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WPF C# Binding Data from another Class

So I'm missing something simple or losing my mind. I am trying to reuse a class for multiple pages in a WPF application and bind the properties to the pages that instance it. I've tried setting the DataContext but I'm missing something. I'm loading the StockAnalysis page and then creating instance of the PriceChart class (this is the class for reuse) and I want the properties set in the PriceChart class to be the data to bind to the Stock.xaml.cs page. Even in setting the DataContext it is still looking for the StockAnalysis object. Why?
Stock.xaml.cs
public partial class StockAnalysis : Page
{
PriceChart PChart = new PriceChart();
public StockAnalysis()
{
InitializeComponent();
//Load The Data
List<Stock> HistoricalPrice = Database.GetPrices(ticker);
//Create The Charts
this.DataContext = PChart;
PChart.ShowPriceChart(HistoricalPrice);
}
}
Stock.xaml (Look at the Last TexBlock for the Binding of "LastPrice")
<Page x:Class="Stock.StockAnalysis"
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:lvc="clr-namespace:LiveCharts.Wpf;assembly=LiveCharts.Wpf"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Stock"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="1000" d:DesignWidth="1200"
Title="Stock Analysis">
<StackPanel x:Name="LastClosePanel" Grid.Row="0" Grid.RowSpan="2" Grid.Column="5" Height="60" VerticalAlignment="Top" Margin="1,0,0,1" Style="{StaticResource LastCloseBackground}">
<TextBlock x:Name="LastCloseText" Foreground="OrangeRed" FontSize="12" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,10,0,8">Last Close</TextBlock>
<TextBlock x:Name="LastCloseBind" Foreground="White" FontSize="16" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Text="{Binding LastPrice}"></TextBlock>
</StackPanel>
</Page>
PriceChart.cs (This is where I assign "LastPrice" in hopes to bind it to the TextBlock in stock.xaml.cs)
public class PriceChart
{
public string LastPrice { get; set; }
public void ShowPriceChart(List<Stock> FullList)
{
LastPrice = FullList[0].LastPrice.ToString("C");
//DO OTHER THINGS
}
}

The problem is that PriceChart doesn't implement any change notification. With the current code, this is how things will go when StockAnalysis gets created:
InitializeComponent() will create the TextBlocks and the binding. At this point, DataContext is null, so the binding will fail and the TextBlock stay empty.
this.DataContext = PChart will trigger a binding update (because DataContext is a DependencyProperty, which means it does support change notification). When the binding updates, it will pull the value of LastPrice, which is currently still empty.
ShowPriceChart will set the value of LastPrice, but because PriceChart doesn't support change notification, the binding doesn't know it needs to update, so the TextBlock stays empty.
To solve this, I would recomend your PriceChart implement the INotifyPropertyChanged interface per this article: How to: Implement Property Change Notification.
(Technically, moving PChart.ShowPriceChart(HistoricalPrice) before this.DataContext = PChart would also "solve" the problem, but only if you never need to update the bindings again after initialization.)

In my C# XAML Windows 8.1 app, how can I iterate over my ListView?

