Howcome the get/set in dependency property doesn't do anything? - c#

I've created a dependency property like this:
public partial class MyControl: UserControl
{
//...
public static DependencyProperty XyzProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Xyz",typeof (string),typeof (MyControl),new PropertyMetadata(default(string)));
public string Xyz
{
get { return (string) GetValue(XyzProperty ); }
set { SetValue(XyzProperty , value); }
}
//...
}
Then bind it to my wpf window and everything worked fine.
When I tried to add some logic to the setter I notice it wasn't being called. I modify the get;Set up to a point now they look like this:
get{return null;}
set{}
And it is still works! How come? What's the use of that GetValue/SetValue calls?

The WPF data binding infrastructure uses the DependencyProperty directly, the Xyz property is a convenience interface for the programmer.
Take a look at the PropertyMetadata in the call to DependencyProperty.Register, you can supply a callback that will run when the property value is changed, this is where you can apply your business logic.

The DependencyProperty is the backing store for the XyzProperty. If you access the property through the DependencyProperty interface, it completely bypasses the Property's Get/Set accessor.
Think of it this way:
private int _myValue = 0;
public int MyValue
{
get { return _myValue; }
set { _myValue = value; }
}
In this instance, if I manually assign _myValue = 12, obviously the "Set" accessor for the MyValue property won't be called; I completely bypassed it! The same is true for DependencyProperties. WPF's binding system uses the DependencyProperty interfaces directly.

Related

Custom control binding setter not firing

I have a custom control with following code:
public partial class TableSelectorControl : UserControl
{
private Brush _cellHoverBrush = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.CadetBlue) { Opacity = 0.3 };
public static readonly DependencyProperty ActiveSelectionProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("ActiveSelection", typeof(TableSelectorSelection),
typeof(TableSelectorControl));
public TableSelectorSelection ActiveSelection
{
get => (TableSelectorSelection)GetValue(ActiveSelectionProperty);
set
{
SetValue(ActiveSelectionProperty, value);
_cellHoverBrush = value.HoverBrush;
}
}
}
As you can see, I'm trying to set _cellHoverBrush on each ActiveSelectionProperty update, which is done from ViewModel. Binding works well and the ActiveSelectionProperty seemes to change, but the setter is not firing. I surely can use a FrameworkProperyMetadata, but I don't want _cellHoverBrush to become static, the idea is to change it with respect to selected ActiveSelection. How can I achieve this?
I can provide more info, if needed.
There are two types of properties in WPF: .NET Framework properties and dependency properties (which are specific for WPF). Each dependency property has associated a .Net Framework property, but this property is only a wrapper over WPF dependencies properties. This is done to standardize the way we work with properties in WPF. When a dependency property is used in bindings from .xaml files, the WPF framework will not use the .Net wrapper property to get or set the value. This is why, it's not indicated to use other code than GetValue and SetValue in your .NET wrapper property.
For what you need, you should use PropertyChangedCallback, like in the example below:
public partial class TableSelectorControl : UserControl
{
private Brush _cellHoverBrush = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.CadetBlue) { Opacity = 0.3 };
public static readonly DependencyProperty ActiveSelectionProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("ActiveSelection", typeof(TableSelectorSelection),
typeof(TableSelectorControl), new PropertyMetadata(new PropertyChangedCallback(OnActiveSelectionChanged)));
public TableSelectorSelection ActiveSelection
{
get => (TableSelectorSelection)GetValue(ActiveSelectionProperty);
set => SetValue(ActiveSelectionProperty, value);
}
private static void OnActiveSelectionChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var tableSelCtrl = d as TableSelectorControl;
if (tableSelCtrl != null)
{
tableSelCtrl._cellHoverBrush = (e.NewValue as TableSelectorSelection)?.HoverBrush;
}
}
}
Using the PropertyChangedCallback of FrameworkPropertyMetadata doesn't necessarily mean you need to make your field static. Your handler method will get a reference to the instance that is invoking it which you can then modify - you will need to cast it to your type first though.
The PropertyChanged walkthrough on this page shows one way you might do it.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/wpf/advanced/dependency-property-callbacks-and-validation

