Merge pull request #766 from AvaloniaUI/binding-tweaks-and-docs

Binding tweaks and docs

docs/spec/binding-from-code.md

@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+# Binding from Code
+
+Avalonia binding from code works somewhat differently to WPF/UWP. At the low level, Avalonia's
+binding system is based on Reactive Extensions' `IObservable` which is then built upon by XAML
+bindings (which can also be instantiated in code).
+
+## Binding to an observable
+
+You can bind a property to an observable using the `AvaloniaObject.Bind` method:
+
+```csharp
+// We use an Rx Subject here so we can push new values using OnNext
+var source = new Subject<string>();
+var textBlock = new TextBlock();
+
+// Bind TextBlock.Text to source
+textBlock.Bind(TextBlock.TextProperty, source);
+
+// Set textBlock.Text to "hello"
+source.OnNext("hello");
+// Set textBlock.Text to "world!"
+source.OnNext("world!");
+```
+
+## Binding priorities
+
+You can also pass a priority to a binding. *Note: Priorities only apply to styled properties: they*
+*are ignored for direct properties.*
+
+The priority is passed using the `BindingPriority` enum, which looks like this:
+
+```csharp
+/// <summary>
+/// The priority of a binding.
+/// </summary>
+public enum BindingPriority
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A value that comes from an animation.
+    /// </summary>
+    Animation = -1,
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A local value: this is the default.
+    /// </summary>
+    LocalValue = 0,
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A triggered style binding.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// A style trigger is a selector such as .class which overrides a
+    /// <see cref="TemplatedParent"/> binding. In this way, a basic control can have
+    /// for example a Background from the templated parent which changes when the
+    /// control has the :pointerover class.
+    /// </remarks>
+    StyleTrigger,
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A binding to a property on the templated parent.
+    /// </summary>
+    TemplatedParent,
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A style binding.
+    /// </summary>
+    Style,
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The binding is uninitialized.
+    /// </summary>
+    Unset = int.MaxValue,
+}
+```
+
+Bindings with a priority with a smaller number take precedence over bindings with a higher value
+priority, and bindings added more recently take precedence over other bindings with the same
+priority. Whenever the binding produces `AvaloniaProperty.UnsetValue` then the next binding in the
+priority order is selected.
+
+## Setting a binding in an object initializer
+
+It is often useful to set up bindings in object initializers. You can do this using the indexer:
+
+```csharp
+var source = new Subject<string>();
+var textBlock = new TextBlock
+{
+    Foreground = Brushes.Red,
+    MaxWidth = 200,
+    [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = source.ToBinding(),
+};
+```
+
+Using this method you can also easily bind a property on one control to a property on another:
+
+```csharp
+var textBlock1 = new TextBlock();
+var textBlock2 = new TextBlock
+{
+    Foreground = Brushes.Red,
+    MaxWidth = 200,
+    [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = textBlock1[!TextBlock.TextProperty],
+};
+```
+
+Of course the indexer can be used outside object initializers too:
+
+```csharp
+textBlock2[!TextBlock.TextProperty] = textBlock1[!TextBlock.TextProperty];
+```
+
+# Transforming binding values
+
+Because we're working with observables, we can easily transform the values we're binding!
+
+```csharp
+var source = new Subject<string>();
+var textBlock = new TextBlock
+{
+    Foreground = Brushes.Red,
+    MaxWidth = 200,
+    [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = source.Select(x => "Hello " + x).ToBinding(),
+};
+```
+
+# Using XAML bindings from code
+
+Sometimes when you want the additional features that XAML bindings provide, it's easier to use XAML bindings from code. For example, using only observables you could bind to a property on `DataContext` like this:
+
+```csharp
+var textBlock = new TextBlock();
+var viewModelProperty = textBlock.GetObservable(TextBlock.DataContext)
+    .OfType<MyViewModel>()
+    .Select(x => x?.Name);
+textBlock.Bind(TextBlock, viewModelProperty);
+```
+
+However, it might be preferable to use a XAML binding in this case:
+
+```csharp
+var textBlock = new TextBlock
+{
+    [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = new Binding("Name")
+};
+```
+
+By using XAML binding objects, you get access to binding to named controls and [all the other features that XAML bindings bring](binding-from.xaml.md):
+
+```csharp
+var textBlock = new TextBlock
+{
+    [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = new Binding("Text") { ElementName = "other" }
+};
+```
+

