Binding.Source Property (System.Windows.Data)

Source Property

Collapse All

Language Filter

This page is specific to

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:

.NET Framework Class Library

Binding..::.Source Property

Gets or sets the object to use as the binding source.

Namespace: System.Windows.Data
Assembly: PresentationFramework (in PresentationFramework.dll)
XMLNS for XAML: http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation, http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2007/xaml/presentation

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Property Source As Object

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As Binding
Dim value As Object

value = instance.Source

instance.Source = value

public Object Source { get; set; }

Visual C++

public:
property Object^ Source {
    Object^ get ();
    void set (Object^ value);
}

JScript

public function get Source () : Object
public function set Source (value : Object)

XAML Property Element Usage

<object>
  <object.Source>
    <Object .../>
  </object.Source>
</object>

XAML Attribute Usage

<object Source="Object"/>

XAML Values

Object: An existing object. To refer to an existing object, use the StaticResource Markup Extension

Property Value

Type: System..::.Object
The object to use as the binding source.

Remarks

By default, bindings inherit the data context specified by the DataContext property, if one has been set. However, the Source property is one of the ways you can explicitly set the source of a Binding and override the inherited data context. If you do not need the functionality of establishing a scope in which several properties inherit the same data context, you can use the Source property instead of the DataContext property.

The Binding..::.ElementName and Binding..::.RelativeSource properties also enable you to set the source of the binding explicitly. However, only one of the three properties, ElementName, Source, and RelativeSource, should be set for each binding, or a conflict can occur. This property throws an exception if there is a binding source conflict.

To clear this property, set it to DependencyProperty..::.UnsetValue.

Examples

In this example, you have a Person object with a string property named PersonName. The Person object is defined in the namespace called SDKSample.

The following example instantiates the Person object with a PersonName property value of Joe. This is done in the Resources section and assigned an x:Key.

XAML

<Window
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
  xmlns:src="clr-namespace:SDKSample"
  SizeToContent="WidthAndHeight"
  Title="Simple Data Binding Sample">

  <Window.Resources>
    <src:Person x:Key="myDataSource" PersonName="Joe"/>


...


</Window.Resources>


...


</Window>

To bind to the PersonName property you would do the following:

XAML

<TextBlock Text="{Binding Source={StaticResource myDataSource}, Path=PersonName}"/>

As a result, the TextBlock appears with the value "Joe".

For the complete sample, see Simple Binding Sample.

In the following example, the Source values of the Binding objects are set to the static property Application..::.Current:

XAML

<ComboBox.IsEnabled>
    <MultiBinding Converter="{StaticResource specialFeaturesConverter}">
        <Binding Path="CurrentUser.Rating" 
          Source="{x:Static Application.Current}"/>
        <Binding Path="CurrentUser.MemberSince" 
    Source="{x:Static Application.Current}"/>
    </MultiBinding>
</ComboBox.IsEnabled>

For the full example, see Data Binding Demo.

More Code

How to: Specify the Binding Source

In data binding, the binding source object refers to the object you obtain your data from. This topic describes the different ways of specifying the binding source.

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0

Reference

Binding Class

Binding Members

System.Windows.Data Namespace

Other Resources

Binding Sources Overview

Data Binding Overview

How to: Specify the Binding Source