Chapter.Net.WPF 1.1.0

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Chapter.Net.WPF Library

Overview

Brings additional behavior and features to WPF in general.

Features

• BindingAdapter: Allows to modify a binding by using another bindings to their properties.
• ControlFocus: Brings an easy possibility to focus another UI control.
• IconReader: Provides a way to read file, extension and folder icons with and without caching.
• InputWatcher: Allows to listen for global keyboard or mouse actions without the app be in focus.
• PopupHandler: Implements an auto close event for custom WPF popups.
• SystemTexts: Loads translations for the current windows language from the system.
• Themeing: Checks if the system is on light or dark theme and allows setting it on a WPF window.
• UIDispatcher: Gives easy access to the current UI dispatcher and allows override for unit tests.
• VisualTreeAssist: Provides an easy way to seach for UI controls by any condition in any direction in an easy way.
• WindowHooks: Gives easy ways to hook into the WinAPI queue with custom callbacks.
• WindowObserver: Gives easy ways to WinAPI events on the current window.

Getting Started

1. Installation:

   • Install the Chapter.Net.WPF library via NuGet Package Manager:

   dotnet add package Chapter.Net.WPF
   

2. BindingAdapter:

   • Bind a binding converter and bind a tool tip fallback value.

   <TextBlock Text="{Binding Demo}" ToolTip="{Binding AnyTag}">
       <Helpers:BindingAdapter.BindingExtensions>
           <Helpers:BindingExtensionCollection>
               <Helpers:BindingExtension Property="TextBlock.Text"
                                           Converter="{Binding DemoConverter}"
                                           ConverterParameter="{Binding DemoConverterParameter}" />
               <Helpers:BindingExtension Property="TextBlock.ToolTip"
                                           FallbackValue="{Binding BindingFallbackValue}" />
           </Helpers:BindingExtensionCollection>
       </Helpers:BindingAdapter.BindingExtensions>
   </TextBlock>
   

3. ControlFocus:

   • Usage.

   public class MyControl : Control
   {
       protected void OnGotFocus()
       {
           ControlFocus.GiveFocus(myButton);
       }
   }
   

4. IconReader:

   Icon icon = new Icon
   {
       Source = IconReader.FileIcon("C:\\path\\Demo.exe", false, false)
   }
   

5. InputWatcher:

   • Watch global keyboard events.

   public class DemoClass : IDisposable
   {
       private SubscribeToken _token;
   
       public void Demo()
       {
           var watcher = new InputWatcher();
   
           _token = watcher.Observe(new KeyboardInput(Key.Delete, ModifierKeys.Control, OnDeletePress));
   
           watcher.Start();
           //watcher.Stop();
       }
   
       private void OnDeletePress(KeyboardEventArgs obj)
       {
           //obj.Key
           //obj.KeyPressState
           //obj.ModifierKeys
       }
   
       public void Dispose()
       {
           _token.Dispose();
       }
   }
   

   • Watch global mouse events.

   public class DemoClass : IDisposable
   {
       private SubscribeToken _token;
   
       public void Demo()
       {
           var watcher = new InputWatcher();
   
           _token = watcher.Observe(new MouseInput(MouseAction.RightDoubleClick, OnRightDoubleClick));
   
           watcher.Start();
           //watcher.Stop();
       }
   
       private void OnRightDoubleClick(MouseEventArgs obj)
       {
           //obj.Modifiers
       }
   
       public void Dispose()
       {
           _token.Dispose();
       }
   }
   

6. PopupHandler:

   • Auto close a custom popup.

   public class Control : ContentControl
   {
       private PopupHandler _popupHandler;
   
       public override void OnApplyTemplate()
       {
           var popup = GetTemplateChild("PART_Popup") as Popup;
           if (popup == null)
               return;
   
           _popupHandler = new PopupHandler();
           _popupHandler.AutoClose(popup, OnPopupClosed);
       }
   
       private void OnPopupClosed()
       {
       }
   }
   

7. SystemTexts:

   • Load the translation for the "Cancel" button from windows.

   var cancelLabel = SystemTexts.GetString(SystemTexts.CANCEL_CAPTION);
   

8. Themeing:

   • Set a WPF window to the current system theme (light or dark).

   public void SetWindowTheme(Window window)
   {
       var currentTheme = ThemeManager.GetSystemTheme();
       ThemeManager.SetWindowTheme(window, currentTheme);
   }
   

   public void SetWindowTheme(Window window)
   {
       ThemeManager.SetWindowTheme(window, WindowTheme.System);
   }
   

9. UIDispatcher:

   • Use the UI dispatcher and override on unit tests.

   public void ViewModel : ObservableObject
   {
       private string _name;
   
       public string Name
       {
           get => _name;
           set => NotifyAndSetIfChanged(ref _name, value);
       }
   
       public void Update(string name)
       {
           UIDispatcher.Current.Invoke(() => Name = name);
       }
   }
   

   [TestFixture]
   public class ViewModelTests
   {
       private ViewModel _target;
   
       [SetUp]
       public void Setup()
       {
           UIDispatcher.Override(Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher);
   
           _target = new ViewModel();
       }
   
       [Test]
       public void Update_Called_SetsTheProperty()
       {
           _target.Update("Peter");
   
           Assert.That(_target.Name, Is.EqualTo("Peter"));
       }
   }
   

10. VisualTreeAssist:

    • Find the first child button.

    var childButton = VisualTreeAssist.FindChild<Button>(this);
    

    • Find a child text box with a name.

    var namedChildTextBox = VisualTreeAssist.FindNamedChild<TextBox>(this, "PART_TextBox");
    

    • Find parent user control but stop at the current window.

    var firstUserControlInWindow = VisualTreeAssist.GetParentsUntil<UserControl, Window>(this);
    

11. WindowHooks:

    • Hook in to global keyboard events

    public void HookIn()
    {
        var windowKeyboardHooks = new WindowHooks();
        _windowKeyboardHooks.HookIn(process, WH.KEYBOARD_LL, KeyboardEventReceived);
    }
    
    private void KeyboardEventReceived(int code, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam)
    {
    }
    
    public void HookOut()
    {
        _windowKeyboardHooks.HookOut();
    }
    

12. WindowObserver:

    • Do something if user double clicked the window title bar.

    public partial class MainView
    {
        public MainView()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
    
            var observer = new WindowObserver(this);
            observer.AddCallback(OnEventHappened);
        }
    
        private void OnEventHappened(NotifyEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.MessageId == Chapter.Net.WinAPI.Data.WM.NCLBUTTONDBLCLK)
            {
                // User double clicked in the non client area (title bar most likely)
            }
        }
    }
    

    public partial class MainView
    {
        public MainView()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
    
            var observer = new WindowObserver(this);
            observer.AddCallbackFor(Chapter.Net.WinAPI.Data.WM.NCLBUTTONDBLCLK, OnEventHappened);
        }
    
        private void OnEventHappened(NotifyEventArgs e)
        {
            // User double clicked in the non client area (title bar most likely)
        }
    }
    

Links

• NuGet
• GitHub

License

Copyright (c) David Wendland. All rights reserved. Licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.