How do you call UpdateSource() for explicit binding on a DataGrid?

Question

I have a DataGrid that contains information from a settings object. Currently there is two-way binding between the DataGrid and settings object. However, I want to put a "Save" button in that only binds changes made in the DataGrid to the object if the user clicks the Save button. However, I'm not sure how to call UpdateSource() for my particular case with my DataGrid.

Here is my xaml.cs code:

public void LoadDataFields(Data d)
        {
            Grid1.ItemsSource = d.Fields;
        }

private void SaveChanges(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            BindingExpression be = Grid1.GetBindingExpression(DataGrid.ItemsSourceProperty);
            be.UpdateSource();
        }

Here is my xaml code:

<DataGrid x:Name="Grid1" 
                  IsReadOnly="False" 
                  Height="360" 
                  Margin="20,15,20,15" 
                  VerticalAlignment="Top" 
                  AutoGenerateColumns="False" 
                  CanUserAddRows="False" SelectionUnit="Cell"
                  ItemsSource="{Binding data}"
                  >

            <DataGrid.Columns>
                <DataGridTemplateColumn Header="Field">
                    <DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
                        <DataTemplate>
                            <TextBox Text="{Binding Path=name, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=Explicit}"/>
                        </DataTemplate>
                    </DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
                </DataGridTemplateColumn>
                <DataGridTemplateColumn Header="Length of Field">
                    <DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
                        <DataTemplate>
                            <TextBox Text="{Binding Path=length, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=Explicit}"/>
                        </DataTemplate>
                    </DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
                </DataGridTemplateColumn>
            </DataGrid.Columns>
        </DataGrid>

Is there an easy way to call UpdateSource() so that the binding only takes place if the Save button is clicked? My guess is that I'm just putting the wrong property in for the the GetBindingExpression method.

Answer 1

Yes, there is a way, but it is not a very very easy way. First of all you need 2 helper methods:

public static T GetVisualChild<T>(Visual parent) where T : Visual
{
    Visual visual;
    T child = default(T);

    int childrenCount = VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(parent);
    for (int i = 0; i < childrenCount; i++)
    {
        visual = (Visual)VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(parent, i);
        child = visual as T;
        if (child == null)
        {
            child = GetVisualChild<T>(visual);
        }
        if (child != null)
        {
            break;
        }
    }
    return child;
}

public T FindVisualChild<T>(DependencyObject obj, string name) where T : DependencyObject
{
    DependencyObject child;
    FrameworkElement frameworkElement;
    for (int i = 0; i < VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(obj); i++)
    {
        child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(obj, i);
        frameworkElement = child as FrameworkElement;
        if (child != null && child is T && frameworkElement != null && frameworkElement.Name == name)
        {
            return (T)child;
        }
        else
        {
            T childOfChild = FindVisualChild<T>(child, name);
            if (childOfChild != null)
            {
                return childOfChild;
            }
        }
    }

    return null;
}

Then you have to give a name to your binded controls. For example "textBox":

<DataGridTemplateColumn Header="Field">
    <DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <TextBox x:Name="textBox" Text="{Binding Path=name, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=Explicit}"/>
        </DataTemplate>
    </DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
</DataGridTemplateColumn>
<DataGridTemplateColumn Header="Length of Field">
    <DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <TextBox x:Name="textBox" Text="{Binding Path=length, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=Explicit}"/>
        </DataTemplate>
    </DataGridTemplateColumn.CellTemplate>
</DataGridTemplateColumn>

Then in your SaveChanges method, you can use this code:

private void SaveChanges(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    DataGridRow dataGridRow;
    DataGridCellsPresenter dataGridCellsPresenter;
    DataGridCell dataGridCell;
    TextBox textBox;
    BindingExpression bindingExpression;

    for (int i = 0; i < Grid1.Items.Count; i++)
    {
        dataGridRow = (DataGridRow)Grid1.ItemContainerGenerator.ContainerFromIndex(i);
        dataGridCellsPresenter = GetVisualChild<DataGridCellsPresenter>(dataGridRow);
        for (int j = 0; j < Grid1.Columns.Count; j++)
        {
            dataGridCell = (DataGridCell)dataGridCellsPresenter.ItemContainerGenerator.ContainerFromIndex(j);
            textBox = FindVisualChild<TextBox>(dataGridCell, "textBox");
            if (textBox != null)
            {
                bindingExpression = BindingOperations.GetBindingExpression(textBox, TextBox.TextProperty);
                bindingExpression.UpdateSource();
            }
        }
    }
}

I hope it can help you.

Answer 2

You can try to name your TextBoxes unde use the following syntax:

 BindingExpression be = tbName.GetBindingExpression(TextBox.TextProperty);
 be.UpdateSource();

 BindingExpression be2 = tbLength.GetBindingExpression(TextBox.TextProperty);
 be2.UpdateSource();

But i would bind to a secondary collection or a copy of an object if i do not want changes to apply immediately, and save the updates to the main list at the user request. When the bounded list is modified again, items changed, removed or added, you may clear the secondary list and do a fresh copy. Or .. if maybe the user wants to revert the changes, clear the bounded one and copy the items from the back.