Develop Reference

Accessing UserControl Resource Dictionary from code

I' am trying to read/load a UserControl Resources from my Home.xaml to a ResourceDictionary object so I can dynamicly display it inside content control and can't manage to find a solution.
I dont want to read it from my App.xaml, just the Home.xaml.
In my View folder I have Home.xaml:
<UserControl.Resources>
<converters:CheckBoxConverter x:Key="CheckBoxConv"></converters:CheckBoxConverter>
<DataTemplate x:Key="Punomoc">
<CheckBox Margin="10" Content="Izradi punomoć"
IsChecked="{Binding UnosIOS.Punomoc}">
</CheckBox>
</DataTemplate>
<DataTemplate x:Key="Naknada">
<CheckBox Margin="10,0" Content="Naplata naknade"
IsChecked="{Binding UnosIOS.NaplataNaknade}">
</CheckBox>
</DataTemplate>
</UserControl.Resources>
<Grid>
...
```
...
```
In my ConvertersFolder I have:
public class CheckBoxConverter : IValueConverter
{
private static readonly ResourceDictionary ControlResourceDictionary;
static CheckBoxConverter()
{
ControlResourceDictionary = new ResourceDictionary
{
Source = new Uri("pack://application:,,,/View/Home.xaml", UriKind.Absolute)
};
}
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
DataTemplate dataTemplate =ControlResourceDictionary["Punomoc"] as DataTemplate;
return dataTemplate;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
But its returning error:
''The invocation of the constructor on type 'IzdavanjeIOS.Converters.CheckBoxConverter' that matches the specified binding constraints threw an exception.' Line number '23' and line position '10'.'
Also tried with URI string : MyAppName/View/Home.xaml
I have setup MVVM and dont want to access resources from code-behind unless its the only choice, it seems to me that it should be possible like above, but maybe I am giving the wrong URI?

WPF Treeview use property value as Binding Path

I'm trying to create a Treeview using an ObservableCollection of a custom class called MachineComponentFault, which includes a string property called FaultText, and I'd like to make the text localized.
I'm using WPF Runtime Localization from Codeproject to localize texts at runtime, and it usually works as follows:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=NameInResources, Source={StaticResource Resources}}"/>
The problem is that I can't seem to figure out how to set the value of the property to the path, so that it can retrieve the translation. This is what I managed thus far:
<TreeView Name="myTreeView" VirtualizingPanel.IsVirtualizing="True" ItemsSource="{Binding Faults}">
<TreeView.Resources>
<DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type MassComponents:MachineComponentFault}">
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" >
<TextBlock Name="Text1" Text="{Binding FaultText}"/>
<TextBlock Name="Text2" Text="{Binding Path=FLT_PTC_1, Source={StaticResource Resources}}"/>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
</TreeView.Resources>
</TreeView>
Essentially Text1 shows FLT_PTC_1 at Runtime, while Text2 shows "Motor Overheat", which is the value of FLT_PTC_1 in Resources.resx (which can be translated). The issue is that I can't seem to be able to do what Text2 does using FaultText Property.
Is there a way to do it?
EDIT:
Solved it using mm8 solution, while maintaining the WPF Runtime Localization. The solution isn't pretty at all, since it consists in creating a Binding on a dummy class and then retrieving the binding value as a string, which seems a bit convoluted, but it's the best solution I could find.
public class ResourceConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
string resourceName = value as string;
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(resourceName)) //look up the resource here:
{
Binding b = new Binding(resourceName); //Create Binding using as Path the value of FaultText
b.Source = CultureResources.ResourceProvider; //Get the resources from WPF Runtime Localization ObjectDataProvider
BindingOperations.SetBinding(_dummy, Dummy.ValueProperty, b); //Set the Binding to the dummy class instance
return _dummy.GetValue(Dummy.ValueProperty); //Retrieve the value of the Binding from the dummy class instance and return it
}
return value;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
//Initialize Dummy class
private static readonly Dummy _dummy = new Dummy();
//Create a dummy class that accepts the Binding
private class Dummy : DependencyObject
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty ValueProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("Value", typeof(object), typeof(Dummy), new UIPropertyMetadata(null));
}
}
XAML same as mm8 proposed.

You could bind to the FaultText property and use a converter to look up the resource. Something like this:
public class ResourceConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
string resourceName = value as string;
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(resourceName)) //look up the resource here:
return Resource1.ResourceManager.GetString(resourceName);
return value;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
XAML:
<TextBlock Name="Text2">
<TextBlock.Text>
<Binding Path="FaultText">
<Binding.Converter>
<local:ResourceConverter />
</Binding.Converter>
</Binding>
</TextBlock.Text>
</TextBlock>

Resource could not be resolved

I got a error "The resource "ComponentTypeToStringConverter could not be resolved" Can someone tell me what am I doing wrong?
I've got this combo box:
<ComboBox SelectedItem="{Binding PcComponent.ComponentTypeName}" Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="2" Grid.ColumnSpan="2">
<ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource ComponentTypeToStringConverter}}"/> <!-- HERE I got a error The resource "ComponentTypeToStringConverter could not be resolved -->
</DataTemplate>
</ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
</ComboBox>
Resource:
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:c="clr-namespace:PcConfigurator.Converters">
<c:ComponentTypeToStringConverter x:Key="ComponentTypeToStringConverter"/>
</ResourceDictionary>
Converter (namespace PcConfigurator.Converters):
public class ComponentTypeToStringConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
if (!(value is ComponentType)) { return null; }
ComponentType type = (ComponentType)value;
switch (type)
{
//Do something
}
throw new InvalidOperationException("Enum value is unknown");
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotSupportedException();
}
}

