Develop Reference

C# Events - Raising, Subscribing from two different projects in one solution

My goal is to create an event, raise the event in Project #1, have Project #2 subscribe to the event so that I can hit some code in Project #2. I was advised to do it this way because I cannot reference the code in Project #2.
I'm not familiar with events and have been researching the last hour. Is there anyone that can provide example code on how to do this? What I have now is not working.
// Creating the event
public event EventHandler UpdateUIEvent;
// Raising the event in Project #1
protected override void ResetProperties()
{
this.filePath = string.Empty;
EventArgs e = new EventArgs();
UpdateUIEvent(this, e); // this kills my program
}
// Subscribing to the event in Project #2
protected override void ClearAll()
{
boEncrypt.UpdateUIEvent += new EventHandler ?? // Not sure how to subscribe here
tbFile.text = string.Empty;
}

You're close... Please read the docs as usual for a better understanding of what needs to be where.
For your code, here's what we'll do:
In project 1, incorporate Michael HB's good recommendation to always check if there's any subscribers.
public class ProjectOneClass
{
public event EventHandler UpdateUIEvent;
// other stuff
protected override void ResetProperties()
{
this.filePath = string.Empty;
EventArgs e = new EventArgs();
var handler = UpdateUIEvent;
if (handler != null)
UpdateUIEvent(this, e);
}
}
Then in project 2, you have to have a reference to the event, which means you also need a reference to the class that contains it. You define a method in the class in project 2 that has the same signature as the event in project 1. In your case (in many cases) this signature is void (object sender, EventArgs e). EventHandler is a pre-defined delegate with this signature.
"Subscribing" to the event is adding your new method to the handler, like pOne.UpdateUIEvent += SomeMethodWithTheSameSignature; You're basically saying "whenever UpdateUIEvent is called, call this other method as well".
So now that we know that we can have a method called when the event fires, we need to define that event. If you want to call ClearAll() when the event fires, that's what goes in the method body.
public class ProjectTwoClass
{
public ProjectOneClass pOne;
// other stuff
public ProjectTwoClass()
{
pOne = new ProjectOneClass();
pOne.UpdateUIEvent += POneOnUpdateUIEvent;
}
public void POneOnUpdateUIEvent(object sender, EventArgs eventArgs)
{
ClearAll();
}
private void ClearAll()
{
tbFile.Text = string.Empty; // could probably just call tbFile.Clear();
}
}

Before raising an event, you should always check if it is not null.
protected override void ResetProperties()
{
this.filePath = string.Empty;
EventArgs e = new EventArgs();
var handler = UpdateUIEvent;
if(handler != null)
UpdateUIEvent(this, e);
}
Even when you are in different projects, you should only matter about the "public" keyword (internal or private won't work).
In project #2, you'll have
protected overeride void ClearAll()
{
boEncrypt.UpdateUIEvent += yourFunctionToTriggerWhenTheEventIsRaised;
tbFile.text = string.Empty;
}

Combobox value not saving for 1 specific client

Not sure if anyone can be of help here, but I have a comboxbox bound to a viewmodel property, on a form who's value is set by an event. It is working in house, but there is one client where the event fires, the value is set (I know because I added some logging), but their screen is not updated. I have a copy of the database, and I mirror the steps and it works. Any ideas why that could be happening? I included the code below, but it is pretty basic.
private void ViewModel_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.PropertyName == "TriggerId")
{
Method();
}
}
private void Method()
{
ComboBoxSelectedProperty = null;
if (TriggerId != null)
{
var object = Work.ObjectStore.GetById((int)TriggerId);
if (object != null)
{
ComboBoxSelectedProperty = Work.AssociatedObjectStore.GetByObjenct(object);
}
NotifyPropertyChanged("ComboboxSourceSource");
}
}
}

How to write a Trigger?

