WPF Command binding with method returning bool - c#

I have two methods that do almost the two things:
public static void ShowThing()
{
// code..
}
and
public static bool TryShowThing()
{
if(condition)
{
// same code above..
return true;
}
return false;
}
At the moment I'm binding a button's Command to the void method and it does what it should.
Problem is that now I'm cleaning up the code and to avoid coupling I wanted to bind the button to the bool method and that won't work.
Is Command={Binding BooleandReturningMedhod} even allowed in xaml?
Apparently nobody on the internet has ever had this problem before so I think I'm missing something here...

You cannot bind directly to a method.
What i think what you really wanna achieve is something like this
Code:
ShowThingCommand { get; } = new RelayCommand((o) => ShowThing(),(o) => condition)
RelayCommand:
public class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
private Action<object> execute;
private Func<object, bool> canExecute;
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add { CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value; }
remove { CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value; }
}
public RelayCommand(Action<object> execute, Func<object, bool> canExecute = null)
{
this.execute = execute;
this.canExecute = canExecute;
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return this.canExecute == null || this.canExecute(parameter);
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
this.execute(parameter);
}
}
XAML:
<Button Command={Binding ShowThingCommand } />
Important part is the CanExecute method, when it returns false your Button gets disabled

Related

RelayCommand change canExecute automatic

The current step of learning MVVM is RelayCommand for me.
So i came up with this RelayCommand class:
Relay Command class
public class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
private readonly Action<object> _execute;
private readonly Func<object, bool> _canExecute;
public RelayCommand(Action<object> execute) : this(execute, null)
{
}
public RelayCommand(Action<object> execute, Func<object, bool> canExecute)
{
_execute = execute ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(execute));
_canExecute = canExecute ?? (x => true);
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute(parameter);
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute(parameter);
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add => CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value;
remove => CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value;
}
public void Refresh()
{
CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested();
}
}
View Code-Behind
To test if CanExecute is true or false, I created a Click Event which is calling the Command if CanExecute == true or Show an Error Message when CanExecute == false.
if (sender is Button button)
{
if (_viewModel.MyCommand.CanExecute(button.Tag)) // Also testet to set this parameter `null`
_viewModel.MyCommand.Execute(button.Tag);
else
ErrorMessage.Error("CanExecute = false");
}
ViewModel
In my ViewModel I created the Command and added a Thread.Sleep() to have time that canExecute can show me the ErrorMessage from the Code-Behind.
public ICommand MyCommand { get; set; }
public ViewModel()
{
MyCommand = new RelayCommand(MyCommandMethod);
}
public async void MyCommandMethod(object obj)
{
await Task.Run(() =>
{
Thread.Sleep(5000);
ErrorMessage.Error(obj as string);
});
}
The Problem now is, that if I click the Button 5 times for example, that MyCommandMetod() is used 5 times. So CanExecute will never change.
But why isn't it changing?
I understand RelayCommand as this:
1st - Button is clicked
2nd - canExecute = false (wait till process is finished)
3rd - canExecute = true
4th - Button can be executed again.
So that u can't spam Button clicks and crash the application if for example someone use SpeedClicker and clicks 1.000.000 times a seconds or so.
You have to pass some can-execute-logic to the command when creating it:
public ViewModel()
{
MyCommand = new RelayCommand(MyCommandMethod, MyCanExecutePredicate);
}
private bool MyCanExecutePredicate( object commandParameter )
{
// TODO: decide whether or not MyCommandMethod is allowed to execute right now
}
Example: if you want to allow only one command execution at a time, you could come up with something along these lines:
public async void MyCommandMethod(object obj)
{
_myCanExecute = false;
MyCommand.Refresh();
await Task.Run(() =>
{
Thread.Sleep(5000);
ErrorMessage.Error(obj as string);
});
_myCanExecute = true;
MyCommand.Refresh();
}
private bool MyCanExecutePredicate( object commandParameter )
{
return _myCanExecute;
}

Binding Static ICommand Variable grays out button?

