unbinding bindingsource

Question

I am using a bindingsource in my windows forms application to populate some textboxes etc in my view. Binding works OK but how can I unsubscribe my bindingSource from from my object?

bindingSource.DataSource = new Foo();//OK
bindingSource.DataSource = null;//Not ok

If I try to unbind by setting data = null I get an exception:

System.ArgumentException : Cannot bind to the property or column Bar on the DataSource. Parameter name: dataMember

I don't want to remove all bindings to my controls (i have a lot) but would like to suspend binding as long as the bindingSource has no data....

I found a workaround like this bindingSource.DataSource = typeof(Foo); but is this THE way?

Answer 1

The typeof "workaround" is actually what the windows forms designer does when you set the BindingSource's DataSource in the PropertyGrid, and select a type from "Project data sources".

Look at the generated code in the *.designer.cs file for your form.

We use this "trick" in one of our products, and it has worked well for many years now.

Regards