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Unable to get values from pop up window in parent view model WPF MVVM application

I am trying to access property value of a child window's view model from the parent View Model.I am calling window from parent view model.I want to make changes in main window based on the operation in child view model. I couldn't get any value of child view model in parent view model.I am trying this in MVVM pattern.
Interface for dialog
public interface IWindowService
{
void OpenDialogWindow(DialogViewModel vm);
}
Parent view model
public class FunctionalViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private readonly IWindowService _windowService;
private string connectionString;
public string ConnectionString
{
get { return connectionString; }
set
{
connectionString = value;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("ConnectionString"));
}
}
public FunctionalViewModel(IWindowService windowService)
{
BuildConnectionCommand = new RelayCommand(new Action<object>(BuildConnectionString));
_windowService = windowService;
}
private void BuildConnectionString(object obj)
{
MessageBox.Show("will open a window");
_windowService.OpenDialogWindow(new DialogViewModel());
}
}
Child View Model
public class DialogViewModel : FunctionalViewModel,INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string textboxsaf;
public string Textboxsaf
{
get { return textboxsaf; }
set {
textboxsaf = value;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Textboxsaf"));
}
}
private ICommand connectionCommand;
public ICommand ConnectionCommand
{
get { return connectionCommand; }
set { connectionCommand = value; }
}
public DialogViewModel()
{
ConnectionCommand = new RelayCommand(new Action<object>(SetValue));
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public void SetValue(object test)
{
textboxsaf= "ValueFromPopUpWindo";
Application.Current.Windows[1].Close();
}
}
ChildWindow.xaml
<Grid>
<Label x:Name="label" Content="my popup window" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="73,68,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="132"/>
<TextBox x:Name="textBox" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="23" Margin="73,121,0,0"
TextWrapping="Wrap"
Text="{Binding Path=Textboxsaf,Mode=TwoWay}" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120"/>
<Button x:Name="button" Content="Button" HorizontalAlignment="Left"
Margin="109,177,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="75"
Command="{Binding Path=ConnectionCommand }"
/>
</Grid>
</Window>
MainWindow.xaml
<Grid>
<Button Name="btnConnectionString" Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="2" Content="Connection string" Height="40" Width="150"
Command="{Binding Path=BuildConnectionCommand}"
DataContext="{Binding tfs}"></Button>
</Grid>
Code behind file of main window
MainWindow.xaml.cs
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
DataContext = new MainViewModel()
{
rel = new ReleaseViewModel(),
tfs = new FunctionalViewModel(new WindowService()),
wnd = new DialogViewModel()
};
}
}
public class WindowService : IWindowService
{
public void OpenDialogWindow(DialogViewModel vm)
{
ConnectionWindow win = new ConnectionWindow();
win.DataContext = vm;
win.Show();
}
}
Question
I would like to access the value of the property Textboxsaf in the child view model(DialogViewModel) from parent view model(FunctionalViewModel) . Assign value of Textboxsaf to ConnectionString from the funcitonalviewModel . after closing window is good.

I wouldn't use PropertyChanged to retrieve the value of DialogViewModel.Textboxsaf as this proprty might change multiple times during the lifetime of the dialog.
I would make IWindowService.OpenDialogWindow return a custom DialogResult object or the original DialogViewModel probably converting the IWindowService.OpenDialogWindow to an asynchronous method.
Alternatively implement a IWindowService.DialogClosed event:
FunctionalViewModel.cs
public class FunctionalViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private readonly IWindowService _windowService;
private string connectionString;
public string ConnectionString
{
get { return connectionString; }
set
{
connectionString = value;
PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(nameof(this.ConnectionString)));
}
}
private void BuildConnectionString(object obj)
{
MessageBox.Show("will open a window");
_windowService.DialogClosed += OnDialogClosed;
_windowService.OpenDialogWindow(new DialogViewModel());
}
private void OnDialogClosed(object sender, DialogResultEventArgs e)
{
_windowService.DialogClosed -= OnDialogClosed;
ConnectionString = e.Result.Textboxsaf;
}
}
WindowService.cs
public class WindowService : IWindowService
{
public event EventHandler<DialogResultEventArgs> DialogClosed;
public void OpenDialogWindow(DialogViewModel vm)
{
ConnectionWindow win = new ConnectionWindow();
win.DataContext = vm;
win.Closed += OnConnectionWindowClosed;
win.Show();
}
protected virtual void OnConnectionWindowClosed(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var dialog = sender as FrameworkElement;
this.DialogClosed?.Invoke(this, new DialogResultEventArgs(dialog.DataContext as DialogViewModel));
}
}
DialogResultEventArgs.cs
public class DialogResultEventArgs : EventArgs
{
public DialogViewModel Result { get; }
public DialogResultEventArgs(DialogViewModel result) => this.Result = result;
}

