Develop Reference

WPF ItemsControl can't bind Command

I'm a newbie in wpf and i know that this question has been asked other times, and i tried to implement some solutions that i found. But it's not working. I'm doing something wrong but i can't see what it is.
I've created a new simple application to test this problem.
namespace WpfApp3
{
public class MyElement
{
public string Text { get; set; }
public MyElement(string t)
{
Text = t;
}
}
public class MyCommand : ICommand
{
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return true;
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_handler(parameter);
}
private Action<object> _handler;
public MyCommand(Action<object> handler) { _handler = handler; }
}
public class MyItemsControlViewModel
{
ObservableCollection<MyElement> _items;
public ObservableCollection<MyElement> MyElementItems { get { return _items; } set { _items = value; RaisePropertyChanged("MyElementItems"); } }
ObservableCollection<MyElement> _temporayList;
private ICommand _itemClicked;
public ICommand ItemClicked { get { return _itemClicked; } }
public MyItemsControlViewModel()
{
_items = new ObservableCollection<MyElement>();
_temporayList = new ObservableCollection<MyElement>();
_itemClicked = new MyCommand(OnItemSelected);
AddItem("Element 1");
AddItem("Element 2");
AddItem("Element 3");
UpdateList();
}
public void UpdateList()
{
MyElementItems = _temporayList;
}
public void AddItem(string t)
{
MyElement item = new MyElement(t);
_temporayList.Add(item);
}
public void OnItemSelected(object param)
{
Debug.WriteLine("Executed!");
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void RaisePropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (this.PropertyChanged != null)
this.PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}
XAML
<UserControl x:Class="WpfApp3.MyUserControl"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApp3"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="1080" d:DesignWidth="570"
x:Name="myCustomControl">
<Grid >
<Button x:Name="btnOutsideItemsControl" Width="100" Height="100 " VerticalAlignment="Top" Command="{Binding ItemClicked}" />
<ItemsControl
x:Name="listItems"
ScrollViewer.PanningMode="None"
IsEnabled="False"
Background = "Transparent"
HorizontalAlignment="Center"
ItemsSource="{Binding MyElementItems}" Margin="0,152,0,0" Width="549">
<ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
<ItemsPanelTemplate>
<WrapPanel HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="50,0,0,0"
Background="Transparent" Orientation="Vertical"/>
</ItemsPanelTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
<ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<Button
Content="{Binding Text}"
Command="{Binding ElementName=listItems, Path=DataContext.ItemClicked}"/>
</DataTemplate>
</ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
</ItemsControl>
</Grid>
</UserControl>
The component is used in MainWindow.xaml.
namespace WpfApp3
{
/// <summary>
/// Interaction logic for MainWindow.xaml
/// </summary>
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
private MyItemsControlViewModel _myViewModel;
public MyItemsControlViewModel MyViewModel { get { return _myViewModel; } }
public MainWindow()
{
_myViewModel = new MyItemsControlViewModel();
InitializeComponent();
myCustomControl.DataContext = MyViewModel;
}
}
}
XAML
<Window x:Class="WpfApp3.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApp3"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">
<Grid>
<local:MyUserControl x:Name="myCustomControl"/>
</Grid>
</Window>
When i run the application i can see correctly the list of 3 items with the correct text.
But if i click on one of the button of the list i can't see the output of Debug.WriteLine("Executed!");
But if i click on the button btnOutsideItemsControl that is outside the ItemsControl, it works. I can see the output of Debug.WriteLine("Executed!");
So i think that also the definition of the command is correct.
To bind correctly the Command property of Button inside the ItemsControl i try this
<Button Command="{Binding ElementName=listItems, Path=DataContext.ItemClicked}">
And also this
<Button Command="{Binding DataContext.ItemClicked, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor,AncestorType=ItemsControl}}">
But it not works.
Please help!

You're gonna kick yourself once I tell you.
Your problem is that you set IsEnabled="False" on your ItemsControl. Remove it and all will be well with the universe.

In WinUI3, how do I know when the Window is loaded and visible to the user?