Updating a secondary property from a DependencyProperty

I have a WPF control that is based on the TextBox control:
public class DecimalTextBox : TextBox
I have a dependency property that is bound to, which manages the numeric value, and is responsible for setting the Text property:
public decimal NumericValue
{
get { return (decimal)GetValue(NumericValueProperty); }
set
{
if (NumericValue != value)
{
SetValue(NumericValueProperty, value);
SetValue(TextProperty, NumericValue.ToString());
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine($"NumericValue Set to: {value}, formatted: {Text}");
}
}
}
protected override void OnTextChanged(TextChangedEventArgs e)
{
base.OnTextChanged(e);
if (decimal.TryParse(Text, out decimal num))
{
SetValue(NumericValueProperty, num);
}
}
This works well when entering a value into the textbox itself (it updates the underlying values, etc...). However, when the bound property of NumericValue is changed, despite updating the NumericValue DP, the Text property is not updated. In the tests that I've done, it would appear that the reason for this is that the set method above is not called when the bound value is updated. The binding in question looks like this:
<myControls:DecimalTextBox NumericValue="{Binding Path=MyValue, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"/>
Can anyone point me in the right direction as to why this property setter is not firing, or is there a better way to approach this?
As explained in Custom Dependency Properties and XAML Loading and Dependency Properties, you should not call anything else than GetValue and SetValue in the CLR wrapper of a dependency property:
Because the current WPF implementation of the XAML processor behavior for property setting bypasses the wrappers entirely, you should not put any additional logic into the set definitions of the wrapper for your custom dependency property. If you put such logic in the set definition, then the logic will not be executed when the property is set in XAML rather than in code.
In order to get notified about value changes, you'll have to register a PropertyChangedCallback with the dependency property metadata.
public static readonly DependencyProperty NumericValueProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(
"NumericValue", typeof(decimal), typeof(DecimalTextBox),
new PropertyMetadata(NumericValuePropertyChanged));
public decimal NumericValue
{
get { return (decimal)GetValue(NumericValueProperty); }
set { SetValue(NumericValueProperty, value); }
}
private static void NumericValuePropertyChanged(
DependencyObject obj, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var textBox = (DecimalTextBox)obj;
textBox.Text = e.NewValue.ToString();
}
The WPF binding is not actually using your getter and setter, but instead directly interacts with the dependency property NumericValueProperty. In order to update the text, subscribe to the PropertyChanged event of the NumericValueProperty instead of trying to do anything special in the setter.
Subscribe to the change in your DependencyProperty definition, similar to the following:
// Using a DependencyProperty as the backing store for NumericValue. This enables animation, styling, binding, etc...
public static readonly DependencyProperty NumericValueProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("NumericValue", typeof(decimal), typeof(DecimalTextBox), new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(0.0m, new PropertyChangedCallback(OnNumericValueChanged)));
private static void OnNumericValueChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var self = d as DecimalTextBox;
// if the new numeric value is different from the text value, update the text
}

How to use a programmatic 'get' equivalent in a WPF dependency property?

Where this is the clr way of writing a property:
public byte Value
{
get{
return GetByteData();
}
set{
SetByteData(value);
}
}
I've read up on how to do the same the dependency property way, and this is all I could do by myself:
public byte Value
{
get { return (byte)GetValue(ValueProperty); }
set { SetValue(ValueProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty ValueProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
"Value", typeof(byte), typeof(MyControl),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata((byte)0, ValueChanged));
public static void ValueChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
byte r = (byte)e.NewValue;
MyControl v = (MyControl)d;
v.SetByteData(r);
}
With the examples I've looked at, from which I've made the above snippet, I can't find a place to put the GetByteData(), which calculates an output value for the current UI-state when the user interacts, so as to update the 'Value'.
Until previously I was putting it in the getter anyway like with clr, but I get the feeling that it's the wrong approach, but I could be wrong. Where should I be putting it? If not, what should be my approach? Is it at all possible to have a programmatic getter for a dependency property?
It's possible that I've been using the wrong keywords to look for a solution. Any help putting me in the right direction would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
As long as it is only the source (and not the target) property of a Binding, as in
{Binding Value, ElementName=MyControlName}
and you don't want to apply a value by a Style Setter, or animate the value, the property does not need to be a dependency property.
Just implement INotifyPropertyChanged like this:
public partial class MyControl : UserControl, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public byte Value
{
get { return GetByteData(); }
set
{
SetByteData(value);
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(nameof(Value)));
}
}
...
}