You could keep a reference to the DialogViewModel and subscribe to its PropertyChanged event:
private void BuildConnectionString(object obj)
{
var childViewModel = new DialogViewModel();
childViewModel.PropertyChanged += OnChildPropertyChanged;
MessageBox.Show("will open a window");
_windowService.OpenDialogWindow(childViewModel);
}
private void OnChildPropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
if (e.PropertyName == nameof(DialogViewModel.Textboxsaf))
{
childViewModel.PropertyChanged -= OnChildPropertyChanged;
ConnectionString = (sender as DialogViewModel)?.DialogViewModel;
}
}

WPF, Property does not return value to the binding

So, I have a project with a scrolling text (marqee) that rotates over a string array. And I want it to change the string value after 20 seconds of each animation iteration.
There is a problem though, the property(ScrollingText) that uses the INotifyPropertyChanged interface to bind to a textblock(using XAML) does not return after the first iteration. Even though it refreshes normally(in the set part), it does not return on the Getter part.... except for the first set in the default ctor.
MAIN CLASS:
class GetScrollingText : CommonBase
{
private string _scrollingtext = String.Empty;
DoubleAnimation Animation;
public GetScrollingText()
{
ScrollingText = GetScrollString();
}
public string ScrollingText
{
get
{
return _scrollingtext;
}
set
{
if (value != _scrollingtext)
{
_scrollingtext = value;
RaisePropertyChanged("ScrollingText");
}
}
} // INJECTS the string in the animated textblock {binding}.
public TextBlock scrollBlock { get; set; }
string GetScrollString()
{
.........
return scrolltext;
}
public void LeftToRightMarqee(double from, double to)
{
Animation = new DoubleAnimation();
Animation.From = from;
Animation.To = to;
Animation.Duration = new Duration(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(20));
Animation.Completed += animation_Completed;
scrollBlock.BeginAnimation(Canvas.LeftProperty, Animation);
}
void animation_Completed(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
ScrollingText = GetScrollString();
scrollBlock.BeginAnimation(Canvas.LeftProperty, Animation);
}
}
For some reason the animation_Completed Event only changes the value ScrollingText, but it does not invoke the Getter part therefore there is not a return to the {binding}.
XAML:
<Window
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:AnnouncingSys"
x:Class="AnnouncingSys.MainWindow"
x:Name="Window"
Width="1280" Height="720" MinHeight="566" MinWidth="710">
<Window.Resources>
<vm:GetScrollingText x:Key="ScrollingText"/>
</Window.Resources>
<Canvas x:Name="MainCanvas" ClipToBounds="True" Margin="0,0,0,0" Grid.Row="5" Background="Black" Grid.ColumnSpan="5" >
<TextBlock x:Name="ScrollBlock" TextWrapping="Wrap" VerticalAlignment="Top" Height="113" Width="5147" Canvas.Left="-1922" Text="{Binding ScrollingText, Source={StaticResource ScrollingText}}"/>
</Canvas>
</Window>
CODE BEHIND:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
GetScrollingText scrolling = new GetScrollingText();
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
scrolling.scrollBlock = this.ScrollBlock;
scrolling.LeftToRightMarqee(2000, -3000);
}
}
And finally the helper class CommonBase:
public class CommonBase : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
protected CommonBase()
{
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected void RaisePropertyChanged(string PropertyName)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = this.PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
PropertyChangedEventArgs e = new PropertyChangedEventArgs(PropertyName);
handler(this, e);
}
}
}
I have even put a breakpoint on the return block of the Getter but it only activates on the first: "ScrollingText = GetScrollString()". I mean, shouldn't it return each time the value is changed???