Continuing with my struggle with Static variables and XAML, I can't work around the command bindings greying out the button.
The code in View Model:
public static ICommand CancelCalender => _cancelCalender
?? (_cancelCalender = new CommandHandler(CancelCalender_Button, _canExecute));
public class CommandHandler : ICommand
{
private Action _action;
private bool _canExecute;
public CommandHandler(Action action, bool canExecute)
{
_action = action;
_canExecute = canExecute;
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute;
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_action();
}
}
The reference,
xmlns:viewModels="clr-namespace:StaffShiftManager.ViewModels"
And these are the ways I tried to bind the command variable:
Command="{x:Static viewModels:ViewModelBase.CancelCalender}"
And
Command="viewModels:ViewModelBase.CancelCalender"
And
Command="{Binding Source={x:Static viewModels:ViewModelBase.CancelCalender}}"
Is there something that I am missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Basically in the ICommand CanExecute() method, this returns wether or not the Command is enabled \ can execute.
Returning false from the CanExecute() will disable (gray out) the button.
Now I have modified your code slightly to provide a Func<bool> as the CanExecute() handler. What will happen here is every time the Command Execution is re-queried it will execute your canExecute method.
public class CommandHandler : ICommand
{
public CommandHandler(Action execute)
:this(execute, null)
{
}
public CommandHandler(Action execute, Func<bool> canExecute)
{
if (execute == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(execute));
_executeHandler = execute;
_canExecuteHandler = canExecute ?? (() => true);
}
Func<bool> _canExecuteHandler = () => true;
Action _executeHandler;
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecuteHandler();
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_executeHandler?.Invoke();
}
}
Not that the default implementation for the canExecute method is to return true. Even passing a null Func to the constructor will still result in true.
Just to add one more thing one of my favorite command binders (much more advanced than above) is using the DelegateCommand. I dont remeber where I found the original source (as I did not write it) but is much more advanced.

ICommand - RelayCommand CanExecute method does not update button IsEnabled property

I have the following implementation of an RelayCommand in my viewModel:
RelayCommand _resetCounter;
private void ResetCounterExecute()
{
_data.ResetCounter();
}
private bool CanResetCounterExecute()
{
if (_data.Counter > 0)
{
return true;
}
else
{
return false;
}
}
public ICommand ResetCounter
{
get
{
if (_resetCounter == null)
{
_resetCounter = new RelayCommand(this.ResetCounterExecute,this.CanResetCounterExecute);
}
return _resetCounter;
}
}
By calling _data.ResetCounter(); in the ResetCounterExecute method i reset the counter value to 0 in my model.
And this is the implementation of my RealyCommand Class that i use based on samples.
internal class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
readonly Action _execute;
readonly Func<bool> _canExecute;
public RelayCommand(Action execute)
: this(execute, null)
{
}
public RelayCommand(Action execute, Func<bool> canExecute)
{
if (execute == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("execute");
_execute = execute;
_canExecute = canExecute;
}
[DebuggerStepThrough]
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute == null ? true : _canExecute();
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add
{
if (_canExecute != null)
CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value;
}
remove
{
if (_canExecute != null)
CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value;
}
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute();
}
}
In XAML i bind the comman to a button:
<Button Name="btnResetCount" Content="Reset" Command="{Binding Path=CounterViewModel.ResetCounter}" Click="btnResetCount_Click">
My Problem is that the button just gets enabled once i click on any control in the UI. But what i need is that the button gets enabled once my _data.Counter > 0 applies. So from my research it seems that i need to implement CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested(); or use the RelayCommand.RaiseCanExecuteChanged().
I would like to know if this two ways are the only ways to notify the UI to refresh the bindings.
Also i would like to ask how i would have to implement the RelayCommand.RaiseCanExecuteChanged() in my current case. Where and how should i raise it to ensure that the UI changes the button state if the condition is given.
Thanks in advance.
when using CommandManager.RequerySuggested you can force CommandManager to invoke RequerySuggested event by calling CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested()
or you may perhaps implement RaiseCanExecuteChanged. this may be more reliable method to trigger the same.
example
internal class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
...
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
public void RaiseCanExecuteChanged()
{
EventHandler handler = CanExecuteChanged;
if (handler != null)
handler(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
...
}
and when you want to invalidate or _data.Counter changes, call
ResetCounter.RaiseCanExecuteChanged();
additionally you may also want to read How does CommandManager.RequerySuggested work?

