WPF MenuItem.Command binding to ElementName results to System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference

Question

I have the following XAML:

<UserControl x:Class="EMS.Controls.Dictionary.TOCControl"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:EMS.Controls.Dictionary.Models"
    xmlns:diagnostics="clr-namespace:System.Diagnostics;assembly=WindowsBase"
    x:Name="root"  >

    <TreeView                    
        x:Name="TOCTreeView"                    
        Background="White"
         Padding="3,5"      
        ContextMenuOpening="TOCTreeView_ContextMenuOpening"
        ItemsSource="{Binding Children}" BorderBrush="{x:Null}"  >

        <TreeView.ItemTemplate>
            <HierarchicalDataTemplate ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Children, Mode=OneTime}">
                <Grid >
                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
                        <!--<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>-->                       
                        <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                    <!--<CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" IsChecked="{Binding IsVisible}"/>-->   
                    <ContentPresenter Grid.Column="0" Height="16" Width="20"
                                    Content="{Binding LayerRepresentation}"  />
                    <!--<ContentPresenter Grid.Column="1"      >
                        <ContentPresenter.Content>
                            Test
                        </ContentPresenter.Content>
                    </ContentPresenter>-->
                    <TextBlock Grid.Column="2" FontWeight="Normal" Text="{Binding Path=Alias, Mode=OneWay}" >
                        <ToolTipService.ToolTip>
                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding Description}" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
                        </ToolTipService.ToolTip>
                    </TextBlock>
                </Grid>
                <HierarchicalDataTemplate.ItemTemplate>
                    <HierarchicalDataTemplate ItemsSource="{Binding Path=Children, Mode=OneTime}">
                        <!--<DataTemplate>-->
                        <Grid >
                            <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                                <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
                                <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>                               
                                <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
                            </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
                            <CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" IsChecked="{Binding IsVisible}"/>
                            <ContentPresenter Grid.Column="1"
                                    Content="{Binding LayerRepresentation, Mode=OneWay}"  />
                            <TextBlock Margin="0,1,0,1" Text="{Binding Path=Alias, Mode=OneWay}" Grid.Column="2">
                                <ToolTipService.ToolTip>
                                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Description}" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
                                </ToolTipService.ToolTip>                   
                            </TextBlock>
                        </Grid>
                        <!--</DataTemplate>-->
                    </HierarchicalDataTemplate>                  
                </HierarchicalDataTemplate.ItemTemplate>
            </HierarchicalDataTemplate>
        </TreeView.ItemTemplate> 

        <TreeView.ContextMenu>
            <ContextMenu>
                <MenuItem Name="miRemove" Header="Remove"
                          Command="{Binding ElementName=root, Path=RemoveItemCmd, 
                    diagnostics:PresentationTraceSources.TraceLevel=High}">
                    <MenuItem.Icon>
                        <Image Source="../images/16x16/Delete.png"/>
                    </MenuItem.Icon>
                </MenuItem>
                <MenuItem Header="Properties"
                          Command="{Binding ElementName=root, Path=GetItemPropertiesCmd}"/>               
            </ContextMenu>       
        </TreeView.ContextMenu>


    </TreeView>

</UserControl>

Code behind for this UserControl has two ICommand properties with names: RemoveItemCmd and GetItemPropertiesCmd. However, I get

System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference 'ElementName=root'. BindingExpression:Path=RemoveItemCmd; DataItem=null; target element is 'MenuItem' (Name='miRemove'); target property is 'Command' (type 'ICommand')
System.Windows.Data Error: 4 : Cannot find source for binding with reference 'ElementName=root'. BindingExpression:Path=GetItemPropertiesCmd; DataItem=null; target element is 'MenuItem' (Name=''); target property is 'Command' (type 'ICommand')

when UserControl is constructed. Why is this and how do I resolve?

Answer 1

You cant bind using element name from a context menu. The link is broken between the context menu and its placement target. You can get around it using a couple of tricks though...

1. Use RoutedUICommands with a command binding on the UserControl, then no binding is needed.

2. Use the placement target binding on the context menu's DataContext. This allows you to at least get the data context of the element the context menu appears on to the context menu.

   DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=Self}, Path=PlacementTarget.DataContext}"

3. (and i think this is what you want) You can access a static resource, ElementSpy lets you link to the window using a static resource so you can then use a defacto ElementName bindings.

wpf and mvvm can sometimes be a bit fiddly...this question comes up again and again, im sure ive answered it before a few times.