You are using two different instances of your GetScrollingText class, one in XAML as StaticResource, the other in code behind as the scrolling field in class MainWindow.
Instead of creating a StaticResource in XAML, you could just set the DataContext property of your MainWindow:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
GetScrollingText scrolling = new GetScrollingText();
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
scrolling.scrollBlock = this.ScrollBlock;
scrolling.LeftToRightMarqee(2000, -3000);
DataContext = scrolling; // here
}
}
Now you would not explicitly set the binding's Source property, because the DataContext is used as default binding source:
<TextBlock ... Text="{Binding ScrollingText}"/>

Trying to understand how i can bind a WPF DP in a different class

I am trying WPF to develop a tiny scoreboard.
In this project i have 3 XAML files.
ControlDisplay.xaml : Here is where i set the points for team 1 and team 2 in the scoreboard. Right now i only have 1 textbox for the scoreboard title.
Layout1.xaml : First layout, contains only a title for now.
Layout2.xaml : Second layout, same as above, only contains a title.
My idea is as following. I update one singleton class that has one property Title. Both Layout1 and Layout2's label for the title will bind to this singleton class property Title.
I created the basic structure for it.
ControlDisplay.xaml:
public partial class ControlDisplay : Window
{
private IScoreboardData _scoreboardData;
private Layout1 _layout1;
private Layout2 _layout2;
public ControlDisplay()
{
InitializeComponent();
_scoreboardData = SimpleInjectorContainer.Container.GetInstance<IScoreboardData>();
}
private void ShowLayout1(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
_scoreboardData.Title = "Test";
_layout1 = new Layout1();
_layout1.Show();
}
private void ShowLayout2(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
_scoreboardData.Title = "Test";
_layout2 = new Layout2();
_layout2.Show();
}
}
Layout1.xaml.cs (layout2 is a copy of layout1 codewise, just a different class name)
public partial class Layout1 : Window
{
private IScoreboardData _scoreboardData;
public Layout1()
{
_scoreboardData = SimpleInjectorContainer.Container.GetInstance<IScoreboardData>();
InitializeComponent();
}
}
Layout1.xaml
<Window x:Class="SmallScoreboard.Layout1" .... x:Name="LayoutOne">
<StackPanel>
<Label DataContext="{Binding ElementName=LayoutOne}" Content="{Binding _scoreboardData.Title}" />
</StackPanel>
</Window>
ScoreboardData.cs
public ScoreboardData : IScoreboardData
{
public string Title { get; set; }
}
This obviously does not work since i don't register a dependency property anywhere? How can i register a dependency property inside the ScoreboardData class? or is there a better way to solve this?
I want to be able to add more layouts in the future and i hope that i don't have to add the base binding logic to each and everyone of those layout(x).xaml.cs files.
Update
This is my Layout1.xaml file right now:
<Window x:Class="Simple_Scoreboard.Layout1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="Layout" Height="500" Width="800"
ScrollViewer.VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Hidden" ScrollViewer.HorizontalScrollBarVisibility="Hidden"
WindowStyle="None"
AllowsTransparency="True"
ResizeMode="CanResizeWithGrip"
x:Name="LayoutOne" MouseLeftButtonDown="DWindow_MouseLeftButtonDown">
<StackPanel>
<Label Content="{Binding Path=Title, Mode=OneTime}" FontSize="30" HorizontalAlignment="Center" HorizontalContentAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" VerticalContentAlignment="Center" Margin="0,10,0,0" FontWeight="Bold"></Label>
<Button Content="Button" Click="Button_Click_1"/>
</StackPanel>
</Window>
and the Layout1.xaml.cs
public partial class Layout1 : Window
{
public IScoreboardData _scoreboardData;
public Layout1()
{
InitializeComponent();
_scoreboardData = ScoreboardContainer.Container.GetInstance<IScoreboardData>();
DataContext = _scoreboardData;
}
private void DWindow_MouseLeftButtonDown(object sender, MouseButtonEventArgs e)
{
DragMove();
}
private void Button_Click_1(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
_scoreboardData.Title = "Click change title";
}
}
and finally the ScoreboardData class:
class ScoreboardData : IScoreboardData, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string _title;
public string Title
{
get { return _title; }
set
{
_title = value;
if (PropertyChanged != null)
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Title"));
}
}
#region INotifyPropertyChanged
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
#endregion
}

