viewModel = new MyViewModel(myCommand);
return viewModel;
}
}
Of course, the xaml code will use CommandParameter:
<Button Content="Show Message" Command="{Binding MyCommand}" CommandParameter="{Binding .}" />
Other solution I have thought is to use a trick creating a Wrapper of the viewModel and the commandManager have a dependency with the Wrapper instead of the viewModel:
internal class MyViewModelCommandContext
{
public MyViewModel ViewModel { get; set; }
}
public class MyViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand MyCommand { get; private set; }
public string Message { get; set; } // PropertyChanged ommited
public MyViewModel(ICommand myCommand)
{
this.MyCommand = myCommand;
}
....
}
internal interface IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
void ExectueMyCommand();
}
internal class MyViewModelCommandManager : IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
private readonly MyViewModelCommandContext context;
public MyViewModelCommandManager(MyViewModelCommandContext context)
{
this.context = context;
....
}
public ExectueMyCommand()
{
MessageBox.Show(this.context.myViewModel.Message);
}
}
internal class MyViewModelFactory: IMyViewModelFactory
{
private readonly IContainerWrapper container;
public MyViewModelFactory(IContainerWrapper container)
{
this.container = container;
}
public MyViewModel Create()
{
MyViewModelCommandContext context = new MyViewModelCommandContext();
IMyViewmodelCommandManager manager = this.container.Resolve<IMyViewmodelCommandManager>(new ResolverOverride[] { new ParameterOverride("context", context) });
ICommand myCommand = new DelegateCommand(manager.ExecuteMyCommand);
MyViewModel viewModel = new MyViewModel(myCommand);
context.ViewModel = viewModel;
return viewModel;
}
}
In my opinion the first one is the best solution for this problem, what do you think is the best solution. Would you apply another solution?

IMHO both solutions are overly complicated. SOLID is great, KISS is better.
Your MyViewModelCommandManager is currently directly coupled to MyViewModel since it needs the latter's Message, so what is the advantage of having them separate? Why not simply implement the command inside MyViewModel?
If this would entail injecting too many dependencies into MyViewModel, then think about what you actually need the command to do, and abstract away everything else that isn't needed.
The command displays a message.
The message is held by MyViewModel
You want to display the message outside MyViewModel (maybe other viewmodels also need to display a message and you want to reuse the code?)
So all you really need is some kind of notification from MyViewModel that it wants to display a message, or that something has occured that would result in a message being displayed.
Possible solutions:
Inject an IMessageDisplayService to MyViewModel. MyViewModel calls it with the message.
Inject a callback to MyViewModel similar to above.
Have MyViewModel raise an event with the message as an EventArg.
The inferred responsibilities of the above solutions are subtly different.
means that MyViewModel is in charge. It wants to display a message.
is less explicit. MyViewModel knows it needs to call the callback, but doesn't really know or care what it does.
is like 2 but even more decoupled. Multiple things can subscribe or unsubscribe to the event but MyViewModel remains blissfully ignorant.
All three of these mean that the thing displaying the message has no need to know about MyViewModel. You have decoupled them. It's MyViewModelFactory that does any wiring up required.

Thanks for your opinions.
I understand you when you say I am creating a complex pattern, but in a big project with a big developers team, if there is not clear patterns with split responsabilities, the code maintenance could be impossible to perform.
Reading you and your third solution I have thought one possible solution. It seems complexity but, in my opinion, improves the code quality. I will create a commandContext, which only have the viewmodel properties needed for the code, avoiding to have all viewmodel in the command manager. Also I will create a class whose responsability is to mantain the context updated when the viewmodel changes. This is the possible code:
internal class MyCommandContext
{
public string Message { get; set; }
}
public class MyViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand MyCommand { get; private set; }
public string Message { get; set; } // PropertyChanged ommited
public string OtherProperty { get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<MyChildViewModel> Childs { get; set; }
public MyViewModel(ICommand myCommand)
{
this.MyCommand = myCommand;
}
....
}
internal interface IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
void ExectueMyCommand();
}
internal class MyViewModelCommandManager : IMyViewModelCommandManager
{
private readonly MyCommandContext context;
public MyViewModelCommandManager(MyViewModelCommandContext context)
{
this.context = context;
....
}
public ExectueMyCommand()
{
MessageBox.Show(this.context.Message);
}
}
internal interface IMyViewModelCommandSynchronizer
{
void Initialize();
}
internal class MyViewModelCommandSynchronizer : IMyViewModelCommandSynchronizer, IDisposable
{
private readOnly MyViewModel viewModel;
private readOnly MyCommandContext context;
MyViewModelCommandSynchronizer(MyViewModel viewModel, MyCommandContext context)
{
this.viewModel = viewModel;
this.context = context;
}
public void Initialize()
{
this.viewModel.PropertyChanged += this.ViewModelOnPropertyChanged;
}
private void ViewModelOnPropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.PropertyName == "Message")
{
this.context.Message = this.viewModel.Message;
}
}
// Dispose code to deattach the events.
}
internal class MyViewModelFactory: IMyViewModelFactory
{
private readonly IContainerWrapper container;
public MyViewModelFactory(IContainerWrapper container)
{
this.container = container;
}
public MyViewModel Create()
{
MyCommandContext context = new MyCommandContext();
IMyViewmodelCommandManager manager = this.container.Resolve<IMyViewmodelCommandManager>(new ResolverOverride[] { new ParameterOverride("context", context) });
ICommand myCommand = new DelegateCommand(manager.ExecuteMyCommand);
MyViewModel viewModel = new MyViewModel(myCommand);
IMyViewModelCommandSynchronizer synchronizer = this.container.Resolve<IMyViewmodelCommandManager>(new ResolverOverride[] { new ParameterOverride("context", context), new ParameterOverride("viewModel", viewModel) });
synchronizer.Initialize();
return viewModel;
}
}