WPF disable command for a while it running

I need to disable button for a while it running. I have this code:
RelayCommand.cs This is my command class.
class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
readonly Action<object> _execute;
readonly Predicate<object> _canExecute;
public RelayCommand(Action<object> execute)
: this(execute, null)
{
}
public RelayCommand(Action<object> execute, Predicate<object> canExecute)
{
if (execute == null)
{
throw new ArgumentNullException("execute");
}
_execute = execute;
_canExecute = canExecute;
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute == null ? true : _canExecute(parameter);
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add { CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value; }
remove { CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value; }
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute(parameter);
}
}
MainWindowViewModel.cs This is my command for binding.
private RelayCommand _getTextCommand;
public ICommand GetTextCommand
{
get
{
if (_getTextCommand == null)
{
_getTextCommand = new RelayCommand(
param => this.GetText(param),
param => true
);
}
return _getTextCommand;
}
}
MainWindow.xaml This is XAML code where i bind my command.
<Button x:Name="getTextButton" Command="{Binding GetTextCommand}" CommandParameter="{Binding ElementName=textTypeSelector, Path=SelectedIndex}"/>
This is the code i am launching in command:
public async void GetText(object o)
{
await Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
// code
});
}
Try this: add a boolean property in view model and implement INotifyPropertyChanged in view model
private bool isEnable = true;
public bool IsEnable
{
get { return isEnable; }
set
{
isEnable = value;
NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public async void GetText(object o)
{
await Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
IsEnable = false;
});
IsEnable = true;
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void NotifyPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName] String propertyName = "")
{
if (PropertyChanged != null)
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
Bind it to button IsEnable property
<Button x:Name="abc"
Command="{Binding GetTextCommand}"
IsEnabled="{Binding IsEnable}" />
Set IsEnable whereever you want.
Add a boolean to your ViewModel to indicate that the command is executing and set the boolean in your GetText() method.
private bool _isRunning = false;
public async void GetText(object o)
{
await Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
_isRunning = true;
CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested();
// code
_isRunning = false;
CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested();
});
}
public bool CanGetText(object o){
return ! _isRunning;
}
Then change your RelayCommand to the following
_getTextCommand = new RelayCommand(this.GetText,CanGetText);
The problem is that you are passing true for the CanExecute delegate. Pass it a method that will execute every time it needs evaluation, and within that method you can test to see whether the Command should be executable or otherwise.
Here is an implementation that I'm using. It doesn't need an additional property in the ViewModel.
public sealed class AsyncDelegateCommand : ICommand
{
private readonly Func<bool> _canExecute;
private readonly Func<Task> _executeAsync;
private Task _currentExecution;
public AsyncDelegateCommand(Func<Task> executeAsync)
: this(executeAsync, null)
{
}
public AsyncDelegateCommand(Func<Task> executeAsync, Func<bool> canExecute)
{
if (executeAsync == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("executeAsync");
_executeAsync = executeAsync;
_canExecute = canExecute;
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add { CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value; }
remove { CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value; }
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
if (_currentExecution != null && !_currentExecution.IsCompleted)
{
return false;
}
return _canExecute == null || _canExecute();
}
public async void Execute(object parameter)
{
try
{
_currentExecution = _executeAsync();
await _currentExecution;
}
finally
{
_currentExecution = null;
CommandManager.InvalidateRequerySuggested();
}
}
}