I think your problem is in binding to a private field _scoreboardData;
you should make it a public property. But much better solution would be to bind to a window DataContext.
in the window constructor
public Layout1()
{
_scoreboardData = SimpleInjectorContainer.Container.GetInstance<IScoreboardData>();
InitializeComponent();
DataContext = _scoreboardData;
}
In the XAML
<Window x:Class="SmallScoreboard.Layout1" .... x:Name="LayoutOne">
<StackPanel>
<Label Text="{Binding Title}" />
</StackPanel>
</Window>
This way you have your scoreBoardData as Window DataContext and all bindings without explicitly specified source will bind to that object.
UPDATE:
ScoreboardData should implement INotifyPropertyChanged..
public class ScoreboardData :IScoreboardData, System.ComponentModel.INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private string _title;
public string Title
{
get { return _title; }
set
{
_title = value;
if(PropertyChanged!=null)
PropertyChanged(this,new PropertyChangedEventArgs("Title"));
}
}
}

EASY way to refresh ListBox in WPF?

I have created a simple form that inserts/updates/deletes a values for Northwind Customers.
Everything works fine, except in order to see a results, I have to close it, and reopen again.
My form looks like this :
I've searched tens of articles on how to refresh ListBox, but all of those use interface implementing, or using DataSets, and stuff I have never heard of and cannot implement. It's a very simple project, using simple procedures. Is there an easy way to refresh the list of customers without adding many lines of code?

The simple answer is: myListBox.Items.Refresh();

Are you using ObservableCollection and does your model implement INotifyPropertyChanged these two things will automaticly update the ListBox on any change. no need to explicitly refresh the list.
Here is a small example of using ObservableCollection and INotifyPropertyChanged, obviously you will populate your ObservableCollection from your SQL database.
Window:
public partial class MainWindow : Window, INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private ObservableCollection<MyModel> _list = new ObservableCollection<MyModel>();
private MyModel _selectedModel;
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
List.Add(new MyModel { Name = "James", CompanyName = "StackOverflow"});
List.Add(new MyModel { Name = "Adam", CompanyName = "StackOverflow" });
List.Add(new MyModel { Name = "Chris", CompanyName = "StackOverflow" });
List.Add(new MyModel { Name = "Steve", CompanyName = "StackOverflow" });
List.Add(new MyModel { Name = "Brent", CompanyName = "StackOverflow" });
}
public ObservableCollection<MyModel> List
{
get { return _list; }
set { _list = value; }
}
public MyModel SelectedModel
{
get { return _selectedModel; }
set { _selectedModel = value; NotifyPropertyChanged("SelectedModel"); }
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void NotifyPropertyChanged(string property)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null)
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(property));
}
}
}
Xaml
<Window x:Class="WpfApplication11.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525" Name="UI">
<Grid>
<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding ElementName=UI, Path=List}" SelectedItem="{Binding ElementName=UI, Path=SelectedModel}" Margin="0,0,200,0" DisplayMemberPath="DisplayMember" SelectedIndex="0" />
<StackPanel HorizontalAlignment="Left" Height="100" Margin="322,10,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="185">
<TextBlock Text="Name" />
<TextBox Height="23" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding ElementName=UI, Path=SelectedModel.Name, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" />
<TextBlock Text="Company Name" />
<TextBox Height="23" TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding ElementName=UI, Path=SelectedModel.CompanyName, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" />
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</Window>
Model
public class MyModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string _name;
private string _companyName;
public string Name
{
get { return _name; }
set { _name = value; NotifyPropertyChanged("Name"); }
}
public string CompanyName
{
get { return _companyName; }
set { _companyName = value; NotifyPropertyChanged("CompanyName"); }
}
public string DisplayMember
{
get { return string.Format("{0} ({1})", Name, CompanyName); }
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
private void NotifyPropertyChanged(string property)
{
if (PropertyChanged != null)
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(property));
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("DisplayMember"));
}
}
}
In this case any edit to properties will Update your list instantly, also will update when new Items are added/removed.

