Impossible to override a value in an animation located in a style? - WPF Discussion Boards

Re: Problem Setting Focus

24-May-21 9:39

I have a simple login window with Company, User Name, and Password. There is a Remember Me checkbox, and if the user checks it, then I pre-fill in the Company and User Name the next time they run the app. In that case, I want to set focus to the Password field.

In the Window's XAML I have

FocusManager.FocusedElement="{Binding FocusedElementName}"

Then in the VM I set the FocusedElementName property to either "company" or "password."

The problem is that the focus is not being set. The code behind is working as expected.

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Richard Deeming24-May-21 21:56

Impossible to override a value in an animation located in a style?

24-May-21 21:56

The problem is that you're setting the Path of the binding. The FocusedElement property relies on the ElementName of the binding:

FocusManager.FocusedElement Attached Property (System.Windows.Input) | Microsoft Docs[^]:
XAML
FocusManager.FocusedElement="{Binding ElementName=firstButton}"

You can't bind the properties of a binding, so you can't do this:

XAML

{Binding ElementName={Binding ...}}

Short of using the code-behind for the view, the simplest option is probably to use a style with a series of data triggers, as shown in this SO answer[^]:

XAML

<Style>
    <Style.Triggers>
        <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding FocusedElement}" Value="First">
            <Setter Property="FocusManager.FocusedElement" Value="{Binding ElementName=txtbox1}"/>
        </DataTrigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style>

"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer

Mc_Topaz20-May-21 6:51

Mc_Topaz

20-May-21 6:51

I have a style FooStyle with some properties and an animation.
I have two other styles Bar1Style and Bar2Style which is based on the FooStyle and sets some properties. I would like to alter the the values in the animation for the Bar-styles.

In the animation I'm altering the buttons ScaleX and ScaleY values with the MouseIsOver trigger.
In the code bellow you notice the values FrameOneValue and FrameTwoValue.

XML

<Style TargetType="Button" x:Key="FooStyle">
    <Style.Resources>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameOneValue">1.0</system:Double>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameTwoValue">1.05</system:Double>
    </Style.Resources>
    <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="Bold" />
    <Setter Property="RenderTransformOrigin" Value="0.5 0.5" />
    <Setter Property="RenderTransform">
        <Setter.Value>
            <TransformGroup>
                <ScaleTransform/>
            </TransformGroup>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
    <Style.Triggers>
        <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
            <Trigger.EnterActions>
                <BeginStoryboard>
                    <Storyboard>
                        <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(TransformGroup.Children)[0].(ScaleTransform.ScaleX)">
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.1" Value="{DynamicResource FrameOneValue}"/>
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.2" Value="{DynamicResource FrameTwoValue}"/>
                        </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                        <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(TransformGroup.Children)[0].(ScaleTransform.ScaleY)">
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.1" Value="{DynamicResource FrameOneValue}"/>
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.2" Value="{DynamicResource FrameTwoValue}"/>
                        </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                    </Storyboard>
                </BeginStoryboard>
            </Trigger.EnterActions>
            <Trigger.ExitActions>
                <BeginStoryboard>
                    <Storyboard>
                        <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(TransformGroup.Children)[0].(ScaleTransform.ScaleX)">
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.1" Value="{DynamicResource FrameTwoValue}"/>
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.2" Value="{DynamicResource FrameOneValue}"/>
                        </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                        <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames 
                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(TransformGroup.Children)[0].(ScaleTransform.ScaleY)">
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.1" Value="{DynamicResource FrameTwoValue}"/>
                            <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0.2" Value="{DynamicResource FrameOneValue}"/>
                        </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                    </Storyboard>
                </BeginStoryboard>
            </Trigger.ExitActions>
        </Trigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style>

In the Bar1Style and Bar2Style styles I would like to alter the values for FrameOneValue and FrameTwoValue to suit these styles. As the XAML-code to setup for the animation is quite large I would like to have have the definition in the FooStyle.