In design time. Your resources are not yet compiled and the current XAML file that you have where it has the ComboBox can't see the ResourceDictionary.
Assuming your resources is defined in App.xaml then you should have no problems with it when you run it in runtime as it'll be able to find the key.
If you want to get rid of the error in design time then what you can do is on your XAML file where the ComboBox lives, you can add the ResourceDictioanry so that it'll be able to find it.
Assuming this is a Window and you have ResourceDictionary that is not defined in the App.xaml but as a separate file
<Window.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary Source=""/>
</Window.Resources>

XAML bind to static method with parameters

I got a static class like the following:
public static class Lang
{
public static string GetString(string name)
{
//CODE
}
}
Now i want to access this static function within xaml as a binding.
Is there such a way for example:
<Label Content="{Binding Path="{x:static lang:Lang.GetString, Parameters={parameter1}}"/>
Or is it necessary to create a ObjectDataProvider for each possible parameter?
Hope someone is able to help me. Thanks in advance!

I get this need too. I "solved" using a converter (like suggested here).
First, create a converter which return the translated string:
public class LanguageConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
if (parameter == null)
return string.Empty;
if (parameter is string)
return Resources.ResourceManager.GetString((string)parameter);
else
return string.Empty;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
then use it into XAML:
<Window.Resources>
<local:LanguageConverter x:Key="LangConverter" />
</Window.Resources>
<Label Content="{Binding Converter={StaticResource LangConverter},
ConverterParameter=ResourceKey}"/>
Regards.

The right way would be to go the objectdataprovider route. Although if you are just binding to text rather than use a label, I would use a textblock.
<ObjectDataProvider x:Key="yourStaticData"
ObjectType="{x:Type lang:Lang}"
MethodName="GetString" >
<ObjectDataProvider.MethodParameters>
<s:String>Parameter1</s:String>
</ObjectDataProvider.MethodParameters>
</ObjectDataProvider>
<TextBlock Text={Binding Source={StaticResource yourStaticData}}/>

How to pass a static value to IValueConverter in XAML

I would like to use static texts fetched from a web service in my WP7 app. Each text has a Name (the indetifier) and a Content property.
For example a text could look like this:
Name = "M43";
Content = "This is the text to be shown";
I would then like to pass the Name (i.e. the identifier) of the text to an IValueConverter, which would then look up the the Name and return the text.
I figured the converter to look something like this:
public class StaticTextConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
if (value != null)
{
return App.StaticTexts.Items.SingleOrDefault(t => t.Name.Equals(value)).Content;
}
return null;
}
}
Then in the XAML:
<phone:PhoneApplicationPage.Resources>
<Helpers:StaticTextConverter x:Name="StaticTextConverter" />
</phone:PhoneApplicationPage.Resources>
...
<TextBlock Text="{Binding 'M43', Converter={StaticResource StaticTextConverter}}"/>
However, this does not seem to work and I am not sure that I pass in the value to the converter correctly.
Does anyone have some suggestions?

I finally found the answer. The answer was a mix between that of #Shawn Kendrot and another question I asked here: IValueConverter not getting invoked in some scenarios
To summarize the solution for using the IValueConverter I have to bind my control in the following manor:
<phone:PhoneApplicationPage.Resources>
<Helpers:StaticTextConverter x:Name="TextConverter" />
</phone:PhoneApplicationPage.Resources>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource TextConverter}, ConverterParameter=M62}" />
Since the ID of the text is passed in with the converter parameter, the converter looks almost the same:
public class StaticTextConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
if (parameter != null && parameter is string)
{
return App.StaticTexts.Items.SingleOrDefault(t => t.Name.Equals(parameter)).Content;
}
return null;
}
}
However, as it turns out, the binding and thus the converter is not invoked if it does not have a DataContext. To solve this, the DataContext property of the control just has to be set to something arbitrary:
<TextBlock DataContext="arbitrary"
Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource TextConverter}, ConverterParameter=M62}" />
And then everything works as intended!

The problem lies in your binding. It will check the DataContext, and on this object, it will try to evaluate the properties M62 and ValueboxConsent on that object.
You might want to add static keys somewhere in your application where you can bind to:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Source="{x:Static M62.ValueboxConsent}", Converter={StaticResource StaticTextConverter}}" />
Where M62 is a static class where your keys are located.. like so:
public static class M62
{
public static string ValueboxConsent
{
get { return "myValueBoxConsentKey"; }
}
}

If you want to use a value converter, you'll need to pass the string to the parameter of value converter
Xaml:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource StaticTextConverter}, ConverterParameter=M43}"/>
Converter:
public class StaticTextConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
if (parameter != null)
{
return App.StaticTexts.Items.SingleOrDefault(t => t.Name.Equals(parameter)).Content;
}
return null;
}
}

xmlns:prop="clr-namespace:MyProj.Properties;assembly=namespace:MyProj"
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Source={x:Static prop:Resources.MyString}, Converter={StaticResource StringToUpperCaseConverter}}" />