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C# Class with many Properties and similar Setters, how to reuse logic

I have a class with many Properties and public Setters. On each Setter I want to check if the value has changed and if so calling an EventHandler method. The code ended up looking too long, too repetitive and very programmer error prone because I can make small mistake on the multiple setter methods and mess up things.
I would like to ask if there is any way to make this code smaller and more reusable (in case I want to add new Properties for example):
using System;
public class CosmeticsModel
{
private string _skin;
public string Skin {
get => _skin;
set
{
if (value != _skin)
{
_skin = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Skin", _skin);
}
}
}
private string _eyes;
public string Eyes {
get => _eyes;
set
{
if (value != _eyes)
{
_eyes = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Eyes", _eyes);
}
}
}
private string _mouth;
public string Mouth {
get => _mouth;
set
{
if (value != _mouth)
{
_mouth = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Mouth", _mouth);
}
}
}
private string _accessory;
public string Accessory {
get => _accessory;
set
{
if (value != _accessory)
{
_accessory = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Accessory", _accessory);
}
}
}
private string _shoes;
public string Shoes {
get => _shoes;
set
{
if (value != _shoes)
{
_shoes = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Shoes", _shoes);
}
}
}
private string _hat;
public string Hat {
get => _hat;
set
{
if (value != _hat)
{
_hat = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("Hat", _hat);
}
}
}
private string _oneHandedWeapon;
public string OneHandedWeapon {
get => _oneHandedWeapon;
set
{
if (value != _oneHandedWeapon)
{
_oneHandedWeapon = value;
OnCosmeticChanged("OneHandedWeapon", _oneHandedWeapon);
}
}
}
// [... rest of the Class]
}

You can extract a method called SetProperty. You can also make use of CallerMemberName to automatically set the property name.
private void SetProperty(ref string property, string value, [System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CallerMemberName] string propertyName = "") {
if (value != property)
{
property = value;
OnCosmeticChanged(propertyName, property);
}
}
Usage:
private string _hat;
public string Hat {
get => _hat;
set => SetProperty(ref _hat, value);
}

Serialize object in WPF to XML

So I'm building an application in WPF using MVVM and I want to save various object model data as XML. Using Serialize an object to XML I can correctly serialize objects to XML, but the issue I'm having is with the MVVM itself.
I can't directly access the Model of the object within the ICommand segments of the ViewModel code (E.G. When I hit save, that goes to an ICommand method inside the ViewModel).
I've made the Model is question serializable, I just have no way to pass it directly to my Serialize method (which is contained in it's own static Helper class) so even if I weren't getting "Unexpected type" spit back at me (since VieWModel is not serializable) I'd end up with a lot of excess garbage, not just the Model class being serialized.
I'm not sure if I'm just designing this incorrectly, or if there's a better way to do it or...?
P.S. All of these fields are just being written into TextBox controls that are bound appropriately. Right now I'm only trying to do the name fields to avoid any kind of issues with other data types not working right.
EDIT: As requested in a comment, the goal right now is just to be able to write some bits of text in a few text boxes (First, middle, last names), then save that to an XML file.
Summarized Model in question:
namespace XMLaw.Model
{
[Serializable]
public class ClientModel
{
private string firstName { get; set; }
private string middleName { get; set; }
private string lastName { get; set; }
private DateTime dateOfBirth { get; set; }
private string ssn { get; set; } //Format: AA ## ## ## A, spaces optional
private string address { get; set; }
private string phone { get; set; }
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
#region Name Properties
public string FirstName
{
get { return firstName; }
set
{
if( firstName != value )
{
firstName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("FirstName");
}
}
}
public string MiddleName
{
get { return middleName; }
set
{
if (middleName != value)
{
middleName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("MiddleName");
}
}
}
public string LastName
{
get { return lastName; }
set
{
if (lastName != value)
{
lastName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("LastName");
}
}
}
#endregion
public DateTime DateOfBirth
{
get { return dateOfBirth; }
set
{
if ( dateOfBirth != value )
{
DateTime dt = Convert.ToDateTime(value); //This will probably need to revisited since DateTime objects are fucking stupid
dateOfBirth = dt.Date;
OnPropertyChanged("DateOfBirth");
}
}
}
public string SSN
{
get { return ssn; }
set
{
if( ssn != value)
{
ssn = value;
OnPropertyChanged("SSN");
}
}
}
public string Address
{
get { return address; }
set
{
if( address != value)
{
address = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Address");
}
}
}
public string Phone
{
get { return phone; }
set
{
if( phone != value )
{
phone = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Phone");
}
}
}
}
}
And the ViewModel in question (The Save command that calls the serialization is at the bottom)
namespace XMLaw.ViewModel
{
public class ClientViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private ClientModel client;
private string displayMessage;
private ICommand btnSave;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
public ClientViewModel()
{
client = new ClientModel();
}
public ClientModel ClientModel
{
get { return client; }
}
public string DisplayMessage
{
get { return displayMessage; }
set
{
if( displayMessage != value)
{
displayMessage = value;
OnPropertyChanged("DisplayMessage");
}
}
}
public ICommand SaveCommand
{
get
{
if (btnSave == null)
btnSave = new Save();
return btnSave;
}
set { btnSave = value; }
}
protected class Save : ICommand
{
public bool CanExecute(object param) { return true; }
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged; //Compiler yells at you if you don't implement this from inhereted ICommand
public void Execute(object param)
{
ClientViewModel viewModel = (ClientViewModel)param;
//TODO: Insert XML serialization and save to a file
var xml = Helper.Serialize(param);
//Placeholder to make sure the button works
viewModel.DisplayMessage = "You clicked the button at " + DateTime.Now;
}
}
}
}
And the Serailization method I shamelessly took from the above link
public static class Helper
{
public static string Serialize<T>(this T value)
{
if (value == null)
{
return string.Empty;
}
try
{
var xmlserializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(T));
var stringWriter = new StringWriter();
using (var writer = XmlWriter.Create(stringWriter))
{
xmlserializer.Serialize(writer, value);
return stringWriter.ToString();
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw new Exception("An error occurred", ex);
}
}
}