The Bar1Style and Bar2Style might look like this:

XML

<Style TargetType="{x:Type Button}" x:Key="Bar1Style" BasedOn="{StaticResource FooStyle}">
    <Style.Resources>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameOneValue">2.0</system:Double>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameTwoValue">2.05</system:Double>
    </Style.Resources>
    <Setter Property="Background" Value="Blue" />
</Style>

XML

<Style TargetType="{x:Type Button}" x:Key="Bar2Style" BasedOn="{StaticResource FooStyle}">
    <Style.Resources>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameOneValue">3.0</system:Double>
        <system:Double x:Key="FrameTwoValue">3.05</system:Double>
    </Style.Resources>
    <Setter Property="Background" Value="Red" />
</Style>

I would then use this like:

XML

<Window x:Class="Main.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Main"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">

    <StackPanel Orientation="Vertical">
        <Button Content="btn1" Style="{DynamicResource FooStyle}" />
        <Button Content="btn2" Style="{DynamicResource Bar1Style}" />
        <Button Content="btn2" Style="{DynamicResource Bar2Style}" />
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

But this fails hard due to:

Cannot freeze this Storyboard timeline tree for use across threads

Which seems to be due to I have specified DynamicResource in the FooStyle.
Which means that I cannot specify values for an animation dynamically in the Bar1Style and Bar2Style styles Sigh | :sigh:

Is there some way to solve this?
It's very annoying to have an entire setup of the animation for each style. I just want to alter the values in the Bar-style.

Re: Impossible to override a value in an animation located in a style?

Gerry Schmitz20-May-21 8:08

Gerry Schmitz

20-May-21 8:08

I'd create a new button "user control" that accepts 2 storyboard values and be done with it.

Bind to public properties added to the UC.

Creating & using a UserControl - The complete WPF tutorial

It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food

modified 20-May-21 15:20pm.

App Security Behavior

Kevin Marois20-May-21 6:09

Override a value in base style's resource

20-May-21 6:09

I'm working on implementing security into my application. When a user logs in a User instance is returned, and on that is a List<string> property of right, which looks like this:

List _userRights = new List
{
    "can_add_employees",
    "can_edit_employees",
};

The tags in the list are stored in a table. If the tag is returned, then the user has access. If it's not returned, then the user does not have acccess. The Security piece is already done.

Now, I want to implement it in XAML. Richard Deeming gave me some direction on this a while back and I've built on his idea. I now have this Behavior class: (thanks Richard)

public static class SecurityBehavior
{
    private static readonly char[] TagSeparators = { '|' };

    #region Allow Enable
    public static readonly DependencyProperty AllowEnableProperty =
        DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("AllowEnable",
        typeof(bool),
        typeof(SecurityBehavior),
        new PropertyMetadata(false, OnSecurityChanged));

    public static bool GetAllowEnable(DependencyObject obj)
    {
        return (bool)obj.GetValue(AllowEnableProperty);
    }

    public static void SetAllowEnable(DependencyObject obj, bool value)
    {
        obj.SetValue(AllowEnableProperty, value);
    }
    #endregion

    #region Security Tags
    public static readonly DependencyProperty SecurityTagsProperty =
        DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("SecurityTags",
        typeof(string), typeof(SecurityBehavior),
        new PropertyMetadata("", OnSecurityChanged));

    public static string GetSecurityTags(DependencyObject obj)
    {
        return (string)obj.GetValue(SecurityTagsProperty);
    }

    public static void SetSecurityTags(DependencyObject obj, string value)
    {
        obj.SetValue(SecurityTagsProperty, value);
    }

    private static void OnSecurityChanged(DependencyObject sender, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        bool canEnable = GetAllowEnable(sender);
        if (canEnable)
        {
            string[] tags = GetSecurityTags(sender).Split(TagSeparators, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
            foreach (string tag in tags)
            {
                canEnable &= SecurityService.HasRights(tag);
            }
        }

        var element = (UIElement)sender;
        element.IsEnabled = canEnable;
    }
    #endregion
}

Notice that it calls a static SecurityService class:

public static class SecurityService
{
    private static List<string> _userRights;

    public static bool HasRights(string right)
    {
        return _userRights.Contains(right);
    }

    // This is here for this demo. In production this will be read
    // in from the security rights table
    static SecurityService()
    {
        _userRights = new List
        {
            "can_add_employees",
            "can_edit_employees",
        };
    }
}

I then use it like this in XAML:

<TextBox Grid.Row="0" 
         Grid.Column="1"
         Text="{Binding EmployeeName, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
         local:SecurityBehavior.AllowEnable="{Binding AreFieldsEnabled, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
         local:SecurityBehavior.SecurityTags="can_add_employees|can_edit_employees"/>

"AreFieldsEnabled" is a bool property on the base ViewModel that is set to true when the view is in either Add or Edit mode.

This works, there are a couple of issues I'm stuck on.