I want my C# code to call an event whenever a value is assigned to my object.
How exactly would I need to go about that?
class MyClass {
ManualResetEvent mre;
public MyClass() {
mre = new ManualResetEvent(false);
Data = null;
}
public object Data { get; set; }
void DataSet(object sender, EventArgs e) {
Console.WriteLine("object Data has been set.");
mre.Set();
}
}
Delegates don't seem to be what I need. An event, maybe? How would I write such an event, if so?
MyClass mc;
void processA() {
mc = new MyClass();
mc.Data = GetDataFromLongProcess();
}

private object data;
public object Data {
get { return data;}
set {
if(value != data) {
data = value;
OnDataChanged();
}
}
}
protected virtual void OnDataChanged() {
EventHandler handler = DataChanged;
if(handler != null) handler(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
public event EventHandler DataChanged;
then hook any code to the DataChanged event. For example:
MyClass mc = ...
mc.DataChanged += delegate {
Console.WriteLine("new data! wow!");
};

If you want to fire an event when your property is set, you would do something like this:
public event Action OnDataChanged;
protected object _data = null;
public object Data
{
get { return _data; }
set
{
_data = value;
if(OnDataChanged != null)
OnDataChanged();
}
}
Then you would simply wire up event handlers to your object like so:
mc = new MyClass();
mc.OnDataChanged += delegate() { Console.WriteLine("It changed!"); };
mc.Data = SomeValue();

I think you're on the right track with an event-based model. Also take a look at the Observer pattern (which is the basis for .Net delegates and events underneath it all, as I understand):
http://www.dofactory.com/Patterns/PatternObserver.aspx
But the bottom line, as the other useful answer so far (Mr. Gravell's implementation) indicates, you're going to have to have code IN the setter to get it hooked up. The only alternative would be to poll the value for changes, which just smells bad to me.

you could implement INotifyPropertyChanged (this is more or less a event) or you could take your class a Action (Trigger) and call this, whenn the property changed.
Just don't use automatic properties but a concrete setter and call your event/trigger from there.

Conceptually, you would define an event in your class, and in your property set blocks, you would invoke the event with the necessary arguments to determine what just happened.

public event SomeDelegateThatTakesIntAsParameter myEvent;
void SetData(int data)
{
if(myEvent!= null)
myEvent(data)
}

Programmatically click on a CheckBox

Is there a way to programmatically generate a click event on a CheckBox? I am looking for an equivalent to Button.PerformClick();

Why do you need to simulate a click, doesn't this line of code fits your need?
myCheckBox.Checked = !myCheckBox.Checked;
If you need to execute logic when the state of the CheckBox changes, you should use CheckedChanged event instead of Click.
private void CheckBox1_CheckedChanged(Object sender, EventArgs e)
{
MessageBox.Show("You are in the CheckBox.CheckedChanged event.");
}

Those solutions above calls Checkbox.CheckedChanged event.
If you want to explicitly call Click event you can this:
checkBox1_Click(checkBox1, null);

Why do you want to generate a click event on the CheckBox?
If you want to toggle it's value:
theCheckBox.Checked = !theCheckBox.Checked;
If you want to trigger some functionality that is connected to the Click event, it's a better idea to move the code out from the Click event handler into a separate method that can be called from anywhere:
private void theCheckBox_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
HandleCheckBoxClick((CheckBox)sender);
}
private void HandleCheckBoxClick(CheckBox sender)
{
// do what is needed here
}
When you design your code like that, you can easily invoke the functionality from anywhere:
HandleCheckBoxClick(theCheckBox);
The same approach can (and perhaps should) be used for most control event handlers; move as much code as possible out from event handlers and into methods that are more reusable.

I'm still setting up a new workstation so I can't research this properly at the moment, but with UI Automation maybe it's possible that the checkbox supports the IInvokeProvider and you can use the Invoke method?

I don't think you can generate a click event in that way without calling the checkBox_Click event handler directly. But you can do this:
checkBox.Checked = !checkBox.Checked;
The CheckedChanged handler will still be called even if you do this.

