How to properly reference a class from XAML

Question

OK, this is a super super noob question, one that I'm almost embarrassed to ask...

I want to reference a class in my XAML file. It's a DataTemplateSelector for selecting the right edit template for a DataGrid column.

Anyway, I've written the class into my code behind, added the local namespace to the top of top of the XAML, but when I try to reference the class from the XAML, it tells me the class does not exist in the local namespace. I must be missing something really really simple but I just can't understand it...

Here's my code.

XAML:

<Window
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:tk="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wpf/2008/toolkit"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:CustomFields"
xmlns:col="clr-namespace:System.Collections;assembly=mscorlib"
xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
x:Class="CustomFields.MainWindow"
x:Name="Window"
Title="Define Custom Fields"
Width="425" Height="400" MinWidth="425" MinHeight="400">

<Window.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
        <local:RangeValuesEditTemplateSelector>
            blah blah blah...
        </local:RangeValuesEditTemplateSelector>
    </ResourceDictionary>
</Window.Resources>

C#:

namespace CustomFields
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            this.InitializeComponent();

            // Insert code required on object creation below this point.
        }
    }

    public class RangeValuesEditTemplateSelector : DataTemplateSelector
    {
        public RangeValuesEditTemplateSelector(){

            MessageBox.Show("hello");
        }
    }   
}

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? I thought this should be simple as 1-2-3...

Thanks!

Solution 1

OK... it suddenly started working. Just had to rebuild.

Solution 2

You can add a key so you can set the datacontext in the xaml instead behind code:

   <local:RangeValuesEditTemplateSelector x:key="RVETS">

Then for example set the outer grid's DataContext:

   <Grid DataContext={Binding Source = {StaticResource RVETS}} //Something like this I think

Then anything within that grid you can just bind directly to the property you set behind code. Not sure if this is useful or not, just thought I'd share :)