This approach requires that I have the tags listed in the XAML. I can then add or remove tags to any specific UI element as needed, but it requires going back into the XAML to do so. I was considering setting the element's Name and have the service look it up and determine if it can be enabled.
In some cases there are addition factors that determine if/when a UI element should be enabled, such as another checkbox beging checked, or a specific combox box item being selected somewhere else.

I'd like to hear suggestions.

Thanks

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Mc_Topaz20-May-21 2:45

Mc_Topaz

20-May-21 2:45

I have two style FooStyle and BarStyle.
I also have three TextBlocks and two of them use the styles above.

In the FooStyle I have specified a double (the Wid parameter) that is used to set the Width of the TextBlock (txt2) to 20.
In the BarStyle I would like to use the FooStyle but override the Wid parameter with the value 40 on the TextBlock (txt3).

But the txt3 TextBlock's Width don't get a longer Width. It still has the same Width as txt2.

Here is my code

XML

<Window x:Class="Main.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib">

    <Window.Resources>
        <Style x:Key="FooStyle" TargetType="TextBlock">
            <Style.Resources>
                <sys:Double x:Key="Wid">20</sys:Double>
            </Style.Resources>
            <Setter Property="Width" Value="{StaticResource Wid}" />
            <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="Bold" />
        </Style>
        <Style x:Key="BarStyle" TargetType="TextBlock" BasedOn="{StaticResource FooStyle}">
            <Style.Resources>
                <sys:Double x:Key="Wid">40</sys:Double>
            </Style.Resources>
        </Style>
    </Window.Resources>

    <StackPanel Orientation="Vertical">
        <TextBlock Text="txt1" Background="red" Width="100" />
        <TextBlock Text="txt2" Background="Lime" Style="{StaticResource FooStyle}" />
        <TextBlock Text="txt3" Background="Blue" Style="{StaticResource BarStyle}" />
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Is it possible to overwrite the Wid parameter in the BarStyle?

Re: Override a value in base style's resource

Richard Deeming20-May-21 4:33

Re: Override a value in base style's resource

20-May-21 4:33

You've assigned the width using a StaticResource. If you want it to change based on the resources of the "derived" style, use DynamicResource instead.

XAML

<Setter Property="Width" Value="{DynamicResource Wid}" />

You can then override the value with the resources of a "derived" style:

XAML

<Style x:Key="BarStyle" TargetType="TextBlock" BasedOn="{StaticResource FooStyle}">
    <Style.Resources>
        <sys:Double x:Key="Wid">40</sys:Double>
    </Style.Resources>
</Style>

Or directly on the control:

XAML

<TextBox Text="txt4" Background="Purple" Style="{StaticResource FooStyle}">
    <Style.Resources>
        <sys:Double x:Key="Wid">80</sys:Double>
    </Style.Resources>
</TextBox>

"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer

Mc_Topaz20-May-21 6:00

Mc_Topaz

20-May-21 6:00

Thank you!

I got it to work in my example application.
But in my real application fail hard. I'll make a new post about it.

Apply TextBlock Captions at Runtime

Kevin Marois14-May-21 9:34

14-May-21 9:34

I have a construction management app that is used to manage house framing. The client now want to use it to manage finish work, such as doors and cabinets, etc. The structure of the data is very similar - almost identical, and functionally the app would work the same with a few one-off views for each. My thought is that when the user logs in, they would now also pick which company they want to work in.

The question is this... There are going to be some TextBlocks that will need to be changed depending on what company the user is in. For example, the word "Project" might need to say "Task" depending on the company.

One idea I'm tossing around is to store these words in a resources file, something like:

<data name="a_project_caption" xml:space="preserve">
    <value>Project</value>
</data>

<data name="b_project_caption" xml:space="preserve">
    <value>Task</value>
</data>

Next, in the XAML I would have something like a behavior maybe?:

<TextBlock Tag="project_caption" beh:ResolveCaption/>

The behavior takes the value in the Tag and sets the textblock's text based on what it finds in the resource file, and throws if it can't resolve it.

I'm open to suggestions on this.

Thanks!

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

modified 14-May-21 16:58pm.

Peter_in_278014-May-21 13:36

Peter_in_2780

14-May-21 13:36

I know absolutely zilch about your environment, but your question reminds me of something else which should already have been solved by someone else.
I18N - Internationalisation.

Company 1 <=> English
Company 2 <=> French
...

Cheers,
Peter

Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012

Kevin Marois14-May-21 13:42

14-May-21 13:42

Not really. I've done internalization, and in that case you create a resource file for each language, then ship the resource file you need.

