IValueConverter Interface

Reference

Definition

Namespace:: Windows.UI.Xaml.Data

Important

Some information relates to prerelease product that may be substantially modified before it’s released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.

Edit

Exposes methods that allow the data to be modified as it passes through the binding engine.

public interface class IValueConverter

/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Guid(3874684656, 1810, 18559, 179, 19, 243, 0, 184, 215, 154, 161)]
struct IValueConverter

[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Guid(3874684656, 1810, 18559, 179, 19, 243, 0, 184, 215, 154, 161)]
public interface IValueConverter

Public Interface IValueConverter

Derived: Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives.JumpListItemBackgroundConverter

Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives.JumpListItemForegroundConverter

Attributes: ContractVersionAttribute GuidAttribute

Windows requirements

Device family	Windows 10 (introduced in 10.0.10240.0)
API contract	Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract (introduced in v1.0)

Examples

The following example shows how to implement the IValueConverter interface and use the converter when data binding to a collection of objects.

Note

If you're using C++/WinRT (or C++/CX), then see Formatting or converting data values for display for more code examples of authoring your own value converter. That topic also discusses how you could use the ConverterParameter attribute with C++ string-formatting functions.

<UserControl x:Class="ConverterParameterEx.Page"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" 
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" 
    xmlns:local="using:ConverterParameterEx" 
    Width="400" Height="300">
    <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" >
        <Grid.Resources>
           <local:DateFormatter x:Key="FormatConverter" />
        </Grid.Resources>
        
        <ComboBox Height="60" Width="250" x:Name="MusicCombo" 
            ItemsSource="{Binding}">
            <ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <StackPanel>
                        <TextBlock FontWeight="Bold" Text="{Binding Path=Name, Mode=OneWay}" />
                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Artist, Mode=OneWay}" />
                        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=ReleaseDate, Mode=OneWay,
                            Converter={StaticResource FormatConverter}, 
                            ConverterParameter=\{0:d\}}" />
                   </StackPanel>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ComboBox.ItemTemplate>
        </ComboBox>
    </Grid>
</UserControl>

using System;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.Globalization;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;

namespace ConverterParameterEx
{
    public partial class Page : UserControl
    {

        public ObservableCollection<Recording> MyMusic =
            new ObservableCollection<Recording>();
        public Page()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            // Add items to the collection.
            MyMusic.Add(new Recording("Chris Sells", "Chris Sells Live",
                new DateTime(2008, 2, 5)));
            MyMusic.Add(new Recording("Luka Abrus",
                "The Road to Redmond", new DateTime(2007, 4, 3)));
            MyMusic.Add(new Recording("Jim Hance",
                "The Best of Jim Hance", new DateTime(2007, 2, 6)));

            // Set the data context for the combo box.
            MusicCombo.DataContext = MyMusic;
        }
    }

    // Simple business object.
    public class Recording
    {
        public Recording() { }
        public Recording(string artistName, string cdName, DateTime release)
        {
            Artist = artistName;
            Name = cdName;
            ReleaseDate = release;
        }
        public string Artist { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public DateTime ReleaseDate { get; set; }
    }

    public class DateFormatter : IValueConverter
    {
        // This converts the DateTime object to the string to display.
        public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, 
            object parameter, string language)
        {
            // Retrieve the format string and use it to format the value.
            string formatString = parameter as string;
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(formatString))
            {
                return string.Format(
                    new CultureInfo(language), formatString, value);
            }
            // If the format string is null or empty, simply call ToString()
            // on the value.
            return value.ToString();
        }

        // No need to implement converting back on a one-way binding 
        public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, 
            object parameter, string language)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }
    }
}

// pch.h
#include <winrt/Windows.Globalization.h>

// MainPage.idl
namespace ConverterParameterEx
{
    [default_interface]
    runtimeclass MainPage : Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Page
    {
        MainPage();
    }
}

<!-- MainPage.xaml -->
<Page
    x:Class="ConverterParameterEx.MainPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:ConverterParameterEx"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d"
    Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">

    <local:Page/>
</Page>

// MainPage.h
#pragma once

#include "MainPage.g.h"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    struct MainPage : MainPageT<MainPage>
    {
        MainPage();
    };
}

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::factory_implementation
{
    struct MainPage : MainPageT<MainPage, implementation::MainPage>
    {
    };
}