In WinUI3, I am wanting to provide updates to the user of a Window during the loading of resources. Each time I am loading a resource, I would like to set the text of a TextBlock. I have tried setting the text directly, performing two way data binding and using INotifyPropertyChanged. But for the life of me, I cannot do something so simple as update the UI. And yes, I have searched high and low on the web, and nothing has worked.
Please provide me with a simple c# and xaml example that updates a textblock in realtime as I am loading resources. Thank you.
Here is what I've tried.
XAML:
<StackPanel x:Name="LoadingStackPanel" >
<ProgressRing x:Name="LoadingProgressRing" IsActive="True" IsHitTestVisible="True" />
<TextBlock x:Name="ProgressTextBlock" Text="{x:Bind Path=GetData, Mode=TwoWay}" />
</StackPanel>
Method 1:
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private string _data = "Loading...";
private void OnPropertyChanged(string prop)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null)
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(prop));
}
}
public string GetData
{
get { return _data; }
set
{
_data = value;
OnPropertyChanged("GetData");
}
}
And then setting the GetData property.
Method 2:
ProgressTextBlock.Text = "Loading resource ...";
Method 3:
DispatcherQueue.TryEnqueue(() => {
ProgressTextBlock.Text = "Loading resource ...";
});
Method 4:
DispatcherQueue.TryEnqueue(() => {
GetData = "Loading resource ...";
});

I managed to accomplish what I need to do, and so I am posting my answer for anyone else who may be interested in the solution.
The following code will display the ProgressRing and a TextBlock. The Text of the TextBlock will be updated with the name of the website that is being loaded. When all the websites have been loaded, the progress indication panel is hidden and the home panel is shown.
The XAML:
<Window
x:Class="CH11_ResponsiveWinUI3.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
x:DefaultBindMode="TwoWay"
mc:Ignorable="d">
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Visibility="Visible">
<StackPanel x:Name="ProgressPanel">
<ProgressRing IsActive="True" />
<TextBlock x:Name="ProgressUpdater" Text="Loading..." TextAlignment="Left" TextWrapping="WrapWholeWords" TextTrimming="CharacterEllipsis" />
</StackPanel>
<StackPanel x:Name="HomePanel" Visibility="Collapsed">
<TextBlock Text="Home Window" />
</StackPanel>
</StackPanel>
</Window>
The Code Behind (Edited as per the comments from #Clemens):
using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Net;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
namespace CH11_ResponsiveWinUI3
{
public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
{
private DispatcherTimer _timer;
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
_timer = new();
_timer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(3);
_timer.Tick += Timer_Tick;
_timer.Start();
}
private async void Timer_Tick(object sender, object e)
{
_timer.Stop();
_timer.Tick -= Timer_Tick;
await GetWebsitesAsync();
}
private List<string> WebsiteLinks()
{
List<string> websiteLinks = new();
ProgressUpdater.Text = "Loading...";
websiteLinks.Add("https://learn.microsoft.com");
websiteLinks.Add("https://www.youtube.com");
websiteLinks.Add("https://www.abovetopsecret.com/index.php");
websiteLinks.Add("https://dotnet.microsoft.com/apps/aspnet");
websiteLinks.Add("https://www.packtpub.com/free-learning");
websiteLinks.Add("https://smile.amazon.com/");
return websiteLinks;
}
private async Task GetWebsitesAsync()
{
Dictionary<string, string> websites = new();
List<Task< Dictionary<string, string> >> tasks = new();
foreach(string website in WebsiteLinks())
{
string contents = await new HttpClient().GetStringAsync(new Uri(website));
websites.Add(website, contents);
ProgressUpdater.Text = $"\nURL: {website}, downloaded...";
}
ProgressUpdater.Text = "\nLoading completed.";
await Task.Delay(1000);
ProgressPanel.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;
HomePanel.Visibility = Visibility.Visible;
}
}
}
I hope you find this useful.

Exception Occurring Infinitely in Content Control

First, this is a simplified version from a wizard control using MVVM. The problem is just easier to reproduce as described below
After much narrowing down, I have resolved an infinite exception in my code to be due to the WPF ContentControl. However, I have yet to figure out how to handle it, other than try-catch wrapping all of my possible instantiation code. Here is sample code that reproduces this...any help on how to keep this infinite exception from occurring would be greatly appreciated.
Additional Details
To sum up, the problem is that if the content control changes its contents, and the thing being loaded in throws an exception, then it will throw, then retry the load, causing the throw again and again.
MainWindow.xaml
<Window x:Class="WpfApplication8.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525" Name ="Main">
<Grid>
<ContentControl Name="bar" Content="{Binding ElementName=Main, Path=foo}"/>
<Button Click="ButtonBase_OnClick" Margin="20" Width="50"/>
</Grid>
</Window>
MainWindow.xaml.cs
public partial class MainWindow : Window, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private UserControl _foo;
public UserControl foo
{
get { return _foo; }
set { _foo = value; OnPropertyChanged("foo"); }
}
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
foo = new UserControl1();
}
private void ButtonBase_OnClick(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
foo = new UserControl2();
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
var handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
UserControl1 is blank and all default
UserControl2.xaml.cs
public UserControl2()
{
InitializeComponent();
throw new Exception();
}