The Button PerformClick() method validates the active control, testing whether the active control can lose the current focus. There are two ways to possibly do the same thing for a CheckBox. Approach #1 is to use reflection to call the methods that are internal to the Control class:
public class CheckBoxPerformClick : CheckBox {
private readonly static MethodInfo callValidateActiveControl;
private readonly static PropertyInfo propValidationCancelled;
static CheckBoxPerformClick() {
try {
Type ty = typeof(Control);
Type outBool = Type.GetType("System.Boolean&");
callValidateActiveControl = ty.GetMethod("ValidateActiveControl", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic, null, new Type[] { outBool }, null);
propValidationCancelled = ty.GetProperty("ValidationCancelled", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic);
} catch {}
}
public CheckBoxPerformClick() : base() {
this.Text = "Checkbox";
this.Appearance = Appearance.Button;
}
public void PerformClick() {
if (callValidateActiveControl != null && propValidationCancelled != null) {
try {
Object[] args = new Object[1];
bool validate = (bool) callValidateActiveControl.Invoke(this, args);
bool validatedControlAllowsFocusChange = (bool) args[0];
if (validate || validatedControlAllowsFocusChange) {
bool cancelled = (bool) propValidationCancelled.GetValue(this);
if (!cancelled) {
ResetFlagsandPaint();
OnClick(EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
} catch {
}
}
}
}
Approach #2 tries to do the same thing, but without reflection:
public class CheckBoxPerformClick2 : CheckBox {
public CheckBoxPerformClick2() : base() {
this.Text = "Checkbox";
this.Appearance = Appearance.Button;
}
public void PerformClick() {
bool validate = CanPerformClick();
if (validate) {
ResetFlagsandPaint();
OnClick(EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
// before allowing a click, make sure this control can receive the focus, and that other controls don't require validation
public bool CanPerformClick() {
if (!CanSelect)
return false;
Control c = this.Parent;
while (c != null) {
if (c is ContainerControl)
break;
c = c.Parent;
}
bool valid = true;
if (c is ContainerControl) {
var cc = (ContainerControl) c;
valid = cc.Validate(true);
}
return valid;
}
}

Differentiating between events raised by user interaction and my own code

The SelectedIndexChanged event gets fired in my application from a combo box when:
the user chooses a different
item in the combo box, or when:
my own code updates the combo
box's SelectedItem to reflect that
the combo box is now displaying
properties for a different object.
I am interested in the SelectedIndexChanged event for case 1, so that I can update the current object's properties. But in case 2, I do not want the event to fire, because the object's properties have not changed.
An example may help. Let's consider that I have a list box containing a list of people and I have a combo box representing the nationality of the currently selected person in the list. Case 1 could happen if Fred is currently selected in the list, and I use the combo box to change his nationality from English to Welsh. Case 2 could happen if I then select Bob, who is Scottish, in the list. Here, my list update event-handler code sees that Bob is now selected, and updates the combo box so that Scottish is now the selected item. This causes the combo box's SelectedIndexChanged event to be fired to set Bob's nationality to Scottish, even though it already is Scottish.
How can I update my combo box's SelectedItem property without causing the SelectedIndexChanged event to fire? One way would be to unregister the event handler, set SelectedItem, then re-register the event handler, but this seems tedious and error prone. There must be a better way.

