Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint

This package provides support for UIHint attribute to be used with your Silverlight data forms

Usage:

Via NuGet Package Manager console run

> Install-Package Silverlight-Toolkit.DataForm.UIHint

Add please:Use.UiHint to your DataForm

    <toolkit:DataForm
        CommandButtonsVisibility="Commit,Cancel"
        CurrentItem="{Binding .}"
        Grid.Column="1"
        Grid.Row="1"
        xmlns:please="clr-namespace:Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint;assembly=Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint"
        please:Use.UiHint="true" />

Next, annotate your properties like below

[Display(Name = "Required Equipment")] 
[Required]
[UIHint("Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint.GenerateComboBox, Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint", "Silverlight", 
    "ItemsSourceProperty", "{Binding Equipments}",
    "DisplayMemberPath", "EquipmentName")]
public Equipment SelectedEquipment { get; set; }

Let's take it apart and see what it means:

1. The first parameter "Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint.GenerateComboBox, Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint" identifies the type of control that will be generated, and where the assembly is. Unfortunately, just specifying "System.Windows.Controls.ComboxBox, System.Windows.Controls" doesn't work, as the control still needs to be data bound to the right fields.

2. The second line "ItemsSourceProperty", "{Binding Equipments}" creates a data binding between the ItemsSource and the list of equipments that the user can select from.

3. The third line "DisplayMemberPath", "EquipmentName" assigns a string to comboBox.DisplayMemberPath

Predefined UiHits

1. Comboboxes

2. List of CheckBoxes

Combobox

[Display(Name = "Required Equipment")] 
[Required]
[UIHint("Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint.GenerateComboBox, Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint", "Silverlight", 
    "ItemsSourceProperty", "{Binding Equipments}",
    "DisplayMemberPath", "EquipmentName")]
public Equipment SelectedEquipment { get; set; }

List of CheckBoxes

This example generates a list containing CheckBoxes

    [Display(Name = "Any of these")]
    [UIHint("Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint.GenerateCheckBoxes, Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint", "Silverlight",
        "DisplayMemberPath", "ToppingName",
        "ItemsSourceProperty", "{Binding Toppings}")]
    public BindableCollection<Topping> SelectedToppings { get; set; }

    [Display(AutoGenerateField = false)]
    public BindableCollection<Topping> Toppings { get; set; }

Other Helpers

Occassionally, you may want to allow the user to leave the item as null. I've given you a NullableItemsSource class that you can use to bind to a list, and it will add null to the beginning of the list.

[Display(AutoGenerateField = false)]
public NullableItemsSource<Equipment> OptionalEquipments { get; set; }

[Display(Name = "Optional equipment")]
[UIHint("Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint.GenerateComboBox, Silverlight.DataForm.UIHint", "Silverlight",
    "ItemsSourceProperty", "{Binding OptionalEquipments}",
    "DisplayMemberPath", "EquipmentName")]
public Equipment OptionalEquipment { get; set; }

In your constructor, you can load the NullableItemsSource with a list

public MyViewModel()
{
    OptionalEquipments = new NullableItemsSource<Equipment>() {ItemsSource = Equipments};
}