C# XAML Introduction Part 3 Type Converters

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series C# XAML

C# XAML Introduction
C# XAML Syntax
C# XAML Layouts
C# XAML Content and Controls
C# XAML Introduction Part 3 Type Converters
C# XAML Introduction Part 4 Object Names Part 1
C# XAML Combo Boxes

Consider the following C# code that creates a button.

System.Windows.Controls.Button b = new System.Windows.Controls.Button();
b.Content = "OKcode";
b.Background = System.Windows.Media.Brushes.White;

The XAML parser or compiler must look for a type converter that knows how to convert the string ‘white’ into the desired data type. Consider the following XAML that creates several buttons. All these buttons are essentially the same.

<Window x:Class="Ch02TypeConverters.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Ch02TypeConverters"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="Ch02 WPF 4.5 Unleashed" Height="200" Width="325">
    <StackPanel>
        <Button>
            <Button.Content>
                OK
            </Button.Content>
            <Button.Background>
                White
            </Button.Background>
        </Button>
        <Button Content="OK2" Background="White" />  <!-- attribute syntax -->
        <Button Content="OK3">
            <Button.Background>                      <!-- property element syntax -->
                <SolidColorBrush Color="White" />
            </Button.Background>
        </Button>
        <Button Content="OK4">
            <Button.Background>
                <SolidColorBrush>
                    <SolidColorBrush.Color>
                        <Color A="255" R="255" G="255" B="255"/>
                    </SolidColorBrush.Color>
                </SolidColorBrush>
            </Button.Background>
        </Button>
        <Button Content="OK5">
            <Button.Background>
                <SolidColorBrush>
                    <SolidColorBrush.Color>
                        <Color>
                            <Color.A>255</Color.A>
                            <Color.R>255</Color.R>
                            <Color.G>255</Color.G>
                            <Color.B>255</Color.B>
                        </Color>
                    </SolidColorBrush.Color>
                </SolidColorBrush>
            </Button.Background>
        </Button>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Here is what the program looks like.

TypeConverters

Look at the last button’s XAML. Each 255 string needs to converted into a Byte value expected by the A, R, G, and B properties of the Color type. Type converters enable values to be expressed that couln’t otherwise be expressed. You can write your own type converters.

XAML Introduction Part 2 Syntax

XAML Introduction Part 4 Object Names

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