This has nothing to do with language. In this case, there is will only be one resource file, and the captions for the textblocks are ALL in it, and it's only the selection of the company that decides which gets used.

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Advanced TypeScript Programming Projects

Pete O'Hanlon14-May-21 23:51

Pete O'Hanlon

14-May-21 23:51

I'd store these values in something like a database and populate it accordingly.

Mycroft Holmes15-May-21 12:25

Mycroft Holmes

15-May-21 12:25

Whenever I needed to do this I always used the control name, not the tag - it is so useful for other things. The data was always stored in a table possibly with other customisation of each form. You know they are going to vary more than labels between entities.

For major variations I would create a new form and deal with it in the navigation.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity -
RAH
I'm old. I know stuff - JSOP

WPF TextBox Handle Data Pasted In

Gerry Schmitz16-May-21 11:17

Gerry Schmitz

16-May-21 11:17

In the Loaded event of the Label, I'd look up the current caption in the app's current "translation" dictionary, and substitute whatever words were found.

I've been transliterating that way: text with "old" words that get substituted with new words for given author. I sometimes hop twice and do a final IPA (pronunciation) translation.

It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.
― Confucian Analects: Rules of Confucius about his food

Kevin Marois14-Apr-21 8:29

Re: WPF TextBox Handle Data Pasted In

14-Apr-21 8:29

Here's an example of handling data beign pasted into a textbox:
Masking input to a WPF TextBox | Atomic Blography

In the XAML he wires up the Pasting hander like this:

<TextBox PreviewTextInput="PreviewTextInputHandler"
         DataObject.Pasting="PastingHandler" />

I would like to handle all of this in a TextBox override class. I can easily bring in the preview handler part, but how would you wire up the DataObject.Pasting="PastingHandler" from within the base class? His code is doing in the XAML where the TextBox is defined.

I want to encapsulate all of this in my TextBox class, but there's no override, and the DataObject.Pasting event is set to read only so you can't hook to the event.

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Richard Deeming14-Apr-21 22:50

Re: WPF TextBox Handle Data Pasted In

14-Apr-21 22:50

That's an attached event:
Attached Events Overview - WPF .NET Framework | Microsoft Docs[^]

You'd need to call the DataObject.AddPastingHandler method to add the handler:
DataObject.AddPastingHandler(DependencyObject, DataObjectPastingEventHandler) Method (System.Windows) | Microsoft Docs[^]

"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer

Kevin Marois15-Apr-21 5:49

15-Apr-21 5:49

That did it. Thanks!

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Format Percentage

Kevin Marois13-Apr-21 9:16

13-Apr-21 9:16

I have a nullable decimal TaxRate property on an entity. I want to format/style the textbox to enter a percentage. What I have so far doesn't work. If I start out by entering a decimal point, then it works fine.

If I start out by entering a digit, then I cannot enter a decimal.

<Style x:Key="percentageStyle" 
        TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}"
        BasedOn="{StaticResource textBoxStyle}">

<pre>
<Setter Property="Text" Value="{Binding SelectedStatesCountiesCities.TaxRate, StringFormat={}{0:N2}%}" />
<Style.Triggers>
    <Trigger Property="IsKeyboardFocused" Value="True">
        <Setter Property="Text" Value="{Binding SelectedStatesCountiesCities.TaxRate}" />
    </Trigger>
</Style.Triggers>

<TextBox Grid.Row="1"
            Grid.Column="2"
            Text="{Binding SelectedStatesCountiesCities.TaxRate, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
            Style="{StaticResource percentageStyle}"
            HorizontalAlignment="Left"
            IsEnabled="True"
            Width="100"/>

If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.

Re: Format Percentage

Richard Deeming13-Apr-21 22:36

13-Apr-21 22:36

The UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged option means that your source property is updated every time you press a key in the TextBox.

When you type a . character, one of two things will happen:

The box is currently empty. "." on its own cannot be parsed as a decimal, so the property will not be updated.
The box contains an integer:
- decimal.Parse("42.") returns 42.
- The property is updated to 42, triggering the PropertyChanged event.
- The binding on the box updates to reflect the new property value - the text is set to "42".

Depending on what you are trying to do, there may be ways around this - for example, manually updating the source value when the user presses Enter:
c# - Binding to a double with StringFormat on a TextBox - Stack Overflow[^]

"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer

Re: Format Percentage

Kevin Marois14-Apr-21 7:42