How to: Create a Binding

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A binding is a relationship between a UI property and a CLR object. There are several ways to create a binding object that defines a specific instance of a binding.

To create a binding in XAML

1. Define the source object.

   Public Class Dog
       Private _DogName As String
       Public Property DogName() As String
           Get
               Return _DogName
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               _DogName = value
           End Set
       End Property
   End Class
   

       public class Dog
       {
           public string DogName { get; set; }
       }
   
   

2. Create a reference to the namespace of the source object in XAML.

   <UserControl x:Class="BindingXAML.Page"
   xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" 
   xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" 
   xmlns:my="clr-namespace:BindingXAML">
   

3. Create an instance of the source object in the Resources section.

   <Grid.Resources>
       <my:Dog x:Key="MyDog" DogName="Spot"/>
   </Grid.Resources>
   

4. Bind to the source object by setting either the Source property or the DataContext property. The DataContext is inherited by all the element's children.

   <TextBlock Text="{Binding DogName, Source={StaticResource MyDog}, Mode=OneTime}"/>
   

   -or-

   <TextBlock Text="{Binding DogName, Mode=OneTime}" DataContext="{StaticResource MyDog}"/>
   

To create a binding by using code

1. Add the System.Windows.Data namespace

   Imports System.Windows.Data
   

   using System.Windows.Data;
   

2. Define the source object.

   Public Class Dog
       Private _DogName As String
       Public Property DogName() As String
           Get
               Return _DogName
           End Get
           Set(ByVal value As String)
               _DogName = value
           End Set
       End Property
   End Class
   

   public class Dog
   {
       public string DogName { get; set; }
   }
   

3. Create the FrameworkElement you want to bind to.

   <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
       <TextBlock x:Name="MyTextBlock" Text="Test"/>
   </Grid>
   

4. Create an instance of the source object

   Dim MyDog As New Dog()
   MyDog.DogName = "Spot"
   

   Dog MyDog = new Dog();
   MyDog.DogName = "Spot";
   

5. Create a binding object.

   Dim MyBinding As New Binding()
   

   Binding MyBinding = new Binding();
   

6. Set the binding properties on the binding object.

   MyBinding.Path = New PropertyPath("DogName")
   MyBinding.Mode = BindingMode.OneTime
   

   MyBinding.Path = new PropertyPath("DogName");
   MyBinding.Mode = BindingMode.OneTime;
   

7. Set the source of the binding by setting either the Source property or the DataContext property. The DataContext is inherited by all the element's children.

   MyBinding.Source = MyDog
   

   MyBinding.Source = MyDog;
   

   -or-

   MyTextBlock.DataContext = MyDog
   

   MyTextBlock.DataContext = MyDog;
   

8. Attach the binding to the property of the FrameworkElement.

   MyTextBlock.SetBinding(TextBlock.TextProperty, MyBinding)
   

   MyTextBlock.SetBinding(TextBlock.TextProperty, MyBinding);
   

See Also

Reference

Binding

Concepts

Data Binding