I'm new to Windows 8.1 development, XAML, and C#, so if this question is rudimentary, please forgive me.
I've got a <Page> in my app that contains a <ListView>, like so:
<ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Mode=TwoWay}" x:Name="ListView_Statistical">
<ListView.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
<TextBlock Style="{StaticResource SubheaderTextBlockStyle}" Width="100" Margin="10,20">
<Run Text="X/Y " />
<!--<Run Text="{Binding Source={StaticResource ThisPage}, Path=i}" />-->
</TextBlock>
<TextBox HorizontalAlignment="Left" Text="{Binding xVal}" PlaceholderText="X" InputScope="Number" FontSize="28" Width="100" Margin="0,10,10,10" />
<TextBox HorizontalAlignment="Left" Text="{Binding yVal}" PlaceholderText="Y" InputScope="Number" FontSize="28" Width="100" Margin="0,10,10,10" />
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
</ListView.ItemTemplate>
</ListView>
In the Code Behind, I set up its DataContext like so:
ListView_Statistical.DataContext = this.statisticalPoints;
this.statisticalPoints is defined as such:
public ObservableCollection<StatisticalPoint> statisticalPoints
{
get { return (ObservableCollection<StatisticalPoint>)GetValue(statisticalPointsProperty); }
set {
SetValue(statisticalPointsProperty, value);
NotifyPropertyChanged("statisticalPoints");
}
}
// Using a DependencyProperty as the backing store for statisticalPoints. This enables animation, styling, binding, etc...
public static readonly DependencyProperty statisticalPointsProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("statisticalPoints", typeof(ObservableCollection<StatisticalPoint>), typeof(EnterCalc), new PropertyMetadata(0));
I'm not sure if making this a DependencyProperty is necessary, or if making it follow INotifyPropertyChanged is necessary, but they don't seem to hurt.
Anyway, so in my constructor, I add a bunch of stuff to my statisticalPoints:
this.statisticalPoints = new ObservableCollection<StatisticalPoint>();
this.statisticalPoints.Add(new StatisticalPoint() { xVal = 1.0, yVal = 2.0 });
this.statisticalPoints.Add(new StatisticalPoint() { xVal = 33.0, yVal = 44.0 });
this.statisticalPoints.Add(new StatisticalPoint() { xVal = 555.0, yVal = 666.0 });
this.statisticalPoints.Add(new StatisticalPoint() { xVal = 0.7, yVal = 0.8 });
And when I load up the page, I do indeed see five rows in my ListView, populated as defined in my initialization of this.statisticalPoints.
The part I'm having trouble with is this:
I change the first value in the first <TextBox> in the ListView, then hit my save button... but ListView.Items doesn't have my change reflected, and I can't figure out how to look at the <TextBox> itself.
What I really want to do is have this bunch of statistical points modifiable by my user and be able to save their changes. To do that, I feel like I need to read the value in the <TextBox>es, but I can't figure out how to do that.
Alternatively, if the 'right way' to do this is to keep the data in this.statisticalPoints up-to-date when changes are made in the <TextBox>es, then I thought that a TwoWay binding Mode would do it, but neither ListView.Items nor this.statisticalPoints is changed when I make changes in the <TextBox>.
I do not have event handlers set up in those <TextBox> elements, as you can see, but do I need them, or am I missing something obvious?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

To solve your initial problem, make the binding for each text box Mode="TwoWay". For reasons beyond my comprehension, the mode is default OneWay on pretty much everything in Windows Store Apps.
Making the ItemsSource binding two way does next to nothing, as the UI isn't changing the collection itself (by changing, I mean completely replacing). To iterate over your collection, just iterate over this.statisticalPoints and it will have the current data.
Now, you have a ton of other misconceptions so to try and run through them:
You never showed your save button, but the bindings either update your source or they don't. A save button is usually used to persist changes from the view model to the model.
Speaking of view models, you don't appear to have one. You shouldn't be directly setting the data context of controls, and certainly shouldn't have so much in code-behind. Create a proper view model object for your page, and bind ItemsSource to a public property of that view model.
NotifyPropertyChanged on a collection usually is unnecessary unless you are replacing the collection in code.
Having it won't hurt though, except, the setter of the backing property of a DependencyProperty (DP) is never called by the framework, so putting it there is just weird
And you don't really need a DP at all. DPs are there so a parent control can bind data to your special user control. Until you are using user controls, and really understand how DPs work, you shouldn't need to use them.