// MainPage.cpp
#include "pch.h"
#include "MainPage.h"
#include "MainPage.g.cpp"

using namespace winrt;
using namespace Windows::UI::Xaml;

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    MainPage::MainPage()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }
}

// Page.idl
namespace ConverterParameterEx
{
    [default_interface]
    runtimeclass Page : Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.UserControl
    {
        Page();
        Windows.Foundation.Collections.IVector<IInspectable> MyMusic{ get; };
    }
}

<!-- Page.xaml -->
<!-- see listing above -->

// Page.h
#pragma once

#include "winrt/Windows.UI.Xaml.h"
#include "winrt/Windows.UI.Xaml.Markup.h"
#include "winrt/Windows.UI.Xaml.Interop.h"
#include "winrt/Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives.h"
#include "Page.g.h"
#include "DateFormatter.h"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    struct Page : PageT<Page>
    {
        Page();
        Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<Windows::Foundation::IInspectable> MyMusic();

    private:
        Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<Windows::Foundation::IInspectable> m_myMusic;
    };
}

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::factory_implementation
{
    struct Page : PageT<Page, implementation::Page>
    {
    };
}

// Page.cpp
#include "pch.h"
#include "Page.h"
#if __has_include("Page.g.cpp")
#include "Page.g.cpp"
#endif
#include "Recording.h"

using namespace winrt;
using namespace Windows::UI::Xaml;

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    Page::Page()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        std::vector<Windows::Foundation::IInspectable> recordings;

        Windows::Globalization::Calendar releaseDateTime;
        releaseDateTime.Month(7); releaseDateTime.Day(8); releaseDateTime.Year(1748);
        recordings.push_back(winrt::make<Recording>(L"Johann Sebastian Bach", L"Mass in B minor", releaseDateTime));

        releaseDateTime = Windows::Globalization::Calendar{};
        releaseDateTime.Month(11); releaseDateTime.Day(2); releaseDateTime.Year(1805);
        recordings.push_back(winrt::make<Recording>(L"Ludwig van Beethoven", L"Third Symphony", releaseDateTime));

        releaseDateTime = Windows::Globalization::Calendar{};
        releaseDateTime.Month(3); releaseDateTime.Day(12); releaseDateTime.Year(1737);
        recordings.push_back(winrt::make<Recording>(L"George Frideric Handel", L"Serse", releaseDateTime));

        m_myMusic = winrt::single_threaded_observable_vector<Windows::Foundation::IInspectable>(std::move(recordings));

        MusicCombo().DataContext(m_myMusic);
    }

    Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<Windows::Foundation::IInspectable> Page::MyMusic() { return m_myMusic; }
}

// Recording.idl
namespace ConverterParameterEx
{
    [bindable]
    runtimeclass Recording
    {
        Recording(String artist, String name, Windows.Globalization.Calendar releaseDate);
        String Artist{ get; };
        String Name{ get; };
        Windows.Globalization.Calendar ReleaseDate{ get; };
    }
}

// Recording.h
#pragma once
#include "Recording.g.h"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    struct Recording : RecordingT<Recording>
    {
        Recording() = default;

        Recording(hstring const& artist, hstring const& name, winrt::Windows::Globalization::Calendar const& releaseDate);
        hstring Artist();
        hstring Name();
        winrt::Windows::Globalization::Calendar ReleaseDate();

    private:
        std::wstring m_artist;
        std::wstring m_name;
        Windows::Globalization::Calendar m_releaseDate;
    };
}
namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::factory_implementation
{
    struct Recording : RecordingT<Recording, implementation::Recording>
    {
    };
}

// Recording.cpp
#include "pch.h"
#include "Recording.h"
#include "Recording.g.cpp"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    Recording::Recording(hstring const& artist, hstring const& name, Windows::Globalization::Calendar const& releaseDate) :
        m_artist{ artist.c_str() },
        m_name{ name.c_str() },
        m_releaseDate{ releaseDate } {}

    hstring Recording::Artist() { return hstring{ m_artist }; }
    hstring Recording::Name() { return hstring{ m_name }; }
    Windows::Globalization::Calendar Recording::ReleaseDate() { return m_releaseDate; }
}

// DateFormatter.idl
namespace ConverterParameterEx
{
    runtimeclass DateFormatter : [default] Windows.UI.Xaml.Data.IValueConverter
    {
        DateFormatter();
    }
}

