Converters

Parameters#

Parameter	Details
value	The value to convert from
targetType	The type being converted to
parameter	Optional value to control how the conversion works
culture	CultureInfo object - required if localisation needed
## Remarks#
The `Convert` method converts the value from the source (usually the view model) to the target (usually a property of a control).

The ConvertBack method converts the value from the target back to the source. It is only needed if the binding is TwoWay or OneWayToSource.

When a ConvertBack is not supported, i.e. there is no one-to-one mapping between the pre-conversion value and the post-conversion value, it’s common practice to have the ConvertBack method return DependencyProperty.UnsetValue. It’s a better option than throwing an exception (e.g. NotImplementedException) as it avoids unexpected runtime errors. Also, bindings can benefit of their FallbackValue when DependencyProperty.UnsetValue is returned by a converter.

String to IsChecked Converter

In XAML:

<RadioButton IsChecked="{Binding EntityValue, Mode=TwoWay,
                         Converter={StaticResource StringToIsCheckedConverter},
                         ConverterParameter=Male}"
             Content="Male"/>

<RadioButton IsChecked="{Binding EntityValue, Mode=TwoWay,
                         Converter={StaticResource StringToIsCheckedConverter},
                         ConverterParameter=Female}"
             Content="Female"/>

The C# class:

public class StringToIsCheckedConverter : IValueConverter
{
    public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
    {
        string input = (string)value;
        string test = (string)parameter;
        return input == test;
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
    {
        if (value == null || !(value is bool))
        {
            return string.Empty;
        }
        if (parameter == null || !(parameter is string))
        {
            return string.Empty;
        }
        if ((bool)value)
        {
            return parameter.ToString();
        }
        else
        {
            return string.Empty;
        }
    }
}

Converters 101

XAML controls may have dependency properties that can be bound to objects from DataContext or other controls. When the type of the object being bound is different from the type of the target DependencyProperty, a converter may be used to adapt one type to another.

Converters are classes implementing System.Windows.Data.IValueConverter or System.Windows.Data.IMultiValueConverter; WPF implements some out of the box converters, but developers may see use in custom implementations, as it is frequently the case.

To use a converter in XAML, an instance can be instantiated in the Resources section. For the example below, System.Windows.Controls.BooleanToVisibilityConverter will be used:

<UserControl.Resources>
    <BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="BooleanToVisibilityConverter"/>
</UserControl.Resources>

Notice the x:Key element defined, which is then used to reference the instance of BooleanToVisibilityConverter in the binding:

<TextBlock Text="This will be hidden if property 'IsVisible' is true"
           Visibility="{Binding IsVisible, 
                                Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter}}"/>

In the example above, a boolean IsVisible property is converted to a value of the System.Windows.Visibility enumeration; Visibility.Visible if true, or Visibility.Collapsed otherwise.

Creating and using a Converter: BooleanToVisibilityConverter and InvertibleBooleanToVisibilityConverter

To extend and expand upon the binding experience we have converters to convert one a value of one type into another value of another type. To leverage Converters in a Databinding you first need to create a DataConverter class tht extens either

IValueConverter(WPF & UWP)

IMultiValueConverter(WPF)

if you want to convert multiple types into one type
In this case we focus on converting a boolean True/False value to the correspionding Visibilities Visibility.Visible and Visibility.Collapsed:

public class BooleanToVisibilityConverter : IValueConverter
{
    public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
    {
        return (value is bool && (bool) value) ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed;
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
    {
        return (value is Visibility && (Visibility) value == Visibility.Visible);
    }
}

The Convert method is called whenever you GET data FROM the ViewModel.
The ConvertBack is called upon SET ing data TO the ViewModel for BindingMode.TwoWay bindings.

Of course you can also utilize properties within your converter. Take a look at this one:

public class InvertibleBooleanToVisibilityConverter : IValueConverter
{
    public bool Invert { get; set; } = false;

    public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
    {
        return (value is bool && (bool) value != Invert) ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed;
    }

    public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, string language)
    {
        return (value is Visibility && ((Visibility) value == Visibility.Visible) != Invert);
    }
}

If you want to use a converter in a Binding, simply declare it as a resource in your page, window, or other element, give it a key and supply potentially needed properties:

<Page ...
    xmlns:converters="using:MyNamespce.Converters">
<Page.Resources>
    <converters:InvertibleBooleanToVisibilityConverter 
        x:Key="BooleanToVisibilityConverter" 
        Invert="False" />
</Page.Resources>

and use it as a StaticResource in a binding:

<ProgressRing 
        Visibility="{Binding ShowBusyIndicator, 
            Converter={StaticResource BooleanToVisibilityConverter},
            UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged,
            Mode=OneWay}" />