Binding to code behind from custom control

I have a GridView that has several buttons. One of them is defined by the following template:
<DataTemplate x:Name="SubjectItemTemplate">
<Canvas Width="340" Height="170" VerticalAlignment="Top">
<Controls:ThreeImageButton HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Top" Margin="0,0,0,0"
NormalStateImageSource="{Binding NormalImage}"
HoverStateImageSource="{Binding HoverImage}"
PressedStateImageSource="{Binding PressedImage}" Command="{Binding Path=NavigateToUnitsPage}"
CommandParameter="{Binding}" Canvas.Left="0" Canvas.Top="0">
</Controls:ThreeImageButton>
</Canvas>
</DataTemplate>
Now I have a custom control as you can see, called ThreeImageButton. The button works fine when I use it on its own. But when I have it in the DataTemplate it won't bind properties to the code behind.
Right now, I have
x:Name="MyThreeImageButton"
in the custom button definition. And I connect to the code-behind like this:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding ElementName=MyThreeImageButton, Path=NormalStateImageSource}"/>
(This is just a test to display the text, in the actual code I would assign an image source to another property that is referred to by an element).
Right now, nothing is displayed in the TextBlock. What is the correct binding syntax I'm supposed to use to reach my properties?
Thanks!
Edit: I am setting the variable in the InitializeComponent function and I am using SetValue on the DependencyProperty.
Edit: Let me add the following information to be more clear
Scenario I:
In DataTemplate for GridView:
<UserControl CustomParameter="Literal Text">
In UserControl:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding CustomParameter}">
in UserControl .cs: this.DataContext = this
works!
Scenario II:
In DataTemplate for GridView:
<UserControl CustomParameter="{Binding ValueFromDataItem">
In UserControl:
<TextBlock Text="{Binding CustomParameter}">
in UserControl .cs: this.DataContext = this
nope!

I see,
So setting up a two-way binding to a custom property in a user control can be tricky because a user control cannot bind to a CLR property. Not only that but setting the data context on a user control has an unexpected effect on the binding inside it.
You can solve these problems with a little slight of code. Basically back your CLR properties with dependency properties and set the data context on a child element instead of the root user control.
Take a look at this sample. Let's pretend you have the following MainPage. That MainPage will eventually use our custom user control. So let's set the stage.
Here's the code-behind:
public sealed partial class MainPage : Page
{
public MainPage()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
this.DataContext = new /* your view model */
{
Title = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(),
};
}
}
In the code above I am simulating a complex view model with a simple anonymous class. It would be silly for you to implement your own like this, but at the same time it is silly for me to build a simple sample with the complete scaffolding. I bring this up only so it does not confuse you - as it could look like I am suggesting this approach in prod.
Here's the XAML:
<Grid Background="{StaticResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
<local:MyUserControl Text="{Binding Title}" />
</Grid>
In the XAML above, there is absolutely nothing special. I already have reference to the user control in the local namespace and I simply declare it here.
Okay, now that we have a consumer of the control, it's worth pointing out that in testing developers can mistakenly think that their binding is working because they test with literal values. Literal values bind fine. It's binding from the underlying view model that hick-ups.
Let's say another thing, some developers tend to avoid dependency properties because the require a little more typing. People remember that [kbd]propdp[/kbd] is a handy Visual Studio snippet that stubs out a dependency property for you.
Take a look at this user control. It has two controls, a TextBox and a TextBlock which are there to demonstrate the OneWay and TwoWay functionality of this binding approach. We also implement INotifyPropertyChanged on the user control. For the most part, adding a view model in the case of a user control is overkill because the user control already acts like a view model. It's up to the developer, but it seems dumb to me.
Here's the code behind:
public sealed partial class MyUserControl : UserControl, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public MyUserControl()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
}
// text property
public string Text
{
get { return (string)GetValue(TextProperty); }
set { SetValueDp(TextProperty, value); }
}
public static readonly DependencyProperty TextProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("Text", typeof(string), typeof(MyUserControl), null);
// bindable
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
void SetValueDp(DependencyProperty property, object value,
[System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CallerMemberName] String propertyName = null)
{
SetValue(property, value);
if (PropertyChanged != null)
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
In the ode above, I have create a "Text" property and backed it with a dependency property. For a matter of reuse I have also implemented SetValueDp() which could be used again and again if I had more than a single property. Even though this demo has but one, I wanted to include this because the repetitive logic should certainly be abstracted out like this.
Here's the XAML:
<Grid Background="Black" DataContext="{Binding ElementName=userControl}">
<StackPanel>
<TextBox Text="{Binding Text, Mode=TwoWay}"
MinHeight="100" Padding="15" FontWeight="Light" FontSize="50" />
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Text}"
MinHeight="100" Padding="15" FontWeight="Light" FontSize="50" />
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
In the XAML above, I do nothing special insofar as binding. The syntax simply binds to the Text property using the Mode appropriate to the control. Just like you would do normally. However, what's worth noticing is that the DataContext is NOT set on the user control. Instead, it is set on the Grid. As a point of fact, any control in the tree other than the user control could be used like this. Just don't set the data context of the user control.
That is it by the way.
I have tested it to make sure it works. Demonstrating both one and two way binding is pretty handy here. I might even turn this into a blog in case other developers want to find it and don't discover this question. Thanks for your question!
Best of luck!