docs/spec/binding-from-xaml.md

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+# Binding from XAML
+
+Binding from XAML works on the whole the same as in other XAML frameworks: you use the `{Binding}`
+markup extension. Avalonia does have some extra syntacic niceties however. Here's an overview of
+what you can currently do in Avalonia:
+
+## Binding to a property on the DataContext
+
+By default a binding binds to a property on the `DataContext`, e.g.:
+
+```xml
+<!-- Binds to the tb.DataContext.Name property -->
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{Binding Name}"/>
+<!-- Which is the same as ('Path' is optional) -->
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{Binding Path=Name}"/>
+```
+
+An empty binding binds to DataContext itself
+
+```xml
+<!-- Binds to the tb.DataContext property -->
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{Binding}"/>
+<!-- Which is the same as -->
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{Binding .}"/>
+```
+
+This usage is identical to WPF/UWP etc.
+
+## Two way bindings and more
+
+You can also specify a binding `Mode`:
+
+```xml
+<!-- Bind two-way to the property (although this is actually the default binding mode for
+     TextBox.Text) so strictly speaking it's unnecessary here) -->
+<TextBox Name="tb" Text="{Binding Name, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
+```
+
+This usage is identical to WPF/UWP etc.
+
+## Binding to a property on the templated parent
+
+When you're creating a control template and you want to bind to the templated parent you can use:
+
+```xml
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{TemplateBinding Caption}"/>
+<!-- Which is short for -->
+<TextBlock Name="tb" Text="{Binding Caption, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}"/>
+```
+
+This usage is identical to WPF/UWP etc.
+
+## Binding to a named control
+
+If you want to bind to a property on another (named) control, you can use `ElementName` as in
+WPF/UWP:
+
+```xml
+<!-- Binds to the Tag property of a control named "other" -->
+<TextBlock Text="{Binding Tag, ElementName=other}"/>
+```
+
+However Avalonia also introduces a shorthand syntax for this:
+
+```xml
+<TextBlock Text="{Binding #other.Tag}"/>
+```
+
+## Negating bindings
+
+You can also negate the value of a binding using the `!` operator:
+
+```xml
+<TextBox IsEnabled="{Binding !HasErrors}"/>
+```
+
+Here, the `TextBox` will only be enabled when the view model signals that it has no errors. Behind
+the scenes, Avalonia tries to convert the incoming value to a boolean, and if it can be converted
+it negates the value. If the incoming value cannot be converted to a boolean then no value will be
+pushed to the binding target.
+
+This syntax is specific to Avalonia.
+
+## Binding to tasks and observables
+
+You can subscribe to the result of a task or an observable by using the `^` stream binding operator.
+
+```xml
+<!-- If DataContext.Name is an IObservable<string> then this will bind to the length of each
+     string produced by the observable as each value is produced -->
+<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name^.Length}"/>
+```
+
+This syntax is specific to Avalonia.
+
+*Note: the stream operator is actually extensible, see
+[here](https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/blob/master/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup/Data/Plugins/IStreamPlugin.cs)
+for the interface to implement and [here](https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/blob/master/src/Markup/Avalonia.Markup/Data/ExpressionObserver.cs#L47)
+for the registration.*

docs/spec/toc.yml

@@ -8,3 +8,7 @@
   href: working-with-properties.md
 - name: Logging
   href: logging.md
+- name: Binding from XAML
+  href: binding-from-xaml.md
+- name: Binding from Code
+  href: binding-from-code.md

