WPF Enum Flags Dependency property in XAML property editor

Question

I am developing custom WPF UserControl which has few Dependency Properties. One of the properties is enum flags. I am trying to check if it is possible to set this property from Designer in property grid.

Here is the property

    public Letters Letter
    {
        get
        {
            return ((Letters)GetValue(LetterProperty));
        }
        set
        {
            SetValue(LetterProperty, value);
        }
    }

    private static readonly DependencyProperty LetterProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register("LetterProperty", typeof(Letters), typeof(TestUserControl), new PropertyMetadata(new PropertyChangedCallback(OnLetterChanged)));



    private static void OnLetterChanged(DependencyObject sender, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs args)
    {
        return;
    }

    [Flags]
    public enum Letters
    {
        A = 1,
        B = 2,
        C = 4,
        D = 8
    }

    private void TxtBlock_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        OutputText = "";

        foreach (Letters letter in Enum.GetValues(typeof(Letters)))
        {
            if ((letter & Letter) != 0)
            {
                OutputText += letter + Environment.NewLine;
            }
        }
    }

Setting multiple flags from XAML works fine and I am getting proper value set.

<Border BorderThickness="2" BorderBrush="Black">
<local:TestUserControl Letter="A,B,C"/>

Main Window

But I want to be able to set multiple choices via Properties Grid. Currently grid is listing all enum values as a drop down menu.

Properties Grid

There seems to be solutions for Windows Forms by deriving from UITypeEditor. I am looking for ways of implementing this in WPF without using 3rd party libraries and Frameworks (Telerik, XCEED etc.)

Thanks!

Answer 1

It is not recommended to use enumerations because enumeration is not good for property notifications. Use the int type of attribute to agree to what each number represents.