As the comments alluded to, your DataTemplate is placing the datacontext of the items to whatever object you are adding to your list. This is not the same as the surrounding user control's data context. If you want to reference that datacontext's commands, do the following in the DataTemplate's bindings:
{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type UserControl}}, Path=DataContext.NormalImage}
What this is saying is to go out and find the user control ancestor and use its datacontext and then look for the NormalImage property. If you run into problems, check your output window for binding errors. It is very helpful in finding binding problems.

Bind button in DataTemplate to command in the form's ViewModel

My problem is similar to the one described in this question:
WPF MVVM Button Control Binding in DataTemplate
Here is my XAML:
<Window x:Class="MissileSharp.Launcher.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="MissileSharp Launcher" Height="350" Width="525">
<Grid>
<!-- when I put the button here (outside the list), the binding works -->
<!--<Button Content="test" Command="{Binding Path=FireCommand}" />-->
<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding CommandSets}">
<ListBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<!-- I need the button here (inside the list), and here the binding does NOT work -->
<Button Content="{Binding}" Command="{Binding Path=FireCommand}" />
</DataTemplate>
</ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>
</Grid>
</Window>
It's just a ListBox, bound to an ObservableCollection<string> named CommandSets (which is in the ViewModel).
This binding works (it displays a button for each item in the collection).
Now I want to bind the button to a command (FireCommand), which is also in the ViewModel.
Here's the relevant part of the ViewModel:
public class MainWindowViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public ICommand FireCommand { get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<string> CommandSets { get; set; }
public MainWindowViewModel()
{
this.FireCommand = new RelayCommand(new Action<object>(this.FireMissile));
}
private void FireMissile(Object obj)
{
System.Windows.MessageBox.Show("fire");
}
}
The binding of this button does NOT work.
From what I've understood from the question I linked above, the binding doesn't work because:
(correct me if I'm wrong)
The button is inside the ListBox, so it only "knows" the binding of the ListBox (the ObservableCollection, in this case), but not the binding of the main window
I'm trying to bind to a command in the main ViewModel of the main window (which the button doesn't "know")
The command itself is definitely correct, because when I put the button outside the ListBox (see the XAML above for an example), the binding works and the command is executed.
Apparently, I "just" need to tell the button to bind to the main ViewModel of the form.
But I'm not able to figure out the right XAML syntax.
I tried several approaches that I found after some googling, but none of them worked for me:
<Button Content="{Binding}" Command="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Window}, Path=DataContext.FireCommand}" />
<Button Content="{Binding}" Command="{Binding Path=FireCommand, Source={StaticResource MainWindow}}" />
<Button Content="{Binding}" Command="{Binding Path=FireCommand, RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType={x:Type Window}}}" />
Could someone please:
give me the proper XAML to bind the button inside the ListBox to a command in the form's MainViewModel?
point me to a link where this advanced binding stuff is explained in a way that a WPF/MVVM beginner can understand?
I'm feeling like I'm just copying and pasting arcane XAML incantations, and so far I don't have any clue (and can't find any good documentation) how I would figure out by myself in which cases I'd need RelativeSource or StaticResource or whatever instead of a "normal" binding.

