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}}" />
Related
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>
I m doing an UWP project and I wan't to format a string using a converter and Static resource String because the application is in mulitple languages.
Here is my converter :
public class StringFormatConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
if (value == null)
return null;
if (parameter == null)
return value;
return string.Format((string)parameter, value);
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter,
string language)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
Here the string in my Resource Strings.Xaml file :
<x:String x:Key="nbItems">You have {0} items...</x:String>
Here the element where I wan't to pass this formatter :
<TextBlock Text="{x:Bind NbItems, Converter={StaticResource StringFormatConverter}, ConverterParameter={StaticResource nbItems}, Mode=OneWay}"/>
It's not working but if I do like this it works :
<TextBlock Text="{x:Bind NbItems, Converter={StaticResource StringFormatConverter}, ConverterParameter='You have {0} items..', Mode=OneWay}"/>
The parameters is always null in my converter, why it's not working ?
Not exactly certain why the parameter is null, however I have come up with a workaround. Move your strings into a Resource file (see here).
Then change the parameter you pass to your converter to the String Name, like so:
<TextBlock Text="{x:Bind NbItems, Converter={StaticResource StringFormatConverter}, ConverterParameter='FORMAT', Mode=OneWay}" />
Finally change your converter to load the the resource using the parameter like so:
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language) {
if (value == null)
return null;
var loader = new Windows.ApplicationModel.Resources.ResourceLoader();
var str = loader.GetString((string)parameter);
return string.Format(str, value);
}
Hope this helps.
I'm trying to build a settings page to allow the user to choice which action to execute on item swipe, like the Outlook app.
To do this I created an enum containing the available actions, and I'm binding it to a ComboBox.
Everything works, the user can choose the action and his choice is saved correctly. The problem is that the ComboBox doesn't show the selected item when I navigate to the page, it shows it only after selection.
This means that if user changes selection then the ComboBox is updated, but the selected item is shown as blank upon navigation.
Here's my code:
(XAML)
<ComboBox x:Uid="LeftActionComboBox"
Grid.Row="0"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
SelectedItem="{Binding LeftSwipeActionType, Mode=TwoWay, Converter={StaticResource StringToSwipeActionTypesConverter}}"
ItemsSource="{Binding LeftSwipeActionType, Converter={StaticResource EnumToStringListConverter}}"/>
(VM Property)
public SwipeActionTypes LeftSwipeActionType
{
get { return _settings.LeftSwipeActionTypeProperty; }
set
{
_settings.LeftSwipeActionTypeProperty = value;
// RaisePropertyChanged causes a StackOverflow, but not using it is not the problem since the ComboBox is empty only before set
}
}
(Converter StringToSwipeActionTypesConverter, localization-ready)
// Returns localized string value for the Enum
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
var enumValue = (SwipeActionTypes) value;
switch (enumValue)
{
case SwipeActionTypes.Copy:
return App.ResourceLoader.GetString("CopySwipeActionName");
case SwipeActionTypes.Delete:
return App.ResourceLoader.GetString("DeleteSwipeActionName");
default:
throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException();
}
}
// Parses the localized string into the enum value
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
var stringValue = (string) value;
if (stringValue.Equals(App.ResourceLoader.GetString("CopySwipeActionName")))
{
return SwipeActionTypes.Copy;
}
if (stringValue.Equals(App.ResourceLoader.GetString("DeleteSwipeActionName")))
{
return SwipeActionTypes.Delete;
}
return null;
}
(Converter EnumToStringListConverter)
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
var valueType = value.GetType();
return Enum.GetNames(valueType).ToList();
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
return value;
}
Any idea on why this is failing?
The reason you are getting a StackOverflow exception is because every time you change LeftSwipeActionType property you are changing the ItemsSource of the ComboBox which changes the SelectedItem which fires INotifyPropertyChanged which changes the ItemsSource and so on and so on.
Once you stop using the same property for ItemsSource and SelectedItem then the correct initial selection will be set.
Rather than use a converter to create your ItemsSource you should just create is in your ViewModel
public MyViewModel(type enumType)
{
SourceForItems = Enum.GetValues(enumType);
}
public IEnumerable SourceForItems { get; private set; }
First of all, here is whats wrong with your approach:
You are binding your ItemsSource to the same property as the SelectedItem, even tough you are using a converter this can cause an infinite update circle - and you don't want that.