ICommand MVVM implementation

So in this particular MVVM implementation I'm doing, I need several commands. I really got tired of implementing the ICommand classes one by one, so I came up with a solution, but I don't know how good it is, so the input of any WPF expert here will be greatly appreciated. And if you could provide a better solution, even better.
What I did is a single ICommand class and two delegates which take an object as a parameter, one delegate is void (for OnExecute), the other bool (for OnCanExecute). So in the constructor of my ICommand (which is called by the ViewModel class) I send the two methods, and on each ICommand method I invoke the delegates' methods.
It works really good, but I'm not sure if this is a bad way to do it, or if there's a better way. Below is the complete code, any input will be greatly appreciated, even negative, but please be constructive.
ViewModel:
public class TestViewModel : DependencyObject
{
public ICommand Command1 { get; set; }
public ICommand Command2 { get; set; }
public ICommand Command3 { get; set; }
public TestViewModel()
{
this.Command1 = new TestCommand(ExecuteCommand1, CanExecuteCommand1);
this.Command2 = new TestCommand(ExecuteCommand2, CanExecuteCommand2);
this.Command3 = new TestCommand(ExecuteCommand3, CanExecuteCommand3);
}
public bool CanExecuteCommand1(object parameter)
{
return true;
}
public void ExecuteCommand1(object parameter)
{
MessageBox.Show("Executing command 1");
}
public bool CanExecuteCommand2(object parameter)
{
return true;
}
public void ExecuteCommand2(object parameter)
{
MessageBox.Show("Executing command 2");
}
public bool CanExecuteCommand3(object parameter)
{
return true;
}
public void ExecuteCommand3(object parameter)
{
MessageBox.Show("Executing command 3");
}
}
ICommand:
public class TestCommand : ICommand
{
public delegate void ICommandOnExecute(object parameter);
public delegate bool ICommandOnCanExecute(object parameter);
private ICommandOnExecute _execute;
private ICommandOnCanExecute _canExecute;
public TestCommand(ICommandOnExecute onExecuteMethod, ICommandOnCanExecute onCanExecuteMethod)
{
_execute = onExecuteMethod;
_canExecute = onCanExecuteMethod;
}
#region ICommand Members
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add { CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value; }
remove { CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value; }
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute.Invoke(parameter);
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute.Invoke(parameter);
}
#endregion
}
This is almost identical to how Karl Shifflet demonstrated a RelayCommand, where Execute fires a predetermined Action<T>. A top-notch solution, if you ask me.
public class RelayCommand : ICommand
{
private readonly Predicate<object> _canExecute;
private readonly Action<object> _execute;
public RelayCommand(Predicate<object> canExecute, Action<object> execute)
{
_canExecute = canExecute;
_execute = execute;
}
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add => CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value;
remove => CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value;
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute(parameter);
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute(parameter);
}
}
This could then be used as...
public class MyViewModel
{
private ICommand _doSomething;
public ICommand DoSomethingCommand
{
get
{
if (_doSomething == null)
{
_doSomething = new RelayCommand(
p => this.CanDoSomething,
p => this.DoSomeImportantMethod());
}
return _doSomething;
}
}
}
Read more:
Josh Smith (introducer of RelayCommand): Patterns - WPF Apps With The MVVM Design Pattern
I have written this article about the ICommand interface.
The idea - creating a universal command that takes two delegates: one is called when ICommand.Execute (object param) is invoked, the second checks the status of whether you can execute the command (ICommand.CanExecute (object param)).
Requires the method to switching event CanExecuteChanged. It is called from the user interface elements for switching the state CanExecute() command.
public class ModelCommand : ICommand
{
#region Constructors
public ModelCommand(Action<object> execute)
: this(execute, null) { }
public ModelCommand(Action<object> execute, Predicate<object> canExecute)
{
_execute = execute;
_canExecute = canExecute;
}
#endregion
#region ICommand Members
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute != null ? _canExecute(parameter) : true;
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
if (_execute != null)
_execute(parameter);
}
public void OnCanExecuteChanged()
{
CanExecuteChanged(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
#endregion
private readonly Action<object> _execute = null;
private readonly Predicate<object> _canExecute = null;
}
I've just created a little example showing how to implement commands in convention over configuration style. However it requires Reflection.Emit() to be available. The supporting code may seem a little weird but once written it can be used many times.
Teaser:
public class SampleViewModel: BaseViewModelStub
{
public string Name { get; set; }
[UiCommand]
public void HelloWorld()
{
MessageBox.Show("Hello World!");
}
[UiCommand]
public void Print()
{
MessageBox.Show(String.Concat("Hello, ", Name, "!"), "SampleViewModel");
}
public bool CanPrint()
{
return !String.IsNullOrEmpty(Name);
}
}
}
UPDATE: now there seem to exist some libraries like http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/101881/Executing-Command-Logic-in-a-View-Model that solve the problem of ICommand boilerplate code.
#Carlo I really like your implementation of this, but I wanted to share my version and how to use it in my ViewModel
First implement ICommand
public class Command : ICommand
{
public delegate void ICommandOnExecute();
public delegate bool ICommandOnCanExecute();
private ICommandOnExecute _execute;
private ICommandOnCanExecute _canExecute;
public Command(ICommandOnExecute onExecuteMethod, ICommandOnCanExecute onCanExecuteMethod = null)
{
_execute = onExecuteMethod;
_canExecute = onCanExecuteMethod;
}
#region ICommand Members
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged
{
add { CommandManager.RequerySuggested += value; }
remove { CommandManager.RequerySuggested -= value; }
}
public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
{
return _canExecute?.Invoke() ?? true;
}
public void Execute(object parameter)
{
_execute?.Invoke();
}
#endregion
}
Notice I have removed the parameter from ICommandOnExecute and ICommandOnCanExecute and added a null to the constructor
Then to use in the ViewModel
public Command CommandToRun_WithCheck
{
get
{
return new Command(() =>
{
// Code to run
}, () =>
{
// Code to check to see if we can run
// Return true or false
});
}
}
public Command CommandToRun_NoCheck
{
get
{
return new Command(() =>
{
// Code to run
});
}
}
I just find this way cleaner as I don't need to assign variables and then instantiate, it all done in one go.

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