Home Library Learn Downloads Support Community
Sign in | United States - English | |
0 out of 2 rated this helpful Rate this topic

HierarchicalDataTemplate Class

.NET Framework 4

Represents a DataTemplate that supports HeaderedItemsControl, such as TreeViewItem or MenuItem.

System.Object
  System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherObject
    System.Windows.FrameworkTemplate
      System.Windows.DataTemplate
        System.Windows.HierarchicalDataTemplate

Namespace:  System.Windows
Assembly:  PresentationFramework (in PresentationFramework.dll)
XMLNS for XAML: http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation, http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2007/xaml/presentation
C#
C++
F#
VB
Copy 
public class HierarchicalDataTemplate : DataTemplate
XAML Object Element Usage
Copy 
<HierarchicalDataTemplate>
  VisualTree
</HierarchicalDataTemplate>

The HierarchicalDataTemplate type exposes the following members.

  Name Description
Public method HierarchicalDataTemplate Initializes a new instance of the HierarchicalDataTemplate class.
Public method HierarchicalDataTemplate(Object) Initializes a new instance of the HierarchicalDataTemplate class with the specified type for which the template is intended.
Top
  Name Description
Public property AlternationCount Gets or sets the number of alternating item containers for the child items.
Public property DataTemplateKey Gets the default key of the DataTemplate. (Inherited from DataTemplate.)
Public property DataType Gets or sets the type for which this DataTemplate is intended. (Inherited from DataTemplate.)
Public property Dispatcher Gets the Dispatcher this DispatcherObject is associated with. (Inherited from DispatcherObject.)
Public property HasContent Gets a value that indicates whether this template has optimized content. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public property IsSealed Gets a value that indicates whether this object is in an immutable state so it cannot be changed. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public property ItemBindingGroup Gets or sets the BindingGroup that is copied to each child item.
Public property ItemContainerStyle Gets or sets the Style that is applied to the item container for each child item.
Public property ItemContainerStyleSelector Gets or sets custom style-selection logic for a style that can be applied to each item container.
Public property ItemsSource Gets or sets the binding for this data template, which indicates where to find the collection that represents the next level in the data hierarchy.
Public property ItemStringFormat Gets or sets a composite string that specifies how to format the items in the next level in the data hierarchy if they are displayed as strings.
Public property ItemTemplate Gets or sets the DataTemplate to apply to the ItemTemplate property on a generated HeaderedItemsControl (such as a MenuItem or a TreeViewItem), to indicate how to display items from the next level in the data hierarchy.
Public property ItemTemplateSelector Gets or sets the DataTemplateSelector to apply to the ItemTemplateSelector property on a generated HeaderedItemsControl (such as a MenuItem or a TreeViewItem), to indicate how to select a template to display items from the next level in the data hierarchy.
Public property Resources Gets or sets the collection of resources that can be used within the scope of this template. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public property Template Gets or sets a reference to the object that records or plays the XAML nodes for the template when the template is defined or applied by a writer. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public property Triggers Gets a collection of triggers that apply property values or perform actions based on one or more conditions. (Inherited from DataTemplate.)
Public property VisualTree Gets or sets the root node of the template. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Top
  Name Description
Public method CheckAccess Determines whether the calling thread has access to this DispatcherObject. (Inherited from DispatcherObject.)
Public method Equals(Object) Determines whether the specified Object is equal to the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
Protected method Finalize Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method FindName Finds the element associated with the specified name defined within this template. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public method GetHashCode Serves as a hash function for a particular type. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method GetType Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method LoadContent Loads the content of the template as an instance of an object and returns the root element of the content. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Protected method MemberwiseClone Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method RegisterName Registers a new name/object pair into the current name scope. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public method Seal Locks the template so it cannot be changed. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public method ShouldSerializeResources Returns a value that indicates whether serialization processes should serialize the value of the Resources property on instances of this class. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public method ShouldSerializeVisualTree Returns a value that indicates whether serialization processes should serialize the value of the VisualTree property on instances of this class. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Public method ToString Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.)
Public method UnregisterName Removes a name/object mapping from the XAML namescope. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Protected method ValidateTemplatedParent Checks the templated parent against a set of rules. (Inherited from DataTemplate.)
Public method VerifyAccess Enforces that the calling thread has access to this DispatcherObject. (Inherited from DispatcherObject.)
Top
  Name Description
Explicit interface implemetation Private method INameScope.FindName Infrastructure. Returns an object that has the provided identifying name. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Explicit interface implemetation Private method IQueryAmbient.IsAmbientPropertyAvailable Queries whether a specified ambient property is available in the current scope. (Inherited from FrameworkTemplate.)
Top

In the following example, ListLeagueList is a list of League objects. Each League object has a Name and a collection of Division objects. Each Division has a Name and a collection of Team objects, and each Team object has a Name.