Do not bind ContentControl to MainWindow. Instead use DataTemplates to select the content for the MainWindow. One example-contrived way of doing it is to bind the ContentControl's Content to the DataContext of the MainWindow.
First some observable test data is needed. The specifics of this data are not important. The main point is to have two different classes of test data from which to choose - TestData.cs:
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.ComponentModel;
namespace fwWpfDataTemplate
{
// Classes to fill TestData
public abstract class Person : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null) PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
string _name;
public string Name
{
get { return _name; }
set
{
_name = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Name");
}
}
}
public class Student : Person { }
public class Employee : Person
{
float _salary;
public float Salary
{
get { return _salary; }
set
{
_salary = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Salary");
}
}
}
public class TestData : ObservableCollection<Person>
{
public TestData()
: base(new List<Person>()
{
new Student { Name = "Arnold" },
new Employee { Name = "Don", Salary = 100000.0f }
}) { }
}
}
Then add DataTemplates to MainWindow's resources - MainWindow.xaml:
<Window x:Class="fwWpfDataTemplate.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:me="clr-namespace:fwWpfDataTemplate"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
<Window.Resources>
<DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type me:Student}">
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Text="Student"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}"/>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
<DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type me:Employee}">
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Text="Employee"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}"/>
<TextBlock Text="Salary"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Salary}"/>
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
</Window.Resources>
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Button Content="Change Data Context" Click="Button_Click" />
<ContentControl Grid.Row="1" Content="{Binding}"/>
</Grid>
</Window>
Note: instead of the StackPanels the contents of the DataTemplates could be UserControl1, UserControl2, etc.
Then add some code to change the data context - MainWindow.cs:
using System.Windows;
namespace fwWpfDataTemplate
{
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
TestData testData = new TestData();
int testIndex = -1;
private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
testIndex = (testIndex + 1) % testData.Count;
this.DataContext = testData[testIndex];
}
}
}
Enjoy.

Integrating Context-Sensitive help in WPF application following MVVM

I am trying to implement Help functionality for my wpf application which is following the MVVM pattern. I have my help file present, which contains many pages according to the application. Now I need to integrate this into my application.
Here are my requirements:
Pressing F1 opens a certain page in the help file depending on the view model. For this, I guess, I need to bind the F1 command to my view model. How do we bind keys in views?
Pressing F1 on a text field opens help for that text field. I think it will be the same as requirement 1. But the problem here is how will I know that a certain text field, button, or radio button is selected?

