Putting Enum Description in an IEnumerable and ComboBox

Question

I am still getting used to MVVM so if there is a better way to do this let me know. I do have to stick to a certain way of doing things so everything at the company I work at stays somewhat standard.I am trying to populate a combobox with the descriptions from my Enum class. I think this is an easy task, but I am not sure how to go about it. Any help is appreciated. If you need more code or information, please let me know. Code is below.

I have my Descriptions in a class called Enum.cs:

[TypeConverter(typeof(EnumToStringUsingDescription))] public enum ArTypes { [Description("(All)")] arAll = 0, [Description("Adjustment")] [EnumInformation("Adjustment", true, 1)] arAdjustment = 1, [Description("Payment")] [EnumInformation("Payment", true, 2)] arPayment = 3, [Description("Deposit Receipt")] [EnumInformation("Deposit Receipt", true, 3)] arDepositReceipt = 5, [Description("Deposit Applied")] [EnumInformation("Deposit Applied", true, 4)] arDepositApplied = 7, [Description("Bad Debt Transfer")] [EnumInformation("Bad Debt Transfer", true, 5)] arBadDebtTransfer = 9, [Description("Bad Debt Writeoff")] [EnumInformation("Bad Debt Writeoff", true, 6)] arBadDebtWriteoff = 11, [Description("Bad Debt Recovery")] [EnumInformation("Bad Debt Recovery", true, 7)] arBadDebtRecovery = 13, [Description("Charge")] [EnumInformation("Charge", true, 8)] arCharge = 15, [Description("Immediate Case Receipt")] [EnumInformation("Immediate Cash Receipt", true, 9)] arImmediateCashReceipt = 17, [Description("Over Payment")] [EnumInformation("Over Payment", true, 10)] arOverPayment = 19, [Description("Balance Forward")] [EnumInformation("Balance Forward", true, 11)] arBalanceForward = 21 }

In my viewmodel I have the code to fill my combobox:

public IEnumerable<ArTypes> GetAllArTypesData() { try { // I believe the logic for setting the IEnumerable would go here } catch (Exception ex) { LogException(ex); } return null; }

To populate the combobox I am running this:

void PopulateComboLists() { CycleList = new ObservableCollection<Cycle>(); ServiceTypeList = new ObservableCollection<ServiceType>(); RateList = new ObservableCollection<Rate>(); CustomerTypeList = new ObservableCollection<CustomerType>(); ArCodeList = new ObservableCollection<Arcode>(); ArTypeList = new ObservableCollection<ArTypes>(); CycleList.Add(new Cycle() { CycleID = -1, CycleDescription = "(All)" }); ServiceTypeList.Add(new ServiceType() { ServiceTypeID = -1, ServiceDescription = "(All)" }); CustomerTypeList.Add(new CustomerType() { CustomerTypeID = -1, Description = "(All)" }); ArCodeList.Add(new Arcode() { ArcodeID = -1, Description = "(All)" }); foreach (var item in cycles) { CycleList.Add(item); } foreach (var item in serviceTypes) { ServiceTypeList.Add(item); } foreach (var item in rates) { RateList.Add(item); } foreach (var item in custTypes) { CustomerTypeList.Add(item); } foreach (var item in arCodes) { ArCodeList.Add(item); } foreach (var item in arTypes) { ArTypeList.Add(item); } }

Here is where the data is loaded onto the UI:

protected override void LoadDataStart() { // Insert IsBusy and any other logic needed before database calls // this.IsBusy = true; this.BusyMessage = "Generating Widget..."; try { // Create a method for each database call - start a new task for each // var taskCTR = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllCustomerTypeReportsData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllCustomerTypeReportsDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskST = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllServiceTypesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllServiceTypesDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskRL = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllRatesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllRatesDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskCL = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllCyclesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllCyclesDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskCT = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllCustomerTypesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllCustomerTypesDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskAC = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllArCodesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllArCodesDataContinue(results.Result)); var taskAT = Task.Factory.StartNew(() => GetAllArTypesData()).ContinueWith(results => GetAllArTypesDataContinue(results.Result)); Task[] allTasks = new Task[7] { taskCTR, taskST, taskRL, taskCL, taskCT, taskAC, taskAT }; Task.Factory.ContinueWhenAll(allTasks, loadDataContinue => { Action executeContinue = () => { PopulateComboLists(); if (CanLoad) { LoadDataContinue(); IsBusy = false; } else ShowOptionsView(); }; this.UIDispatcher.Invoke(executeContinue); }); } catch (Exception ex) { LogException(ex); } // Base class will call LoadDataContinue() once the database calls are complete // }

XAML:

<Label VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="5,0,0,0" Content="ArType: " Grid.Row="5" Grid.Column="0"></Label> <telerik:RadComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding ArTypeList}" DisplayMemberPath="Key" SelectedValuePath="Value" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Width="190" SelectedValue="{Binding Path=SelectedArType, Mode=TwoWay, ValidatesOnDataErrors=True}" TabIndex="5" Grid.Row="5" VerticalAlignment="Center" Grid.Column="1" Style="{StaticResource RadComboBoxStyle}" />

stackoverflow.com/questions/5274423/… or agsmith.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/accessing-enum-members-in-xaml — Przemek Walendowski
– Przemek Walendowski, Commented Nov 15, 2013 at 15:30

Sheridan · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-15 15:56:47Z

If you're asking how to collect the values from the DescriptionAttribute on each enum instance, you can do it something like this:

ObservableCollection descriptions = new ObservableCollection(); foreach (object instance in Enum.GetValues(typeof(ArTypes))) { FieldInfo fieldInfo = typeof(ArTypes).GetField(instance.ToString()); object[] customAttributes = fieldInfo.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(DescriptionAttribute), false); if (customAttributes != null && customAttributes.Length > 0) descriptions.Add(((DescriptionAttribute)customAttributes[0]).Description); }

There could be an error in there somewhere as I can't test this out at the moment, so please let me know if there is.

Do you know what could possibly cause this to always return 0?
My SelectedArType. It is probably better to ask it in a different question. It seems like there is going to be a lot to it.

RSmaller · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-05 15:36:10Z

This can be done by using a converter and item template for your comboBox.

Here is the converter code which when bound to an enum will return the Description value:

namespace Focal.FirmwareUpdate.UI.WPF.Common.Converters { public class EnumDescriptionConverter : IValueConverter { private string GetEnumDescription(Enum enumObj) { FieldInfo fieldInfo = enumObj.GetType().GetField(enumObj.ToString()); object[] attribArray = fieldInfo.GetCustomAttributes(false); if (attribArray.Length == 0) { return enumObj.ToString(); } else { DescriptionAttribute attrib = attribArray[0] as DescriptionAttribute; return attrib.Description; } } object IValueConverter.Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture) { Enum myEnum = (Enum)value; string description = GetEnumDescription(myEnum); return description; } object IValueConverter.ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, CultureInfo culture) { return string.Empty; } }

Then in your xaml you need to use and item template.

<ComboBox Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1" Height="25" Width="100" Margin="5" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=MyEnums}" SelectedItem="{Binding Path=MySelectedItem}" > <ComboBox.ItemTemplate> <DataTemplate> <TextBlock Text="{Binding Converter={StaticResource enumDescriptionConverter}}"/> </DataTemplate> </ComboBox.ItemTemplate> </ComboBox>

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Putting Enum Description in an IEnumerable and ComboBox

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Linked

Related