Question

I have got a base XAML page which is the basis for a navigation layout, with buttons on the top opening various views in the middle. This is done using a navigation Frame and UriMapper.

I’ve placed a few controls (DatePickers to be exact) on the navigation panel, as they will be needed by the views to filter out data.

However, I don’t know how to apply any kind of data binding to the subsequent views, which are, after all, separate XAML files.

I need to be able to read the values from the DataPickers and, ideally, react to the values being changed by the user.

How should I go about doing this?

Answer 1

Here is what I would be inclined to do.

Create a CriteriaService class using this pattern:-

 public CriteriaService : INotifyPropertyChanged
 {
      private DateTime myStartDate;
      public DateTime StartDate
      {
           get { return myStartDate; }
           set { myStartDate = value; //Notify property changed }
      }

      // Other criteria properties here

      //INotifyPropertyChanged implemenation
 }

Now add an instance of this service to App.Xaml.cs:-

 <local:CriteriaService x:Key="CritreaService" />

In your main page your do something like this:-

<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" DataContext="{StaticResource CriteriaService}">

so that you can use simple bindings like SelectedDate="{Binding StartDate}" in your criteria controls.

Now in your various pages you have a choice. In code you can access the CriteriaService as:-

CriteriaService criteria = App.Resources["CriteriaServices"] as CriteriaService;

Or if you want to bind to values from it in your page xaml you can use something like:-

 <local:SomeStrangeControl StartDate="{Binding StartDate Source={StaticResource CriteriService}}" />