How to Extend TextBox's Text Property to Show Binding Value in the Properties Window without XAML Updates?

Coala 0 Reputation points
2024-10-13T18:36:02.52+00:00

I am working with WPF and trying to extend the functionality of a Text property in the Properties in the design mode in the TextBox, but I’m running into limitations with the Text property.

Here’s what I want to achieve:

  1. In WPF, when Text has Binding, the Text field in the Properties is empty. To see Binding value from Properties window, you have to click on the empty field, then context menu list is displayed, from where you can select some element on menu like 'Custom expression'. I want to create a custom TextBox where the Text property still has a Binding, but with the possibility to update Binding value in the Text field in Properties without clicking on Text and selecting on menu eg. 'Custom expression' etc. OR
  2. I want to add a new property named Path, which is displayed in the Properties window, but when the text is changed it won't be added to xaml. It would be linked with the Text property. So there would be displayed Binding value from Text property. This would allow the user to set a custom Binding directly through the Path property without invoking additional dialogs or popups that appear when clicking on the Text property in the Property Window. Path property would not directly reflected in the XAML.

How can I achieve this kind of behavior in WPF?

I have currently implemented a dialog window (PropertyEditorWindow) that opens as a popup when triggered by a specific event on a TextBox. However, I would like to eg. integrate this window into the Properties window, instead of having it as a separate popup.

I aim to get Text value from Binding, while ensuring that any changes to this property are not directly reflected in the XAML interface in design mode. Is it possible to achieve this in WPF? <local:MineTextBox MineText="Binding Get.Test" /> would show in Properties window:

MineText |Binding|

Path |Get.Test|

public class MineTextBox : TextBox
{
    public static readonly DependencyProperty MineTextProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register("MineText", typeof(string), typeof(MineTextBox), 
            new PropertyMetadata(string.Empty));

    public string MineText
    {
        get { return (string)GetValue(MineTextProperty); }
        set { SetValue(MineTextProperty, value); }
    }

    static MineTextBox()
    {
        DefaultStyleKeyProperty.OverrideMetadata(typeof(MineTextBox), new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(typeof(MineTextBox)));
    }


    private void OpenEditor(string newText)
    {
        var editorWindow = new PropertyEditorWindow(newText);
        if (editorWindow.ShowDialog() == true)
        {
            MineText = editorWindow.MineText;
        }
    }
}


<Window x:Class="Mine.PropertyEditorWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="Property Editor" Height="300" Width="400">
    <StackPanel>
        <TextBlock Text="Editor"/>
        <TextBox x:Name="mineTextBox" />
        <Button Content="Save" Click="SaveButton_Click" Margin="10"/>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>
XAML
XAML
A language based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) that enables developers to specify a hierarchy of objects with a set of properties and logic.
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