How to dynamically bind a WPF Combobox with the ValueMember and DisplayMember features?

Question

Hi,

In Visual Studio 2005, there are properties such as ValueMember and DisplayMember for a combobox. Now I started to use WPF in my application and running out of idea , how i could achieve the same features of ValueMember and DisplayMember by dynamically binding the WPF Combobox in my codebehind with my dataset.

Please advice on this with some sample code.

Highly appreciate your help.

Thanks

Regards,

Malini

Answer 1

For binding WPF combobox to a dataset, you can bind ItemsSource to a table and point DisplayMemberPath to a column. Please see example below:

Markup:
<Window x:Class="BindComboBoxToDataSet.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
    <StackPanel>
        <ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Master}" DisplayMemberPath="Name" />
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Code:
using System;
using System.Data;
using System.Windows;

namespace BindComboBoxToDataSet
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for MainWindow.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            DataSet ds = CreateDataSet();
            DataContext = ds;
        }

        public static DataSet CreateDataSet()
        {
            DataSet ds = new DataSet();

            // Create the parent table.
            DataTable tbl = new DataTable("Master");
            tbl.Columns.Add("ID", typeof(int));
            tbl.Columns.Add("Name");
            for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i)
            {
                DataRow row = tbl.NewRow();
                row["ID"] = i;
                row["Name"] = "Mater #" + i;
                tbl.Rows.Add(row);
            }
            ds.Tables.Add(tbl);

            // Create the child table.
            tbl = new DataTable("Detail");
            tbl.Columns.Add("MasterID", typeof(int));
            tbl.Columns.Add("Info");
            for (int i = 0; i < 9; ++i)
            {
                DataRow row = tbl.NewRow();
                row["MasterID"] = i % 3;
                row["Info"] = String.Format("Detail Info #{0} for master #{1}", (i / 3), (i % 3));
                tbl.Rows.Add(row);
            }
            ds.Tables.Add(tbl);

            // Associate the tables.
            ds.Relations.Add("Master2Detail", ds.Tables["Master"].Columns["ID"], ds.Tables["Detail"].Columns["MasterID"]);

            return ds;
        }
    }
}

---

William

Answer 2

Hi Malini,

In WPF, the corresponding properties are SelectedValuePath and DisplayMemberPath, you can do the binding like follows for the WPF ComboBox:

 DataTable dt = new DataTable();
            dt.Columns.Add("c1", typeof(int));
            dt.Columns.Add("c2");

            for (int j = 0; j < 10; j++)
            {
                dt.Rows.Add(j, "row" + j.ToString());
            }
 
            comboBox1.ItemsSource = dt.DefaultView;
            comboBox1.DisplayMemberPath = "c2";
            comboBox1.SelectedValuePath = "c1";

For more information, see:

ItemsControl.DisplayMemberPath Property
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.controls.itemscontrol.displaymemberpath.aspx

Selector.SelectedValuePath Property
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.controls.primitives.selector.selectedvaluepath.aspx


If anything is unclear, please free to let me know.

Have a nice day.

Best Regards,
Zhi-Xin

---

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Answer 3

Thanks Zhi-Xin Ye and William Han - MSFT for the reply. I will try the codes given and feedback on this. Thx again.

Malini