Listen for the key in the view (or a base class of the view) and call execute on a HelpCommand on the DataContext.
Pass the control that has focus (or its id, or tag, ...) as an argument to the HelpCommand.
Alternative way to find the focussed control by using the FocusManager
Here is an example:
ContextHelp C#:
public static class ContextHelp
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty KeywordProperty =
DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
"Keyword",
typeof(string),
typeof(ContextHelp));
public static void SetKeyword(UIElement target, string value)
{
target.SetValue(KeywordProperty, value);
}
public static string GetKeyword(UIElement target)
{
return (string)target.GetValue(KeywordProperty);
}
}
ViewBase:
public abstract class ViewBase : UserControl
{
public ViewBase()
{
this.KeyUp += ViewBase_KeyUp;
this.GotFocus += ViewBase_GotFocus;
}
void ViewBase_GotFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
FocusManager.SetIsFocusScope(this, true);
}
void ViewBase_KeyUp(object sender, System.Windows.Input.KeyEventArgs e)
{
if (e.Key == Key.F1)
{
var viewModel = this.DataContext as ViewModelBase;
if (viewModel != null)
{
var helpTopic = "Index";
var focusedElement =
FocusManager.GetFocusedElement(this) as FrameworkElement;
if (focusedElement != null)
{
var keyword = ContextHelp.GetKeyword(focusedElement);
if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(keyword))
{
helpTopic = keyword;
}
}
viewModel.HelpCommand.Execute(helpTopic);
}
}
}
}
ViewModelBase:
public abstract class ViewModelBase: INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand HelpCommand { get; set; }
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName] string propertyName="")
{
var p = PropertyChanged;
if (p != null)
{
p(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}
AViewModel:
class AViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
public AViewModel()
{
HelpCommand = new RelayCommand(HelpCommandExecuted, (p)=>true);
}
private void HelpCommandExecuted(object parameter)
{
var topic = parameter as string;
if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(topic))
{
HelpText = String.Format("Information on the interesting topic: {0}.", topic);
}
}
private string _helpText;
public string HelpText
{
get { return _helpText; }
private set
{
if (_helpText != value)
{
_helpText = value;
OnPropertyChanged();
}
}
}
}
AView C#:
public partial class AView : ViewBase
{
public AView()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
AView XAML:
<local:ViewBase x:Class="WpfApplication2.AView"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApplication2"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="300" d:DesignWidth="300">
<Grid>
<Label Content="{Binding HelpText}" Margin="10,254,10,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Height="36"/>
<Button local:ContextHelp.Keyword="Button Info" Content="Button" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="192,32,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="75"/>
<TextBox local:ContextHelp.Keyword="TextBox Info" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="23" Margin="29,32,0,0" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="TextBox" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120"/>
<CheckBox local:ContextHelp.Keyword="CheckBox Info" Content="CheckBox" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="29,80,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
<ComboBox local:ContextHelp.Keyword="ComboBox Info" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="138,80,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120"/>
</Grid>
</local:ViewBase>
MainWindow XAML:
<Window
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApplication2" x:Class="WpfApplication2.MainWindow"
Title="MainWindow" Height="700" Width="500">
<Grid x:Name="ViewPlaceholder">
</Grid>
</Window>
MainWindow C#:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
var view = new AView();
var viewModel = new AViewModel();
view.DataContext = viewModel;
ViewPlaceholder.Children.Clear();
ViewPlaceholder.Children.Add(view);
}
}

How can I refresh a custom wpf user control from code behind?

I have this custom wpf user control:
ShowCustomer.xaml:
<UserControl x:Class="TestControlUpdate2343.Controls.ShowCustomer"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Grid>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Message}"/>
</Grid>
</UserControl>
ShowCustomer.xaml.cs:
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
namespace TestControlUpdate2343.Controls
{
public partial class ShowCustomer : UserControl, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
#region ViewModelProperty: Message
private string _message;
public string Message
{
get
{
return _message;
}
set
{
_message = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Message");
}
}
#endregion
public ShowCustomer()
{
InitializeComponent();
DataContext = this;
Message = "showing test customer at: " + DateTime.Now.ToString();
}
#region INotifiedProperty Block
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
#endregion
}
}
And I display it from this XAML:
Window1.xaml:
<Window x:Class="TestControlUpdate2343.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:controls="clr-namespace:TestControlUpdate2343.Controls"
Title="Window1" Height="300" Width="300">
<StackPanel HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="10">
<controls:ShowCustomer x:Name="ShowCustomerControl" Margin="0 0 0 10"/>
<Button Content="Refresh Control"
Click="Button_RefreshControls_Click"
Margin="0 0 0 10"/>
</StackPanel>
</Window>
And I would like to update the control (i.e. in this example show the current time) from my event handler in code behind:
using System.Windows;
namespace TestControlUpdate2343
{
public partial class Window1 : Window
{
public Window1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void Button_RefreshControls_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
//ShowCustomerControl.Refresh()???
}
}
}
How can I force a refresh of my custom control from code behind, or force it to reload somehow so when I click the button it shows the current time?

in Window1.xaml.cs -
private void Button_RefreshControls_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
ShowCustomerControl.Refresh();
}
in ShowCustomer.xaml.cs -
public ShowCustomer()
{
InitializeComponent();
DataContext = this;
Refresh();
}
public void Refresh()
{
Message = "showing test customer at: " + DateTime.Now.ToString();
}
Hope this helps!!

Or have a LastUpdate property on ShowWindow and set that, which then regenerates the Message property.