XAML
Copy 

<Window x:Class="SDKSample.Window1"
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
  Title="HierarchicalDataTemplate Sample"
  xmlns:src="clr-namespace:SDKSample">
  <DockPanel>
    <DockPanel.Resources>
      <src:ListLeagueList x:Key="MyList"/>

      <HierarchicalDataTemplate DataType    = "{x:Type src:League}"
                                ItemsSource = "{Binding Path=Divisions}">
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}"/>
      </HierarchicalDataTemplate>

      <HierarchicalDataTemplate DataType    = "{x:Type src:Division}"
                                ItemsSource = "{Binding Path=Teams}">
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}"/>
      </HierarchicalDataTemplate>

      <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type src:Team}">
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}"/>
      </DataTemplate>
    </DockPanel.Resources>

    <Menu Name="menu1" DockPanel.Dock="Top" Margin="10,10,10,10">
        <MenuItem Header="My Soccer Leagues"
                  ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource MyList}}" />
    </Menu>

    <TreeView>
      <TreeViewItem ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource MyList}}" Header="My Soccer Leagues" />
    </TreeView>

  </DockPanel>
</Window>

The example shows that with the use of HierarchicalDataTemplate, you can easily display list data that contains other lists. The following is a screenshot of the example.

HierarchicalDataTemplate sample screen shot

More Code

How to: Create Simple or Complex TreeViews This example shows how to create simple or complex TreeView controls.
How to: Use SelectedValue, SelectedValuePath, and SelectedItem This example shows how to use the SelectedValue and SelectedValuePath properties to specify a value for the SelectedItem of a TreeView.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
Did you find this helpful?
(2000 characters remaining)
Community Content Add
Annotations FAQ
There are just no remarks to help you get started.
I just had a hard time implementing a hierarchical binding with a ContextMenu.
The ItemsSource property is simply not the usual one you encounter : ItemsControl.ItemsSource

Gets or sets the binding for this data template, which indicates where to find the collection
that represents the next level in the data hierarchy.

Nothing related with the usual one which says :
Gets or sets a collection used to generate the content of the System.Windows.Controls.ItemsControl.

So the ItemsSource in the HierarchicalDataTemplate takes another meaning.

The HierarchicalDataTemplate can't be a resource like a DataTemplate,
also the last node can be a DataTemplate.

My application was hanging VS when it exited ...

Here's how I made it working.

<UserControl.ContextMenu>
        <ContextMenu DataContext="{Binding Source={x:Static WpfApplication1:AsioManager.Devices}}">
            <ContextMenu.Resources>
                <HierarchicalDataTemplate DataType="{x:Type WpfApplication1:AsioDevice}"
                                          ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Channels}">
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}" />
                </HierarchicalDataTemplate>
                <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type WpfApplication1:AsioChannel}">
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}" />
                </DataTemplate>
            </ContextMenu.Resources>
            <MenuItem Header="I/O"
                      ItemsSource="{Binding }"></MenuItem>
        </ContextMenu>
    </UserControl.ContextMenu>


History
There are just no remarks to help you get started.
I just had a hard time implementing a hierarchical binding with a ContextMenu.
The ItemsSource property is simply not the usual one you encounter : ItemsControl.ItemsSource

Gets or sets the binding for this data template, which indicates where to find the collection
that represents the next level in the data hierarchy.

Nothing related with the usual one which says :
Gets or sets a collection used to generate the content of the System.Windows.Controls.ItemsControl.

So the ItemsSource in the HierarchicalDataTemplate takes another meaning.

The HierarchicalDataTemplate can't be a resource like a DataTemplate,
also the last node can be a DataTemplate.

My application was hanging VS when it exited ...

Here's how I made it working.

<UserControl.ContextMenu>
        <ContextMenu DataContext="{Binding Source={x:Static WpfApplication1:AsioManager.Devices}}">
            <ContextMenu.Resources>
                <HierarchicalDataTemplate DataType="{x:Type WpfApplication1:AsioDevice}"
                                          ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Channels}">
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}" />
                </HierarchicalDataTemplate>
                <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type WpfApplication1:AsioChannel}">
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}" />
                </DataTemplate>
            </ContextMenu.Resources>
            <MenuItem Header="I/O"
                      ItemsSource="{Binding }"></MenuItem>
        </ContextMenu>
    </UserControl.ContextMenu>


History
Loading tree children on expand event
(forums.silverlight.net/forums/t/188111.aspx) is a nice example on how you can use the expand event to load the node's children when you are using a hierarchichal data template for your tree view
History