How about calling ListBox.UpdateLayout?
Of course you also need to update the particular item(s) so that it returns the updated string from the ToString method.
UPDATE: I think you also need to call ListBox.InvalidateArrange before you call ListBox.UpdateLayout.

Use INotifyPropertyChanged is the best way, refresh the entire list is not a good idea.
Main entrance:
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
private BindingList<FoodModel> foodList = new BindingList<FoodModel>();
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void Button1_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
foodList.Add(new FoodModel { foodName = "apple1" });
foodList.Add(new FoodModel { foodName = "apple2" });
foodList.Add(new FoodModel { foodName = "apple3" });
FoodListBox.ItemsSource = foodList;
}
private void Button2_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
foodList[0].foodName = "orange";
}
private void RefreshButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
FoodListBox.Items.Refresh();
}
}
Model:
public class FoodModel: INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private string _foodName;
public string foodName
{
get { return _foodName; }
set
{
if (_foodName != value)
{
_foodName = value;
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs("foodName"));
}
}
}
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged = delegate { };
}
XAML:
<ListBox HorizontalAlignment="Center" Name="FoodListBox" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="194" Height="150">
<ListBox.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
<TextBlock Text="{Binding foodName}" />
</StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
</ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>

Data binding a nested property to a listbox

I cannot get any display from my observable collection in a custom object bound to a ListBox. This works fine when I have a string collection in my view model, but no names display when I try to access the property through a custom object. I am not receiving any errors in the output window.
Here is my code:
Custom Object
public class TestObject
{
public ObservableCollection<string> List { get; set; }
public static TestObject GetList()
{
string[] list = new string[] { "Bob", "Bill" };
return new TestObject
{
List = new ObservableCollection<string>(list)
};
}
}
Xaml
<Window x:Class="TestWPF.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
<Grid>
<ListBox Height="100" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="120,61,0,0" Name="listBox1" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=TObj.List}" />
</Grid>
Xaml.cs
public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
private ModelMainWindow model;
public MainWindow()
{
InitializeComponent();
model = new ModelMainWindow();
this.DataContext = model;
this.Loaded += new RoutedEventHandler(MainWindow_Loaded);
}
public void MainWindow_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
this.model.Refresh();
}
}
ViewModel
public class ModelMainWindow : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private TestObject tObj;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public TestObject TObj
{
get
{
return this.tObj;
}
set
{
this.tObj = value;
this.Notify("Names");
}
}
public void Notify(string name)
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null)
{
handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(name));
}
}
public void Refresh()
{
this.TObj = TestObject.GetList();
}
}

Can't bind to private properties. Also the change notification targets the wrong property, change "Names" to "TObj". (Also i would recommend making the List property get-only (backed by a readonly field), or implementing INoptifyPropertyChanged so the changes cannot get lost)

Your List is private. Make it a public property otherwise WPF can't see it.