Change your Client-Model to this:
[Serializable]
public class ClientModel
{
private string firstName;
private string middleName;
private string lastName;
private DateTime dateOfBirth;
private string ssn;
private string address;
private string phone;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
#region Name Properties
public string FirstName {
get { return firstName; }
set {
if (firstName != value)
{
firstName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("FirstName");
}
}
}
public string MiddleName {
get { return middleName; }
set {
if (middleName != value)
{
middleName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("MiddleName");
}
}
}
public string LastName {
get { return lastName; }
set {
if (lastName != value)
{
lastName = value;
OnPropertyChanged("LastName");
}
}
}
#endregion
public DateTime DateOfBirth {
get { return dateOfBirth; }
set {
if (dateOfBirth != value)
{
DateTime dt = Convert.ToDateTime(value); //This will probably need to revisited since DateTime objects are fucking stupid
dateOfBirth = dt.Date;
OnPropertyChanged("DateOfBirth");
}
}
}
public string SSN {
get { return ssn; }
set {
if (ssn != value)
{
ssn = value;
OnPropertyChanged("SSN");
}
}
}
public string Address {
get { return address; }
set {
if (address != value)
{
address = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Address");
}
}
}
public string Phone {
get { return phone; }
set {
if (phone != value)
{
phone = value;
OnPropertyChanged("Phone");
}
}
}
}
Usage:
var xx = new ClientModel();
xx.FirstName = "John";
xx.LastName = "Smith";
xx.DateOfBirth = DateTime.Now;
var result = xx.Serialize();
Result:
http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\"
xmlns:xsd=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema\">
John Smith
2016-07-11T00:00:00+02:00
EDIT:
This code:
public void Execute(object param)
{
ClientViewModel viewModel = (ClientViewModel)param;
//TODO: Insert XML serialization and save to a file
var xml = Helper.Serialize(param);
//Placeholder to make sure the button works
viewModel.DisplayMessage = "You clicked the button at " + DateTime.Now;
}
Should be replaced by this:
public void Execute(object param)
{
ClientModel model= (ClientModel )param;
//TODO: Insert XML serialization and save to a file
var xml = Helper.Serialize(param);
//Placeholder to make sure the button works
viewModel.DisplayMessage = "You clicked the button at " + DateTime.Now;
}
Make sure, your Param is of type ClientModel.
I also highly recommend you, to get into the basics of how DataBinding works
Edit 2 (The Command-Thingy):
class Save : ICommand
{
public ClientModel Model { get; set; }
public bool CanExecute(object param) { return true; }
public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged; //Compiler yells at you if you don't implement this from inhereted ICommand
public void Execute(object param)
{
//TODO: Insert XML serialization and save to a file
var xml = Helper.Serialize(this.Model);
//Placeholder to make sure the button works
viewModel.DisplayMessage = "You clicked the button at " + DateTime.Now;
}
}
Usage:
public ICommand SaveCommand
{
get
{
if (btnSave == null)
btnSave = new Save();
btnSave.Model = this.ClientModel;
return btnSave;
}
set { btnSave = value; }
}