Generating the same static list of elements over and over again seems a bit wasteful. Instead of passing an instance of a type, lets just pass the type itself to the converter:
EnumToMembersConverter.cs
public class EnumToMembersConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
return Enum.GetValues((Type)value).ToList();
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
{
return DependencyProperty.UnsetValue;
}
}
XAML
ItemsSource="{Binding Source={x:Type whateverNamespace:SwipeActionTypes}, Converter={StaticResource EnumToMembersConverter}}"
This will give you all Values of SwipeActionTypes, therefore you can bind it directly, without converting back again.
SelectedItem="{Binding LeftSwipeActionType, Mode=TwoWay}"
There is nothing wrong with using a ComboBox for types other than string, so lets make this your base for further steps:
<ComboBox x:Uid="LeftActionComboBox"
Grid.Row="0"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
SelectedItem="{Binding LeftSwipeActionType, Mode=TwoWay}"
ItemsSource="{Binding Source={x:Type whateverNamespace:SwipeActionTypes}, Converter={StaticResource EnumToMembersConverter}}"/>
The reason you wrote all those converts is probably because the ComboBox showed strange values instead of readable strings. No worries, we already have your converter, you just need to invert it (Convert SwipeActionTypes to String) and apply it to a TextBox:
<ComboBox x:Uid="LeftActionComboBox"
Grid.Row="0"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
SelectedItem="{Binding LeftSwipeActionType, Mode=TwoWay}"
ItemsSource="{Binding Source={x:Type whateverNamespace:SwipeActionTypes}, Converter={StaticResource EnumToMembersConverter}}">
<ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=., Converter = {StaticResource SwipeActionTypesStringConverter}}"/>
</DataTemplate>
</ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
</ComboBox>
Note, I didn't run this code so you might need to adjust the used namespaces accordingly
I have a collection databound to a ListBox. What I would like to do is show some UI based on whether or not some property of the member of the collection exists.
E.g.:
public class Widget
{
public string foo;
public string bar;
}
public ObservableCollection<Widget> Stuff;
XAML:
<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Stuff}">
<ListBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding foo}"
Visiblity="{Binding
(foo != null ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed)
}"/>
</DataTemplate>
</ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>
Note the Visibility attribute on the TextBlock. Clearly this isn't supported, but it should give you an idea of what I want to do.
One possible solution is that I could add a property to widget that looks like this:
public Visibility has_foo;
And then:
... Visibility="{Binding has_foo}" ...
But it seems awkward to have to generate these additional properties.
I suspect there is a much better way. Is there? How would you do it?
Thanks.
Create a value converter. Something like
public class NullToVisibilityConverter : IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
return value != null ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed;
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
Then add it something like
<YourUserControl.Resources>
<NullToVisibilityConverter x:Key="NullToVisibilityConverter" />
</YourUserControl.Resources>
<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Stuff}">
<ListBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding foo}"
Visiblity="{Binding foo,
Converter={StaticResource NullToVisibilityConverter}"/>
</DataTemplate>
</ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>
Obviously I've not implemented ConvertBack (not really sure if you will be able to convert back) but you shouldn't need it in this instance.
Is it possible to display this TextBlock, only if the Address.Length > 0 ? I'd like to do this directly into the xaml, I know I could put all my controls programmatically
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Address}" />
Basically, you're going to need to write an IValueConverter so that you can bind the Visibility property of your TextBox to either the Address field, or a new field that you create.
If you bind to the Address field, here's how the binding might look like::
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Address}"
Visibility="{Binding Path=Address, Converter={StaticResource StringLengthVisibilityConverter}}" />
And then StringLengthVisiblityConverter could look something like this:
public class StringLengthVisiblityConverter: IValueConverter
{
public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
if (value == null || value.ToString().Length == 0)
{
return Visibility.Collapsed;
}
else
{
return Visibility.Visible;
}
}
public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
{
// Don't need to implement this
}
}
Then you'd just need to add your converter as a resource, using syntax like this (where src is mapped to the namespace where the converter is defined):
<src:StringLengthVisiblityConverter x:Key="StringLengthVisiblityConverter" />
I would do this with another boolean property called HasAddress which returns Address.Length > 0.
<!-- In some resources section -->
<BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="Bool2VisibilityConverter" />
<TextBlock
Text="{Binding Address}"
Visibility="{Binding HasAddress, Converter={StaticResource Bool2VisibilityConverter}}"
/>
You should also remember to notify the property change for HasAddress in the setter of Address.
You can create a StringToVisibility converter.
It will return Visibility.Visible if bound string is not null or empty and Visibility.Collapsed if it is.
Use this converter while binding Address with Visibility property of your TextBlock.
Example:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Address}" Visibility="{Binding Address, Converter={StaticResource StringToVisibilityConverter}}" />