docs/spec/working-with-properties.md

@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ property to the first:
   Console.WriteLine(textBlock2.Text);
 ```
 
+To read more about creating bindings from code, see [Binding from Code](binding-from-code.md).
+
 # Subscribing to a Property on Any Object
 
 The `GetObservable` method returns an observable that tracks changes to a

docs/tutorial/from-wpf.md

@@ -40,17 +40,6 @@ placed in a `DataTemplates` collection on each control (and on `Application`):
         <ContentControl Content="{Binding Foo}"/>
     <UserControl>    
 
-`ItemsControl`s don't currently have an `ItemTemplate` property: instead just
-place the template for your items into the control's `DataTemplates`, e.g.
-
-    <ListBox Items="ItemsSource">
-        <ListBox.DataTemplates>
-            <DataTemplate>
-                <TextBlock Text="{Binding Caption}"/>
-            </DataTemplate>
-        </ListBox.DataTemplates>
-    </ListBox>
-
 Data templates in Avalonia can also target interfaces and derived classes (which
 cannot be done in WPF) and so the order of `DataTemplate`s can be important:
 `DataTemplate`s  within the same collection are evaluated in declaration order
@@ -92,13 +81,8 @@ referred to using the `{StyleResource}` markup extension both inside and outside
 styles.
 
 For non-style-related resources, we suggest defining them in code and referring
-to them in markup using the `{Static}` markup extension. There are [various
+to them in markup using the `{Static}` markup extension. To read more about the reasoning for this,
-reasons](http://www.codemag.com/article/1501091) for this, but briefly:
+see [this issue comment](https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Avalonia/issues/462#issuecomment-191849723).
-
-- Resources have to be parsed
-- The tree has to be traversed to find them
-- XAML doesn't handle immutable objects
-- XAML syntax can be long-winded compared to C#
 
 ## Grid
 

src/Avalonia.Base/AvaloniaObjectExtensions.cs

@@ -16,7 +16,13 @@ namespace Avalonia
     /// </summary>
     public static class AvaloniaObjectExtensions
     {
-        public static IBinding AsBinding<T>(this IObservable<T> source)
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Converts an <see cref="IObservable{T}"/> to an <see cref="IBinding"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <typeparam name="T">The type produced by the observable.</typeparam>
+        /// <param name="source">The observable</param>
+        /// <returns>An <see cref="IBinding"/>.</returns>
+        public static IBinding ToBinding<T>(this IObservable<T> source)
         {
             return new BindingAdaptor(source.Select(x => (object)x));
         }

src/Avalonia.Diagnostics/Views/ControlDetailsView.cs

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Diagnostics.Views
                         },
                     },
                     [GridRepeater.TemplateProperty] = pt,
-                    [!GridRepeater.ItemsProperty] = this.WhenAnyValue(x => x.ViewModel.Properties).AsBinding(),
+                    [!GridRepeater.ItemsProperty] = this.WhenAnyValue(x => x.ViewModel.Properties).ToBinding(),
                 }
             };
         }
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Diagnostics.Views
                 TextWrapping = TextWrapping.NoWrap,
                 [!ToolTip.TipProperty] = property
                     .WhenAnyValue(x => x.Diagnostic)
-                    .AsBinding(),
+                    .ToBinding(),
             };
 
             yield return new TextBlock
@@ -73,13 +73,13 @@ namespace Avalonia.Diagnostics.Views
                 [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = property
                     .WhenAnyValue(v => v.Value)
                     .Select(v => v?.ToString())
-                    .AsBinding(),
+                    .ToBinding(),
             };
 
             yield return new TextBlock
             {
                 TextWrapping = TextWrapping.NoWrap,
-                [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = property.WhenAnyValue(x => x.Priority).AsBinding(),
+                [!TextBlock.TextProperty] = property.WhenAnyValue(x => x.Priority).ToBinding(),
             };
         }
     }

tests/Avalonia.Base.UnitTests/AvaloniaObjectTests_DataValidation.cs

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Base.UnitTests
             var source = new Subject<object>();
             var target = new Class1
             {
-                [!Class1.NonValidatedProperty] = source.AsBinding(),
+                [!Class1.NonValidatedProperty] = source.ToBinding(),
             };
 
             source.OnNext(new BindingNotification(6));
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Base.UnitTests
             var source = new Subject<object>();
             var target = new Class1
             {
-                [!Class1.ValidatedDirectProperty] = source.AsBinding(),
+                [!Class1.ValidatedDirectProperty] = source.ToBinding(),
             };
 
             source.OnNext(new BindingNotification(6));

tests/Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests/ListBoxTests.cs

@@ -163,9 +163,9 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests
                     Content = new ItemsPresenter
                     {
                         Name = "PART_ItemsPresenter",
-                        [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsProperty).AsBinding(),
+                        [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsProperty).ToBinding(),
-                        [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsPanelProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsPanelProperty).AsBinding(),
+                        [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsPanelProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsPanelProperty).ToBinding(),
-                        [~ItemsPresenter.VirtualizationModeProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ListBox.VirtualizationModeProperty).AsBinding(),
+                        [~ItemsPresenter.VirtualizationModeProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ListBox.VirtualizationModeProperty).ToBinding(),
                     }
                 });
         }
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests
                 new ScrollContentPresenter
                 {
                     Name = "PART_ContentPresenter",
-                    [~ScrollContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ScrollViewer.ContentProperty).AsBinding(),
+                    [~ScrollContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ScrollViewer.ContentProperty).ToBinding(),
                     [~~ScrollContentPresenter.ExtentProperty] = parent[~~ScrollViewer.ExtentProperty],
                     [~~ScrollContentPresenter.OffsetProperty] = parent[~~ScrollViewer.OffsetProperty],
                     [~~ScrollContentPresenter.ViewportProperty] = parent[~~ScrollViewer.ViewportProperty],

tests/Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests/ListBoxTests_Single.cs

@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests
                 Content = new ItemsPresenter
                 {
                     Name = "PART_ItemsPresenter",
-                    [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsProperty).AsBinding(),
+                    [~ItemsPresenter.ItemsProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ItemsControl.ItemsProperty).ToBinding(),
                 }
             };
         }
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests
             return new ScrollContentPresenter
             {
                 Name = "PART_ContentPresenter",
-                [~ContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ContentControl.ContentProperty).AsBinding(),
+                [~ContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ContentControl.ContentProperty).ToBinding(),
             };
         }
 

tests/Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests/Primitives/TemplatedControlTests.cs

@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests.Primitives
                             {
                                 Child = new ContentPresenter
                                 {
-                                    [~ContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ContentControl.ContentProperty).AsBinding(),
+                                    [~ContentPresenter.ContentProperty] = parent.GetObservable(ContentControl.ContentProperty).ToBinding(),
                                 }
                             };
                         }),