Custom Collection/List To Store Custom Objects

I have a customer object class:
public class customerObject
{
private string _address1;
private string _address2;
private string _address3;
private string _category;
private string _country;
private string _county;
private string _custcode;
private string _fullname;
private string _int_rep_hou;
private string _int_rep_key;
private double _lat;
private double _lng;
private string _postcode;
private string _rep_code;
private string _telephone;
public customerObject()
{
}
public string Address1
{
get { return _address1; }
set { _address1 = value; }
}
public string Address2
{
get
{
return _address2;
}
set { _address2 = value; }
}
public string Address3 { get { return _address3; } set { _address3 = value; } }
public string Category
{
get { return _category; }
set { _category = value; }
}
public string Country { get { return _country; } set { _country = value; } }
public string County { get { return _county; } set { _county = value; } }
public string Custcode
{
get { return _custcode; }
set { _custcode = value; }
}
public string Fullname
{
get { return _fullname; }
set { _fullname = value; }
}
public string Int_rep_hou
{
get { return _int_rep_hou; }
set { _int_rep_hou = value; }
}
public string Int_rep_key
{
get { return _int_rep_key; }
set { _int_rep_key = value; }
}
public double Lat { get { return _lat; } set { _lat = value; } }
public double Lng { get { return _lng; } set { _lng = value; } }
public string Postcode { get { return _postcode; } set { _postcode = value; } }
public string Rep_code
{
get { return _rep_code; }
set { Rep_code = value; }
}
public string Telephone { get { return _telephone; } set { _telephone = value; }
}
}
I have a CustomCollections class
public class CustomerCollection
{
public List<customerObject> Customers { get; set; }
}
My method that loops through dt rows and converts to a customer object
public List<Valueobjects.CustomerCollection> dolist(DataTable temptablename)
{
//Create Collection Object
Valueobjects.CustomerCollection Collection = new Valueobjects.CustomerCollection();
foreach (DataRow row in temptablename.Rows)
{
//Create Customer Object
Valueobjects.customerObject Customer = new Valueobjects.customerObject();
//set values of customer object
Customer.Rep_code = "";
Customer.Int_rep_key = "";
Customer.Int_rep_hou = "";
Customer.Fullname = row["Fullname"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Custcode = row["Custcode"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Category = row["Category"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Address1 = row["Address1"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Address2 = row["Address2"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Address3 = row["Address3"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Postcode = row["Postcode"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Country = row["Country"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Telephone = row["Telephone"].ToString().Trim();
Customer.Lat = Convert.ToDouble(row["Lat"]);
Customer.Lng = Convert.ToDouble(row["Lng"]);
Customer.County = row["County"].ToString().Trim();
//add to the collection (list)
Collection.Customers.Add(Customer);
}
temptablename = null;
return Collection;
}
However when I create a new Customer object and a new CustomerCollection object I am getting an error when adding the customer to the collection list.
Error:
Error 32 Cannot implicitly convert type
'Classes.Valueobjects.CustomerCollection' to
'System.Collections.Generic.List'

Your method is returning a List<CustomerCollection>:
public List<Valueobjects.CustomerCollection> dolist(DataTable temptablename)
{
//...
}
But the code is trying to return a CustomerCollection:
return Collection;
Just as the error says, these two types are different.
If a CustomerCollection is already a collection of customers, then semantically what is a List<Valueobjects.CustomerCollection>? A collection of collections? It seems like you're over-pluralizing your objects :)
There are two approaches here. Either return a CustomerCollection from the method:
public CustomerCollection dolist(DataTable temptablename)
{
//...
}
Or use a List<Customer> if you want to use generic lists as your collection containers:
public List<Customer> dolist(DataTable temptablename)
{
//...
var Collection = new List<Customer>();
//...
Collection.Add(Customer);
//...
return Collection;
}
Side note: You may want to stick to C# conventions for variable naming. As you can see from the code highlighting here on Stack Overflow, your variable names can easily be mistaken for classes/types, which can cause confusion when supporting the code.

Return a CustomerCollection instead of a List<Valueobjects.CustomerCollection>:
public Valueobjects.CustomerCollection Dolist(DataTable temptablename)
{
// ...
Your object has a list, it is not a list.
MSDN: Inheritance

C# - Marshall by value problem!

