Question

In Silverlight, MVVM I have to create a property window, but I have just a
List<AProperty> object, where AProperty is an abstract class with some child classes.

I want to bind it to a Silverlight control (but to which one?), with some conditions:

1. some child-properties must be shown as a textbox, some as a checkbox, and some as a combobox. It comes from the dynamic type.
2. the AProperty class has a PropertyGroup and a Name field. The order must be alphabetic (PropertyGroup > Name)

Any idea or working example?

My code:

    public abstract class AProperty {
        private String _Name;
        private String _Caption;
        private String _PropertyGroup;

        public String Name {
            get { return _Name; }
            set { _Name = value; }
        }

        public String Caption {
            get { return _Caption; }
            set { _Caption = value; }
        }

        public String PropertyGroup {
            get { return _PropertyGroup; }
            set { _PropertyGroup = value; }
        }
    }
    List<AProperty> Properties;

And the xaml:

<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding ... Properties ...}">
  <!-- Here order the items -->
  <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
    <DataTemplate>
      <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
        <TextBlock Width="250"
                    Text="{Binding Path=Caption}" />

        <!-- And here need I a textbox, or a checkbox, or a combobox anyway -->
      </StackPanel>
    </DataTemplate>
  </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
</ListBox>

I’ve found value converters just for a control attribute, not for a whole stackpanel content.

Answer 1

Thanks Jesse and Andy, here is the solution

The converter:

public class PropertyConverter : IValueConverter {
        public object Convert( object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture ) {
            Binding ValueBinding = new Binding() {
                Source = value,
                Path = new PropertyPath( "Value" ),
                Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay
            };

            Binding EditableBinding = new Binding() {
                Source = value,
                Path = new PropertyPath( "Editable" ),
                Mode = BindingMode.TwoWay
            };

            if( value is PropertyString ) {
                TextBox tb = new TextBox();
                tb.SetBinding( TextBox.TextProperty, ValueBinding );
                tb.SetBinding( TextBox.IsEnabledProperty, EditableBinding );

                return tb;
            } else if( value is PropertyBoolean ) {
                CheckBox cb = new CheckBox();
                cb.SetBinding( CheckBox.IsCheckedProperty, ValueBinding );
                cb.SetBinding( CheckBox.IsEnabledProperty, EditableBinding );

                return cb;
            } ....

            return null;
        }

        public object ConvertBack( object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture ) {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }
    }

And the xaml code:

...
xmlns:Converters="clr-namespace:MyConverters"
...

<UserControl.Resources>
    <Converters:PropertyConverter x:Key="PropertyInput"/>
</UserControl.Resources>

...

<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=ItemProperties.GeneralProperties}">
            <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <Grid>
                        <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                            <ColumnDefinition Width="180" />
                            <ColumnDefinition Width="320" />
                        </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}" Grid.Column="0" />
                        <ContentPresenter Content="{Binding Converter={StaticResource PropertyInput}}" Grid.Column="1" />
                    </Grid>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
        </ListBox>

Two artikel:
http://shawnoster.com/blog/post/Dynamic-Icons-in-the-Silverlight-TreeView.aspx
http://www.silverlightshow.net/items/Silverlight-2-Getting-to-the-ListBoxItems-in-a-ListBox.aspx