How to 'merge' a XAML file and its code-behind with Visual Studio

Question

I have a template defined in a XAML file named 'MyTemplate.xaml'. This template is using a code-behind file named 'MyTemplate.cs'.

Mytemplate.xaml:

<ResourceDictionary x:Class="Project.Templates.MyTemplate">
    <DataTemplate ... />
</ResourceDictionary>

MyTemplate.cs:

namespace Project.Templates
{
    public partial class MyTemplate : ResourceDictionary
    {
        ...
    }
}

In the Visual Studio Solution Explorer, these two files are side by side. What I would like to do is to put these two files together, just like with a Control and its code-behind.

What I have:

What I would like to have:

What is the best way to do that? Thank you.

Answer 1

You need to edit the .csproj file. Find the <Compile> element for MyTemplate.cs, and add a <DependentUpon> element under it:

<Compile Include="MyTemplate.cs">   <DependentUpon>MyTemplate.xaml</DependentUpon> </Compile> 

See this blog post: make a project item a child item of another

Answer 2

This isn't an answer to your initial question, but to this:

In that case, please explain how to add an event handler to a template without using code-behind

You can do this with a ViewModel and an ICommand class.

First you need to create your ViewModel class, make this public and non static with a parameter-less constructor.

Then create another class which implements the ICommand interface:

public class Command : ICommand
{
    public void Execute(object parameter)
    {
        //this is what happens when you respond to the event
    }

    public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
    {
        return true;
    }

    public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;
}

Add an instance of your command class to your ViewModel class, make this private and expose it through a read-only property:

public class ViewModel
{
    private readonly ICommand _command = new Command();

    public ICommand Command
    {
        get { return _command; }
    }
}

Add your ViewModel as a static resource, in your App.xaml file:

<Application.Resources>
     <wpfApplication1:ViewModel x:Key="ViewModel"/>
</Application.Resources>

Set your DataContext of your XAML file to your ViewModel:

<Window DataContext="{StaticResource ViewModel}">

Now respond to your event by binding to the Command class:

<Button Click="{Binding Command}"></Button>

Boom, no code-behind. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Another way is to:

• Add/Create a new XAML file/item
• Copy and paste the old .xaml and xaml.cs content to the new equivalent files
• delete the separate files
• rename the new file