IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter

Article
03/01/2023

The IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter is a one way converter that returns a bool indicating whether the binding value is null, string.Empty or contains whitespace characters only.

The Convert method returns true when the binding value is null, string.Empty or contains whitespace characters only.

The ConvertBack method is not supported. For the opposite behavior see the IsStringNotNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter.

BaseConverter Properties

The following properties are implemented in the base class, public abstract class BaseConverter:

Property	Description
`DefaultConvertReturnValue`	Default value to return when `IValueConverter.Convert(object?, Type, object?, CultureInfo?)` throws an `Exception`. This value is used when CommunityToolkit.Maui.Options`.ShouldSuppressExceptionsInConverters` is set to `true`.
`DefaultConvertBackReturnValue`	Default value to return when `IValueConverter.ConvertBack(object?, Type, object?, CultureInfo?)` throws an `Exception`. This value is used when CommunityToolkit.Maui.Options`.ShouldSuppressExceptionsInConverters` is set to `true`.

ICommunityToolkitValueConverter Properties

The following properties are implemented in the public interface ICommunityToolkitValueConverter:

Property	Type	Description
`DefaultConvertReturnValue`	`object?`	Default value to return when `IValueConverter.Convert(object?, Type, object?, CultureInfo?)` throws an `Exception`. This value is used when CommunityToolkit.Maui.Options`.ShouldSuppressExceptionsInConverters` is set to `true`.
`DefaultConvertBackReturnValue`	`object?`	Default value to return when `IValueConverter.ConvertBack(object?, Type, object?, CultureInfo?)` throws an `Exception`. This value is used when CommunityToolkit.Maui.Options`.ShouldSuppressExceptionsInConverters` is set to `true`.

Syntax

XAML

Including the XAML namespace

In order to use the toolkit in XAML the following xmlns needs to be added into your page or view:

xmlns:toolkit="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2022/maui/toolkit"

Therefore the following:

<ContentPage
    x:Class="CommunityToolkit.Maui.Sample.Pages.MyPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml">

</ContentPage>

Would be modified to include the xmlns as follows:

<ContentPage
    x:Class="CommunityToolkit.Maui.Sample.Pages.MyPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
    xmlns:toolkit="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2022/maui/toolkit">

</ContentPage>

Using the IsStringNullOrWhitespaceConverter

The IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter can be used as follows in XAML:

<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             xmlns:toolkit="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2022/maui/toolkit"
             x:Class="CommunityToolkit.Maui.Sample.Pages.Converters.IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverterPage">

    <ContentPage.Resources>
        <ResourceDictionary>
            <toolkit:IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter x:Key="IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter" />
        </ResourceDictionary>
    </ContentPage.Resources>

    <Label Text="A value is required"
           IsVisible="{Binding MyValue, Converter={StaticResource IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter}}" />

</ContentPage>

C#

The IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter can be used as follows in C#:

class IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverterPage : ContentPage
{
    public IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverterPage()
    {
        var label = new Label { Text = "A value is required" };

		label.SetBinding(
			Label.IsVisibleProperty,
			new Binding(
				nameof(ViewModels.MyValue),
				converter: new IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter()));

		Content = label;
    }
}

C# Markup

Our CommunityToolkit.Maui.Markup package provides a much more concise way to use this converter in C#.

using CommunityToolkit.Maui.Markup;

class IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverterPage : ContentPage
{
    public IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverterPage()
    {
        Content = new Label { Text = "A value is required" }
            .Bind(
                Label.IsVisibleProperty,
                static (ViewModel vm) => vm.MyValue,
                converter: new IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter());
    }
}

Examples

You can find an example of this converter in action in the .NET MAUI Community Toolkit Sample Application.

API

You can find the source code for IsStringNullOrWhiteSpaceConverter over on the .NET MAUI Community Toolkit GitHub repository.

Share via