Use classic controller with DarwiinRemote and sixtyforce on OS X

Question

Here's what I've done so far:

1. In my App class, I declare a new XmlDataProvider and set the source to a valid XML file (whose Build Action is set to Content/Copy Always).

   public partial class App : Application
   {
       public App()
       {
           InitializeComponent();
           var services = new XmlDataProvider();
           services.Source = new Uri("pack://siteoforigin:,,,/Data/Services.xml"); // also tried an absolute path, but that made no difference
           var mainWindow = new MainWindow();
           mainWindow.DataContext = new MainViewModel(services);
           mainWindow.Show();
       }
   }
   

2. The XmlDataProvider gets passed into the ViewModel and gets assigned to the Services property.

3. I bind to the data like this:

   <mwc:DataGrid
       ItemsSource="{Binding Services, XPath=//Services/*}">
       <mwc:DataGrid.Columns>
           <mwc:DataGridTextColumn
               Binding="{Binding XPath=@name}"
               Header="Name" />
           <mwc:DataGridTextColumn ... />
           ...
       </mwc:DataGrid.Columns>
   </mwc:DataGrid>
   

The result:

The column headings of my DataGrid show up, but there are no rows of data. It compiles and runs without any errors, but if I check my Output window, I see this:

BindingExpression with XPath cannot bind to non-XML object.;
XPath='//Services/*'
BindingExpression:Path=Services;

Can the XmlDataProvider only be used declaratively?

If I attempt to create the XmlDataProvider declaratively in a ResourceDictionary like this...

<XmlDataProvider
    x:Key="Main_Services">
    <x:XData>
        <Services
            xmlns="">
            <Service
                name="Test"
                ... />
            <Service ... />
            ...
        </Services>
    </x:XData>
</XmlDataProvider>

...everything works fine (I get the expected rows in my DataGrid). (Note that I just pasted the contents of the XML file between the <x:XData> tags.)

If I try to set the Source via C#, however, there doesn't seem to be any data in the XmlDataProvider (literally, the Data property is null).

It doesn't seem to make any difference whether I use a "pack URI" or an absolute path when I assign the Source. I get no rows either way. I also tried calling the InitialLoad() method after setting the source, but that made no difference either.

Questions:

• Is XmlDataProvider just the wrong tool for the job or am I doing something wrong?
• Can XmlDataProvider only be used declaratively?
• I know there is XDocument and XmlDocument...should I be using one of those?

Solution

Turns out a fellow 'gamer' has hacked at the DarwiinRemote source and added Classic Controller support himself. Although it is not as tightly integrated as it could have been, it does provide all the functionality that you will need. Just make sure you scroll down to the very end to read all the updates.