C# how to implement databinding without Control?

Question

Is there a simple way to implement databinding when neither of both classes is of type Control?

In my case, I would like to bind a variable to a property of a custom ToolStripButton.

EDIT for clarification: when binding to a Control, I can use Control's DataBindings collection. However, I am searching for a way to bind properties regardless of the source and target Type.

EDIT: using winforms

Answer 1

You can probably do this by using Truss.

Truss provides WPF-style databinding for any class that implements INotifyPropertyChanged. It gives you a bit more flexibility in this, since it doesn't restrict the classes to being derived from a specific base class.

Answer 2

I use this Implemetation of IBindableComponent on the ToolStripButton, found here. The BindableToolStripButton allows you to use Databinding like with a normal Control.

[ToolStripItemDesignerAvailability(ToolStripItemDesignerAvailability.ToolStrip | ToolStripItemDesignerAvailability.StatusStrip)]
public class BindableToolStripButton : ToolStripButton, IBindableComponent
{

    public BindableToolStripButton()
        : base() { }
    public BindableToolStripButton(String text)
        : base(text) { }
    public BindableToolStripButton(System.Drawing.Image image)
        : base(image) { }
    public BindableToolStripButton(String text, System.Drawing.Image image)
        : base(text, image) { }
    public BindableToolStripButton(String text, System.Drawing.Image image, EventHandler onClick)
        : base(text, image, onClick) { }
    public BindableToolStripButton(String text, System.Drawing.Image image, EventHandler onClick, String name)
        : base(text, image, onClick, name) { }



    #region IBindableComponent Members
    private BindingContext bindingContext;
    private ControlBindingsCollection dataBindings;

    [Browsable(false)]
    public BindingContext BindingContext
    {
        get
        {
            if (bindingContext == null)
            {
                bindingContext = new BindingContext();
            }
            return bindingContext;
        }
        set
        {
            bindingContext = value;
        }
    }
    [DesignerSerializationVisibility(DesignerSerializationVisibility.Content)]
    public ControlBindingsCollection DataBindings
    {
        get
        {
            if (dataBindings == null)
            {
                dataBindings = new ControlBindingsCollection(this);
            }
            return dataBindings;
        }
    }
    #endregion

}

Assuming you have a class MyClass implementing INotifyPropertyChanged, use it just like you would when binding to a control property:

bindableToolStripButton1.DataBindings.Add("Enabled", myClass1, "MyBooleanProperty");