I created a class I called SuspendLatch. Offers on a better name are welcome, but it does what you need and you would use it like this:
void Method()
{
using (suspendLatch.GetToken())
{
// Update selected index etc
}
}
void listbox1_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (suspendLatch.HasOutstandingTokens)
{
return;
}
// Do some work
}
It's not pretty, but it does work, and unlike unregistering events or boolean flags, it supports nested operations a bit like TransactionScope. You keep taking tokens from the latch and it's only when the last token is disposed that the HasOutstandingTokens returns false. Nice and safe. Not threadsafe, though...
Here's the code for SuspendLatch:
public class SuspendLatch
{
private IDictionary<Guid, SuspendLatchToken> tokens = new Dictionary<Guid, SuspendLatchToken>();
public SuspendLatchToken GetToken()
{
SuspendLatchToken token = new SuspendLatchToken(this);
tokens.Add(token.Key, token);
return token;
}
public bool HasOutstandingTokens
{
get { return tokens.Count > 0; }
}
public void CancelToken(SuspendLatchToken token)
{
tokens.Remove(token.Key);
}
public class SuspendLatchToken : IDisposable
{
private bool disposed = false;
private Guid key = Guid.NewGuid();
private SuspendLatch parent;
internal SuspendLatchToken(SuspendLatch parent)
{
this.parent = parent;
}
public Guid Key
{
get { return this.key; }
}
public override bool Equals(object obj)
{
SuspendLatchToken other = obj as SuspendLatchToken;
if (other != null)
{
return Key.Equals(other.Key);
}
else
{
return false;
}
}
public override int GetHashCode()
{
return Key.GetHashCode();
}
public override string ToString()
{
return Key.ToString();
}
public void Dispose()
{
Dispose(true);
GC.SuppressFinalize(this);
}
protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (!disposed)
{
if (disposing)
{
// Dispose managed resources.
parent.CancelToken(this);
}
// There are no unmanaged resources to release, but
// if we add them, they need to be released here.
}
disposed = true;
// If it is available, make the call to the
// base class's Dispose(Boolean) method
//base.Dispose(disposing);
}
}
}

I think the best way would be to use a flag variable:
bool updatingCheckbox = false;
void updateCheckBox()
{
updatingCheckBox = true;
checkbox.Checked = true;
updatingCheckBox = false;
}
void checkbox_CheckedChanged( object sender, EventArgs e )
{
if (!updatingCheckBox)
PerformActions()
}
[Edit: Posting only the code is not really clear]
In this case, the event handler wouldn't perform its normal operations when the checkbox is changed through updateCheckBox().

I have always used a boolean flag variable to protect against unwanted event handlers. The TaskVision sample application taught me how to do this.
Your event handler code for all of your events will look like this:
private bool lockEvents;
protected void MyEventHandler(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (this.lockEvents)
{
return;
}
this.lockEvents = true;
//Handle your event...
this.lockEvents = false;
}

I let the event fire. But, I set a flag before changing the index and flip it back after. In the event handler, I check if the flag is set and exit the handler if it is.

I think your focus should be on the object and not on the event that's occuring.
Say for example you have the event
void combobox_Changed( object sender, EventArgs e )
{
PerformActions()
}
and PerformActions did something to the effect of
void PerformActions()
{
(listBox.SelectedItem as IPerson).Nationality =
(comboBox.SelectedItem as INationality)
}
then inside the Person you would expect to see something to the effect of
class Person: IPerson
{
INationality Nationality
{
get { return m_nationality; }
set
{
if (m_nationality <> value)
{
m_nationality = value;
this.IsDirty = true;
}
}
}
}
the point here is that you let the object keep track of what is happening to itself, not the UI. This also lets you keep track of dirty flag tracking on your objects, which could be useful for persistence later on.
This also keeps your UI clean and keeps it from getting odd event registration code that will most likely be error prone.

I have finally found a solution to avoid the uncessary event from being fired too many time.
I use a counter and I only hook/unhook the events I want to mask once when it is not needed, and when it is needed again.
The example below shows how I hide the CellValueChanged event of a datagrid.
EventMask valueChangedEventMask;
// In the class constructor
valueChangedEventMask = new EventMask(
() => { dgv.CellValueChanged += new DataGridViewCellEventHandler(dgv_CellValueChanged); },
() => { dgv.CellValueChanged -= new DataGridViewCellEventHandler(dgv_CellValueChanged); }
);
// Use push to hide the event and pop to make it available again. The operation can be nested or be used in the event itself.
void changeCellOperation()
{
valueChangedEventMask.Push();
...
cell.Value = myNewCellValue
...
valueChangedEventMask.Pop();
}
// The class
public class EventMask
{
Action hook;
Action unHook;
int count = 0;
public EventMask(Action hook, Action unHook)
{
this.hook = hook;
this.unHook = unHook;
}
public void Push()
{
count++;
if (count == 1)
unHook();
}
public void Pop()
{
count--;
if (count == 0)
hook();
}
}