It's:
{Binding DataContext.FireCommand,
RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=ListBox}}
No need to walk up to the root unless you actually change the DataContext along the way, but as the ListBox seems to bind to a property on the main VM this should be enough.
The only thing i recommend reading is the Data Binding Overview, and the Binding class documentation (including its properties).
Also here is a short explanation on how bindings are constructed: A binding consists of a source and a Path relative to that source, by default the source is the current DataContext. Sources that can be set explicitly are: Source, ElementName & RelativeSource. Setting any of those will override the DataContext as source.
So if you use a source like RelativeSource and want to access something in the DataContext on that level the DataContext needs to appear in the Path.

This may be considered unrelated by most, but this search is only 1 of 3 results that you'll find searching for data binding commands to controls inside a data template--as it relates to Xamarin Forms. So, maybe it'll help someone now-a-days.
Like me you may wonder how to bind commands inside a BindableLayout. Credit jesulink2514 for answering this at Xamarin Forums, where it's probably overlooked by many because of all the comments. Here's his solution, but I'm including the link below:
<ContenPage x:Name="MainPage">
<ListView Grid.Row="1"
ItemsSource="{Binding Customers}"
VerticalOptions="Fill"
x:Name="ListviewCustomer">
<ListView.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<Label Text="{Binding Property}"/>
<Button Command="{Binding BindingContext.ItemCommand, Source={x:Reference MainPage}}"
CommandParameter="{Binding .}">Click me</Button>
</DataTemplate>
</ListView.ItemTemplate>
</ListView>
</ContentPage>
https://forums.xamarin.com/discussion/comment/217355/#Comment_217355

TwoWay Binding Not Updating Target - Metro App

I'm building a Metro App using VS 2012 and the Windows 8 SDK. In the app, I have this class (with a corresponding struct)
// Parameter data structure for tools
public struct ToolParameter
{
public string Title { get; set; }
public Object Value { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
}
// Tool that will be used to execute something on phone
public class Tool
{
public string Title{ get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<ToolParameter> Parameters { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
}
On a certain page in the app, I bind an instance of the class to the dataContext of the page
this.DataContext = currentTool;
On the page, I display various information about the app, including the parameters, which I want to make editable on the page. Because of this, I'm using a TextBox to display the parameters so that it can be edited, and binding it to the "Value" member of the ToolParameter struct.
<TextBox x:Name="ParameterValue" FontSize="15" Text="{Binding Value, Mode=TwoWay}" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
Unfortunately, when a TextBox is bound to a value, it doesn't update until it no longer has a focus, so I added a button that the user can click that will update the parameters (and change focus from the TextBox). Unfortunately, upon clicking of the button, though the focus changes, the values of the parameter in the currentTool variable is never changed. Is there something about data binding that I am missing? Might it be that the parent of the TextBox named ParameterValue (the parameters are all part of a ListView) has to be two way as well?

From what I can see, youre TextBox is binding to Value which is a property of the ToolParameter class. The DataContext for the page is of type Tool. Tool contains Parameters which is a collection of ToolParameter objects. So, the TextBox needs to be within an ItemsCollection that has the ItemsSource set to bind to the Parameters property.
Example:
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Title}"/>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Description}"/>
<!-- showing a ListBox, but can be any ItemsControl -->
<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Parameters}">
<ListBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBox Text="{Binding Value}"/>
</DataTemplate>
</ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>
</StackPanel>
Also make sure that your classes Tool and ToolParameter implement INotifyPropertyChanged and that the setter for your properties fire the PropertyChanged event
UPDATE: Adding info that was too large for a comment
This should help understand Source/Target in bindings. For your TextBox, the source of the binding is the Value property and the Target is the TextProperty of the TextBox. When the source updates, the Text will update within the TextBox. If you the TextProperty of the TextBox changes, then it will update the Value property of your object (provided mode is set to TwoWay). You're tool however will NOT update and neither will the Parameters property of the Tool class. If you wish to update the tool object when a property of a ToolParameter updates, then you will need to subscribe to the PropertyChanged event of each ToolParameter object that gets added to the Parameters collection.

Welcome to StackOverflow!
In the binding, you can specify the UpdateSourceTrigger to 'PropertyChanged':
<TextBox Text="{Binding Value, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" />
The default value, which you are experiencing, is 'LostFocus'.