Question

I have problems implementing a custom DependencyObject:

I need a converter which sets or unsets a enum flag in a bound property. Therefore I created a IValueConverter derieved from FrameworkElement with two DependencyProperties: Flag (the flag which is set/unset by the converter) and Flags (the value/property to modify). The parent UserControl (Name = EnumerationEditor) provides the property to which the converter is bound.

A ListBox generates CheckBoxes and the converter instances which are used to modify the property via a DataTemplate. Each CheckBox/converter instance is used for one flag. I use the following XAML code:

<ListBox Name="Values" SelectionMode="Extended" BorderThickness="1" BorderBrush="Black" Padding="5">
    <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
        <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type system:Enum}">

            <DataTemplate.Resources>
                <Label x:Key="myTestResource" x:Shared="False"
                            Content="{Binding}"
                            ToolTip="{Binding Path=Value, ElementName=EnumerationEditor}"
                            Foreground="{Binding Path=Background, ElementName=EnumerationEditor}"
                            Background="{Binding Path=Foreground, ElementName=EnumerationEditor}"/>
                <converters:EnumerationConverter x:Key="EnumerationConverter" x:Shared="False"
                                                    Flag="{Binding}"
                                                    Flags="{Binding Path=Value, ElementName=EnumerationEditor}"/>
            </DataTemplate.Resources>

            <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                <CheckBox Content="{Binding}" IsChecked="{Binding Path=Value, ElementName=EnumerationEditor, Converter={StaticResource EnumerationConverter}}"/>
                <ContentPresenter Content="{StaticResource myTestResource}"/>
            </StackPanel>
        </DataTemplate>
    </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>

The strange thing: The Label works fine – but the converter does not. I get the error:

System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference ‘ElementName=EnumerationEditor’. BindingExpression:Path=Value; DataItem=null; target element is ‘EnumerationConverter’ (Name=”); target property is ‘Flags’ (type ‘Enum’)

I don’t understand why, the binding is basically the same…

Here is the code for the converter:

public class EnumerationConverter : FrameworkElement, IValueConverter
{

    #region IValueConverter

    public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
    {
        return false;
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture)
    {
        return Parity.Space;
    }

    #endregion

    #region public Enum Flag { get; set; }

    public Enum Flag
    {
        get { return (Enum)this.GetValue(EnumerationConverter.FlagProperty); }
        set { this.SetValue(EnumerationConverter.FlagProperty, value); }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Dependency property for Flag.
    /// </summary>
    public static readonly DependencyProperty FlagProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Flag", typeof(Enum), typeof(EnumerationConverter));

    #endregion

    #region public Enum Flags { get; set; }

    public Enum Flags
    {
        get { return (Enum)this.GetValue(EnumerationConverter.FlagsProperty); }
        set { this.SetValue(EnumerationConverter.FlagsProperty, value); }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Dependency property for Flags.
    /// </summary>
    public static readonly DependencyProperty FlagsProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Flags", typeof(Enum), typeof(EnumerationConverter));

    #endregion

}

Answer 1

Conclusion

I decided to solve the problem using two UserControls; FlagControl and EnumerationEditorControl.

The FlagControl has two dependency properties

• Flag (System.Enum): Determines which flag is set/cleared by the control
• Value(System.Enum): Bound to the propery/value in which the flag is set/cleared.

The EnumerationEditorControl has one dependency property:

• Value(System.Enum): The propery/value in which flags are set.

The EnumerationEditorControl uses a DataTemplate to instantiate FlagControls. The DataTemplate binds the FlagControl.Flag property to the DataContext and the FlagControl.Value property to the EnumerationEditorControl.Value property.

This way I don’t need a converter and logic is clearly separated.

Thanks for the suggestions, comments and replies!