WinUI 3 (0.8.1), C++/WinRT (2.0.210714.1), Desktop - Using "BindingOperations::SetBinding(...)

Question

I'm binding a ListBox in Xaml to a NetworkViewModel instance, which holds a collection of NodeViewModel instances. A NodeViewModel instance shall be displayed on a canvas in X and Y positions, which are provided by the NodeViewModel.

I want to bind ListBoxItem's Canvas. Left and Canvas. Top to X and Y. I assume that in WinUI it is not possible to use a binding in a Style. A workaround could be a helper class with attached properties for the source paths of the bindings. It creates the bindings in code behind in a PropertyChangedCallback of the helper property. But the binding doesn't work, why?

void BindingHelperNodes::OnBindingPathPropertyChanged( winrt::Microsoft::UI::Xaml::DependencyObject const& d,
winrt::Microsoft::UI::Xaml::DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs const& e )
{
   if(Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::ListBoxItem item{ d.try_as<Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::ListBoxItem>() })
     {
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::Canvas::LeftProperty;
        
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::Binding binding;
         binding.Mode( Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::BindingMode::OneWay );
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::PropertyPath propertyPath( L"Y" );
         binding.Path( propertyPath );
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::RelativeSource relativeSource;
         relativeSource.Mode( Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::RelativeSourceMode::Self );
         binding.RelativeSource( relativeSource );
                
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::BindingOperations::SetBinding(
             d,
             Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::Canvas::LeftProperty(),
             binding);
         //item.SetBinding( Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::Canvas::LeftProperty(), binding );
     }
 }



 <Grid>
     <Grid.Resources>
         <ResourceDictionary>
             <Style x:Name="listBoxItemContainerStyle2" TargetType="ListBoxItem">
                 <Setter Property="Canvas.Left" Value="0"/>
             </Style>
         </ResourceDictionary>
     </Grid.Resources>
     <ListBox Grid.Row="1" ItemsSource="{x:Bind mainViewModel.NetworkViewModel.Nodes, Mode=OneWay}"
         >
         <ItemsControl.ItemContainerStyle>
             <Style TargetType="ListBoxItem">
                 <Setter Property="local:BindingHelperNodes.CanvasLeftBindingPath" Value="X"/>
             </Style>
         </ItemsControl.ItemContainerStyle>
         <ListBox.Template>
             <ControlTemplate TargetType="ListBox">
                 <ItemsPresenter />
             </ControlTemplate>
         </ListBox.Template>
         <ListBox.ItemsPanel>
             <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                 <Canvas Background="Transparent" />
             </ItemsPanelTemplate>
         </ListBox.ItemsPanel>
         <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
             <DataTemplate x:DataType="local:NodeViewModel">
                 <Grid
                     Width="120"
                     Height="60"
                     >
                     <!-- This rectangle is the main visual for the node. -->
                     <Rectangle
                         Stroke="Black"
                         Fill="White"
                         RadiusX="40"
                         RadiusY="40" 
                     />
             </DataTemplate>
         </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
     </ListBox>
 </Grid>

Answer 1

I luckily found the problem! The real problem was the call to SetBinding() in line 13, which had no effect. But I actually forgot to set the attribute "[Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Data.Bindable]" in the IDL file!

IDL file:

 namespace NetworkView
 {   
     [Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Data.Bindable]
     runtimeclass NodeViewModel : Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Data.INotifyPropertyChanged
     {
         // Declaring a constructor (or constructors) in the IDL causes the runtime class to be
         // activatable from outside the compilation unit.
         NodeViewModel();
    
         String Name;
         Double X;
         Double Y;
     }
 }

CPP file to create the binding:

void BindingHelperNodes::OnBindingPathPropertyChanged( winrt::Microsoft::UI::Xaml::DependencyObject const& d, winrt::Microsoft::UI::Xaml::DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs const& e )
 {
     if(Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::ListBoxItem item{ d.try_as<Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::ListBoxItem>() })
     {
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::Binding binding;
         binding.Mode( Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::BindingMode::OneWay );
         Microsoft::UI::Xaml::PropertyPath propertyPath( L"X" );
         binding.Path( propertyPath );
                
         // Alternative 1 works
         //Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Data::BindingOperations::SetBinding(
         //    d,
         //    Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::Canvas::LeftProperty(),
         //    binding);
         // Alternative 2 works, too
         item.SetBinding( Microsoft::UI::Xaml::Controls::Canvas::LeftProperty(), binding );
     }
 }

Best regards Alfred