WPF: When is data binding applied?

Question

Hallo,

i stuck at a behaviour i can't explain nor find any help in the documentation or various forums.

The following code is needed to explain my problem/ to ask my question. A simple WPF (VB.Net) app that has an combo box (BindingBox) that binds to a List (BindingData):

Imports System.ComponentModel

Class MainWindow
    Implements INotifyPropertyChanged

    Public Event PropertyChanged As PropertyChangedEventHandler Implements INotifyPropertyChanged.PropertyChanged
    Protected Shadows Sub OnPropertyChanged(ByVal name As String)
        RaiseEvent PropertyChanged(Me, New PropertyChangedEventArgs(name))
    End Sub

    Dim _BindingData As New List(Of String)

    Public Property BindingData As List(Of String)
        Get
            Return _BindingData
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As List(Of String))
            _BindingData = value
            OnPropertyChanged("BindingData")
        End Set
    End Property

    Sub New()
        InitializeComponent()

        DataContext = Me
        BindingBox.ItemsSource = BindingData

        BindingData.Add("Data 1")
        BindingData.Add("Data 2")
    End Sub

End Class

I added the binding to the code-behind, so i do not have to post the xaml. The behaviour is the same also if i establish the binding in the xaml.

Now to my problem/question.
The combo box BindingBox should only be updated if a new list is assigned to BindingData (source of the binding). But in this example BindingBox is also updated after i assigned BindingData to ItemsSource and added items to BindingData afterwards.

After the ui is fully loaded the combo box BindingBox is only updated if a new list is assinged to BindingData and not if items are added or removed (e.g. during a button click). Like it is described in the documentation.

So why is the behaviour different during the initialization? Why are the items displayed in the combo box after the assignment to ItemsSource? I assume that it has something to do with the initialization and loading of the ui and all its element.

I got the advice to post it in MS Q&A (here ist the original post: https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/9352c02c-2711-4822-a7cd-77c3aaf1c56a/wpf-when-is-data-binding-applied?forum=vbgeneral)

Answer 1

Hi, use ObservableCollection instead of List. You can simplified your code like this:

<Window x:Class="MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApp1"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">
  <StackPanel>
    <Button Content="new row" Click="Button_Click"/>
    <ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding BindingData}"/>
  </StackPanel>
</Window>

---

Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel

Class MainWindow

  Public Property BindingData As New ObservableCollection(Of String)

  Sub New()
    InitializeComponent()

    DataContext = Me

    BindingData.Add("Data 1")
    BindingData.Add("Data 2")
  End Sub

  Private Sub Button_Click(sender As Object, e As RoutedEventArgs)
    BindingData.Add("new row")
  End Sub

End Class

Answer 2

Hi PeterFleischer-3316,

thank you for your answer, i know the use of ObservableCollection but it does not answer my question.

I do not understand why the combo box updates his content if a new element is added to the binded List(of String) - BindingData after it was assigned to the combobox ItemsSource. This happens only before the ui/window is shown, maybe it has something to do with that?