Propertychanged Template10 Class

The propertychanged trigger in a viewmodel of a UWP app with Template10 is triggered by by the following way:
public var Thing{ get { return thing; } set { Set(ref thing, value); } }
The Set function is placed in the class bindableBase.
How can I use this same function in a Usercontrol?
I tried the folowing, but that didn't work:
BindableBase x;
var foo;
public var Foo{ get { return foo; } set { x.Set(ref foo, value); } }
you don't use in that fashion you use with a viewmodel for example if the Page you place the usercontrol would have a property associated with populating the fields of the usercontrol part of the viewmodel that is bound to the DataContext of the Page. I think you need to review MVVM. Or the viewmodel could be the DataContext of the userControl in question.
When creating a UserControl you'll want to use a DependencyProperty to create bindable properties. It's required to make them behave as expected when using the UserControl inside of an other control (like a Page). DependencyProperties are defined like this:
public int MyProperty
{
get { return (int)GetValue(MyPropertyProperty); }
set { SetValue(MyPropertyProperty, value); }
}
// Using a DependencyProperty as the backing store for MyProperty. This enables animation, styling, binding, etc...
public static readonly DependencyProperty MyPropertyProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("MyProperty", typeof(int), typeof(ownerclass), new PropertyMetadata(0));
They're most easily created using the propdp snippet in Visual Studio.
I recommend giving this MVA course a look (especially the first lesson) on how to create custom controls

WPF Dependency Property not working

I have a custom Dependency Property defined like so:
public static readonly DependencyProperty MyDependencyProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register(
"MyCustomProperty", typeof(string), typeof(MyClass));
private string _myProperty;
public string MyCustomProperty
{
get { return (string)GetValue(MyDependencyProperty); }
set
{
SetValue(MyDependencyProperty, value);
}
}
Now I try set that property in XAML
<controls:TargetCatalogControl MyCustomProperty="Boo" />
But the setter in DependencyObject never gets hit! Although it does when I change the property to be a regular property and not a Dep Prop
Try this..
public string MyCustomProperty
{
get
{
return (string)GetValue(MyCustomPropertyProperty);
}
set
{
SetValue(MyCustomPropertyProperty, value);
}
}
// Using a DependencyProperty as the backing store for MyCustomProperty. This enables animation, styling, binding, etc...
public static readonly DependencyProperty MyCustomPropertyProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("MyCustomProperty", typeof(string), typeof(TargetCatalogControl), new UIPropertyMetadata(MyPropertyChangedHandler));
public static void MyPropertyChangedHandler(DependencyObject sender, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
// Get instance of current control from sender
// and property value from e.NewValue
// Set public property on TaregtCatalogControl, e.g.
((TargetCatalogControl)sender).LabelText = e.NewValue.ToString();
}
// Example public property of control
public string LabelText
{
get { return label1.Content.ToString(); }
set { label1.Content = value; }
}
It doesn't, unless you call it manually. There's a property-changed handler you can add to the DependancyProperty constructor call to be notified of when the property changes.
Call this constructor:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms597502.aspx
With a PropertyMetadata instance created by this constructor:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms557327.aspx
EDIT: Also, you are not implementing the dependancy property correctly. Your get and set should use GetValue and SetValue respectively, and you should not have a class member to store the value. The member name of the DP should also be {PropertyName}Property, e.g. MyCustomPropertyProperty if the get/set and property name as registered is MyCustomProperty. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms753358.aspx for more information.
Hope that helps.
Maybe you are using MVVM, and overriding the DataContext of your View ?
If you do, then the event for changing MyCustomProperty will be raised on the original DataContext and not on the new ViewModel.

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