Here is the thing, I have a problem creating a new object using the remote mechanism "marshal by value".
Here is my class:
[Serializable]
internal class Empleado_MBV
{
public Empleado_MBV()
{
Id = 123456789;
Nombres = "NotEntry";
Apellidos = "NotEntry";
FechaNacimiento = DateTime.MinValue;
Direccion = "NotEntry";
Metapreferencias = "NotEntry";
}
private List<Multas> _multas;
internal List<Multas> Multas
{
get { return _multas; }
set { _multas = value; }
}
private int _id;
public int Id
{
get { return _id; }
set { _id = value; }
}
private string _nombres;
public string Nombres
{
get { return _nombres; }
set { _nombres = value; }
}
private string _apellidos;
public string Apellidos
{
get { return _apellidos; }
set { _apellidos = value; }
}
private DateTime _FecNac;
public DateTime FechaNacimiento
{
get { return _FecNac; }
set { _FecNac = value; }
}
private string _direccion;
public string Direccion
{
get { return _direccion; }
set { _direccion = value; }
}
private string _metapreferencias;
public string Metapreferencias
{
get { return _metapreferencias; }
set { _metapreferencias = value; }
}
public string _AppDomainHost
{
get { return AppDomain.CurrentDomain.FriendlyName.ToString(); }
}
}
But when I try to create an object in another "appdomain", the property "_AppDomainHost" of "Empleado" does not show the "appdomain" I had created, but show the "appdomain" by default. Some ideas?
AppDomain ad1 = AppDomain.CreateDomain("NewAppDomain");
//Crear new object in my new AD.
Empleado_MBV mbv_emp = (Empleado_MBV)ad1.CreateInstanceFromAndUnwrap("DEMO_MBV_MBR.exe", "DEMO_MBV_MBR.Empleado_MBV");
Console.WriteLine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.FriendlyName.ToString());
Console.WriteLine("MBV : {0}",mbv_emp._AppDomainHost.ToString());
Console.ReadLine();
Result:
DEMO_MBV_MBR.vshost.exe
MBV : DEMO_MBV_MBR.vshost.exe
The result that I want:
DEMO_MBV_MBR.vshost.exe
MBV : NewAppDomain

You need to store AppDomain in Empleado_MBV's constructor.
What you are doing right now is displaying current AppDomain using its Current static property. It will return the AppDomain where current code is being executed.
Example:
private string _appDomainHost;
public string _AppDomainHost
{
get { return _appDomainHost; }
}
and in constructor:
_appDomainHost = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.FriendlyName.ToString();

Trigger an event from within another class

In .NET I have a class called Caption. I have another class called Gauge. Within the Gauge class I have a property defined as a Caption.
I am trying to figure out how to do the following:
When a certain property is changed in my Caption class how do I get it to execute a subroutine in the Gauge class? I am thinking I have to declare an event and AddHandlers to fire it off, but I can't think of how to accomplish this.

You'll want to look at implementing the INotifyPropertyChanged interface, which is designed exactly for the purpose - raising an event when a property of a class instance changes.
A good example of usage is given on this MSDN page.
// This class implements a simple customer type
// that implements the IPropertyChange interface.
public class DemoCustomer : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
// These fields hold the values for the public properties.
private Guid idValue = Guid.NewGuid();
private string customerName = String.Empty;
private string companyNameValue = String.Empty;
private string phoneNumberValue = String.Empty;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void NotifyPropertyChanged(String info)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null)
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(info));
}
}
// The constructor is private to enforce the factory pattern.
private DemoCustomer()
{
customerName = "no data";
companyNameValue = "no data";
phoneNumberValue = "no data";
}
// This is the public factory method.
public static DemoCustomer CreateNewCustomer()
{
return new DemoCustomer();
}
// This property represents an ID, suitable
// for use as a primary key in a database.
public Guid ID
{
get
{
return this.idValue;
}
}
public string CompanyName
{
get {return this.companyNameValue;}
set
{
if (value != this.companyNameValue)
{
this.companyNameValue = value;
NotifyPropertyChanged("CompanyName");
}
}
}
public string PhoneNumber
{
get { return this.phoneNumberValue; }
set
{
if (value != this.phoneNumberValue)
{
this.phoneNumberValue = value;
NotifyPropertyChanged("PhoneNumber");
}
}
}
}

public class Caption
{
private int myInt;
public event EventHandler MyIntChanged;
private void OnMyIntChanged()
{
var handler = this.MyIntChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
public int MyInt
{
get
{
return this.myInt;
}
set
{
if (this.myInt != value)
{
this.myInt = value;
this.OnMyIntChanged();
}
}
}
}
So now, in your guage class:
public class Guage
{
private Caption caption;
public Caption Caption
{
get
{
return this.caption;
}
set
{
if (this.caption!= value)
{
this.caption= value;
this.caption.MyIntChanged += new EventHandler(caption_MyIntChanged);
}
}
}
private void caption_MyIntChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//do what you gotta do
}
}