WPF checkbox binding

Question

While it is trivial to store a checkbox's checked state in a variable using the checkbox's Click event, how would I do it via databinding? All the examples I have found have the UI updated from some datasource, or bind one control to another; I want to update a member variable when the checkbox is clicked.

TIA for any pointers...

Solution 1

You need a dependency property for this:

public BindingList<User> Users
{
    get { return (BindingList<User>)GetValue(UsersProperty); }
    set { SetValue(UsersProperty, value); }
}

public static readonly DependencyProperty UsersProperty =
    DependencyProperty.Register("Users", typeof(BindingList<User>), 
      typeof(OptionsDialog));

Once that is done, you bind the checkbox to the dependency property:

<CheckBox x:Name="myCheckBox"
          IsChecked="{Binding ElementName=window1, Path=CheckBoxIsChecked}" />

For that to work you have to name your Window or UserControl in its openning tag, and use that name in the ElementName parameter.

With this code, whenever you change the property on the code side, you will change the textbox. Also, whenever you check/uncheck the textbox, the Dependency Property will change too.

EDIT:

An easy way to create a dependency property is typing the snippet propdp, which will give you the general code for Dependency Properties.

All the code:

XAML:

<Window x:Class="StackOverflowTests.Window1"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    Title="Window1" x:Name="window1" Height="300" Width="300">
    <Grid>
        <StackPanel Orientation="Vertical">
            <CheckBox Margin="10"
                      x:Name="myCheckBox"
                      IsChecked="{Binding ElementName=window1, Path=IsCheckBoxChecked}">
                Bound CheckBox
            </CheckBox>
            <Label Content="{Binding ElementName=window1, Path=IsCheckBoxChecked}"
                   ContentStringFormat="Is checkbox checked? {0}" />
        </StackPanel>
    </Grid>
</Window>

C#:

using System.Windows;

namespace StackOverflowTests
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for Window1.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class Window1 : Window
    {
        public bool IsCheckBoxChecked
        {
           get { return (bool)GetValue(IsCheckBoxCheckedProperty); }
           set { SetValue(IsCheckBoxCheckedProperty, value); }
        }

        // Using a DependencyProperty as the backing store for 
         //IsCheckBoxChecked.  This enables animation, styling, binding, etc...
        public static readonly DependencyProperty IsCheckBoxCheckedProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("IsCheckBoxChecked", typeof(bool), 
            typeof(Window1), new UIPropertyMetadata(false));

        public Window1()
        {             
            InitializeComponent();
        }
    }
}

Notice how the only code behind is the Dependency Property. Both the label and the checkbox are bound to it. If the checkbox changes, the label changes too.

Solution 2

You must make your binding bidirectional :

<checkbox IsChecked="{Binding Path=MyProperty, Mode=TwoWay}"/>

Solution 3

Hello this is my first time posting so please be patient: my answer was to create a simple property:

public bool Checked { get; set; }

Then to set the data context of the Checkbox (called cb1):

cb1.DataContext = this;

Then to bind the IsChecked proerty of it in the xaml

IsChecked="{Binding Checked}"

The code is like this:

XAML

<CheckBox x:Name="cb1"
          HorizontalAlignment="Left"
          Margin="439,81,0,0"
          VerticalAlignment="Top"
          Height="35" Width="96"
          IsChecked="{Binding Checked}"/>

Code behind

public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
    public bool Checked { get; set; }

    public MainWindow()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        cb1.DataContext = this;
    }

    private void myyButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(Checked.ToString());
    }
}

Solution 4

if you have the property "MyProperty" on your data-class, then you bind the IsChecked like this.... (the converter is optional, but sometimes you need that)

<Window.Resources>
<local:MyBoolConverter x:Key="MyBoolConverterKey"/>
</Window.Resources>
<checkbox IsChecked="{Binding Path=MyProperty, Converter={StaticResource MyBoolConverterKey}}"/>

Solution 5

Should be easier than that. Just use:

<Checkbox IsChecked="{Binding Path=myVar, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" />

View more solutions

Comments

[Muad'Dib]

yup, thats why its "optional" :-)

[Number8]

<checkbox IsChecked="{Binding Path=Checked, Mode=TwoWay}" public bool Checked { get {return _isChecked;} set {_isChecked=value;} } No joy; _isChecked is never changed.

[Number8]

Thanks for the reply. It appears "ElementName" was the missing key ingredient.

[Mohammed Vaseem Siddiqui]

Thanks Thomas, that sorted it for me, I was using the Content property.

[Randy Gamage]

This will work, but it's not true that "you need a dependency property for this." See solutions below... all you need is a property on your viewmodel to bind to.