Question

I have a WPF application which has a main window composed from several custom UserControls placed in AvalonDock containers.

I want some of the UserControls’ functionality to be accessible from a toolbar and menubar in the main window. I have a command defined as this in the control like this:

    public ICommand UnfoldAllCommand
    {
        get
        {
            if (this.unfoldAllCommand == null)
            {
                this.unfoldAllCommand = new RelayCommand(param => this.UnfoldAll());
            }

            return unfoldAllCommand; 
        }
    }

Now I have this UserControl defined in main window XAML under name “editor”

    <local:Editor x:Name="editor" />

This control is also made public via Edtor property of the main window (the window is its own DataContext).

    public Editor Editor { get { return this.editor; } }

The menubar is located in the main window XAML. This definition definition of one MenuItem which triggers the UserControl’s UnfoldAll command works perfectly.

    <MenuItem Header="Unfold All" Command="{Binding UnfoldAllCommand, ElementName=editor}" InputGestureText="Ctrl+U" />

However, this definition is arguably prettier, but it doesn’t work (the MenuItem is clickable, but won’t fire the UnfoldAll method):

    <MenuItem Header="Unfold All" Command="{Binding Editor.UnfoldAllCommand}" InputGestureText="Ctrl+U" />

Why?

Answer 1

The problem was that for {Binding Editor.Property} to work, Editor must be a Dependency Property as well (not only Property).