// DateFormatter.h
#pragma once
#include "DateFormatter.g.h"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    struct DateFormatter : DateFormatterT<DateFormatter>
    {
        DateFormatter() = default;

        winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable Convert(winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& value, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName const& targetType, winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& parameter, hstring const& language);
        winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable ConvertBack(winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& value, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName const& targetType, winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& parameter, hstring const& language);
    };
}
namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::factory_implementation
{
    struct DateFormatter : DateFormatterT<DateFormatter, implementation::DateFormatter>
    {
    };
}

// DateFormatter.cpp
#include "pch.h"
#include "DateFormatter.h"
#include "DateFormatter.g.cpp"

namespace winrt::ConverterParameterEx::implementation
{
    winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable DateFormatter::Convert(winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& value, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName const& targetType, winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& parameter, hstring const& language)
    {
        // Retrieve the value as a Calendar.
        Windows::Globalization::Calendar valueAsCalendar{ value.as<Windows::Globalization::Calendar>() };

        std::wstringstream wstringstream;
        wstringstream << valueAsCalendar.MonthAsNumericString().c_str();
        wstringstream << L"/" << valueAsCalendar.DayAsString().c_str();
        wstringstream << L"/" << valueAsCalendar.YearAsString().c_str();
        return winrt::box_value(hstring{ wstringstream.str().c_str() });
    }
    winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable DateFormatter::ConvertBack(winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& value, winrt::Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName const& targetType, winrt::Windows::Foundation::IInspectable const& parameter, hstring const& language)
    {
        throw hresult_not_implemented();
    }
}

//
// MainPage.xaml.h
// Declaration of the MainPage class.
// 

#pragma once

#include "MainPage.g.h"

namespace IValueConverterExample
{

    // Simple business object.
    [Windows::UI::Xaml::Data::Bindable]
    public ref class Recording sealed 
    {
    public: 
        Recording (Platform::String^ artistName, Platform::String^ cdName, Windows::Foundation::DateTime release)
        {
            Artist = artistName;
            Name = cdName;
            ReleaseDate = release;
        }
        property Platform::String^ Artist;
        property Platform::String^ Name;
        property Windows::Foundation::DateTime ReleaseDate;
    };

    public ref class DateFormatter  sealed : Windows::UI::Xaml::Data::IValueConverter 
    {
        // This converts the DateTime object to the Platform::String^ to display.
    public:
        virtual Platform::Object^ Convert(Platform::Object^ value, Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName targetType, 
            Platform::Object^ parameter, Platform::String^ language)
        {
            Windows::Foundation::DateTime dt = safe_cast<Windows::Foundation::DateTime>(value); 
            Windows::Globalization::DateTimeFormatting::DateTimeFormatter^ dtf =
                Windows::Globalization::DateTimeFormatting::DateTimeFormatter::ShortDate;
            return dtf->Format(dt); 
        }

        // No need to implement converting back on a one-way binding 
        virtual Platform::Object^ ConvertBack(Platform::Object^ value, Windows::UI::Xaml::Interop::TypeName targetType, 
            Platform::Object^ parameter, Platform::String^ language)
        {
            throw ref new Platform::NotImplementedException();
        }
    };

    /// <summary>
    /// An empty page that can be used on its own or navigated to within a Frame.
    /// </summary>
    public ref class MainPage sealed
    {
    public:
        MainPage()
        {	
            m_myMusic = ref new Platform::Collections::Vector<Recording^>();

            // Add items to the collection.

            // You can use a Calendar object to create a Windows::Foundation::DateTime
            auto c = ref new Windows::Globalization::Calendar();
            c->Year = 2008;
            c->Month = 2;
            c->Day = 5;
            m_myMusic->Append(ref new Recording("Chris Sells", "Chris Sells Live",
                c->GetDateTime()));

            c->Year = 2007;
            c->Month = 4;
            c->Day = 3;
            m_myMusic->Append(ref new Recording("Luka Abrus",
                "The Road to Redmond", c->GetDateTime()));
            
            c->Year = 2007;
            c->Month = 2;
            c->Day = 3;
            m_myMusic->Append(ref new Recording("Jim Hance",
                "The Best of Jim Hance", dt));
            InitializeComponent();

            // Set the data context for the combo box.
            MusicCombo->DataContext = m_myMusic;	
        }


    protected:
        virtual void OnNavigatedTo(Windows::UI::Xaml::Navigation::NavigationEventArgs^ e) override;

    private:
        Windows::Foundation::Collections::IVector<Recording^>^ m_myMusic;
    };
}

Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel
Imports System.Windows.Data
Imports System.Globalization

Partial Public Class Page
    Inherits UserControl

    Public MyMusic As New ObservableCollection(Of Recording)()
    Public Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()

        ' Add items to the collection.
        MyMusic.Add(New Recording("Sheryl Crow", "Detours", New DateTime(2008, 2, 5)))
        MyMusic.Add(New Recording("Brandi Carlisle", "The Story", New DateTime(2007, 4, 3)))
        MyMusic.Add(New Recording("Patty Griffin", "Children Running Through", New DateTime(2007, 2, 6)))

        ' Set the data context for the combo box.
        MusicCombo.DataContext = MyMusic
    End Sub
End Class

' Simple business object. 
Public Class Recording
    Public Sub New()
    End Sub
    Public Sub New(ByVal artistName As String, ByVal cdName As String, _
       ByVal release As DateTime)
        Artist = artistName
        Name = cdName
        ReleaseDate = release
    End Sub
    Private artistValue As String
    Private nameValue As String
    Private releaseDateValue As DateTime
    Public Property Artist() As String
        Get
            Return artistValue
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            artistValue = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Public Property Name() As String
        Get
            Return nameValue
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            nameValue = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Public Property ReleaseDate() As DateTime
        Get
            Return releaseDateValue
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As DateTime)
            releaseDateValue = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Public Class DateFormatter
    Implements IValueConverter

    ' This converts the DateTime object to the string to display. 
    Public Function Convert(ByVal value As Object, ByVal targetType As Type, _
        ByVal parameter As Object, ByVal language As System.String) As Object _
        Implements IValueConverter.Convert

        ' Retrieve the format string and use it to format the value. 
        Dim formatString As String = TryCast(parameter, String)
        If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(formatString) Then

            Return String.Format(New CultureInfo(language), formatString, value)
        End If

        ' If the format string is null or empty, simply call ToString() 
        ' on the value. 
        Return value.ToString()
    End Function

    ' No need to implement converting back on a one-way binding.
    Public Function ConvertBack(ByVal value As Object, ByVal targetType As Type, _
        ByVal parameter As Object, _
        ByVal language As System.String) As Object _
        Implements IValueConverter.ConvertBack
        Throw New NotImplementedException()
    End Function
End Class

Remarks

You can create a class that allows you to convert the format of your data between the source and the target by inheriting from IValueConverter. For example, you might want to have a list of colors that you store as RGBA values, but display them with color names in the UI. By implementing Convert and ConvertBack, you can change the format of the data values as they are passed between the target and source by the binding engine. You should always implement Convert with a functional implementation, but it's fairly common to implement ConvertBack so that it reports a not-implemented exception. You only need a ConvertBack method in your converter if you are using the converter for two-way bindings, or using XAML for serialization.

UnsetValue should be returned from an IValueConverter implementation that provides conversion in a data binding to a dependency property, in any case where the converter is unable to convert a source value. Converters shouldn't throw exceptions for that case in Convert; these will surface as run-time exceptions that you'd need to add handling for in UnhandledException or worse yet appear to users as actual run-time exceptions. Converter implementations should follow the general binding pattern that any failed binding does nothing and does not provide a value, and UnsetValue rather than null is the sentinel value for that case that the binding engine understands. For more info, see Data binding in depth.

Note

To data-bind to a custom value converter that is written in Visual C++ component extensions (C++/CX), the header file in which the IValueConverter implementation class is defined must be included, directly or indirectly, in one of the code-behind files. For more info, see Create your first using C++.

Tip

Some of the default project templates for a UWP app include a helper class, BooleanToVisibilityConverter. This class is an IValueConverter implementation that handles a common custom-control scenario where you use Boolean values from your control logic class to set the Visibility value in XAML control templates.

Migration notes

In the Windows Runtime, the language parameters for IValueConverter methods use strings, as opposed to using CultureInfo objects as they do in the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Microsoft Silverlight definitions of the interface.

Methods

Convert(Object, TypeName, Object, String)	Modifies the source data before passing it to the target for display in the UI.
ConvertBack(Object, TypeName, Object, String)	Modifies the target data before passing it to the source object. This method is called only in TwoWay bindings.

Applies to

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