Dependency Properties, change notification and setting values in the constructor

Question

Hello,

I have a class with 3 dependency properties A,B,C. The values of these properties are set by the constructor and every time one of the properties A, B or C changes, the method recalculate() is called. Now during execution of the constructor these method is called 3 times, because the 3 properties A, B, C are changed. Hoewever this isn't necessary as the method recalculate() can't do anything really useful without all 3 properties set. So what's the best way for property change notification but circumventing this change notification in the constructor? I thought about adding the property changed notification in the constructor, but then each object of the DPChangeSample class would always add more and more change notifications. Thanks for any hint!

class DPChangeSample : DependencyObject
{                  
    public static DependencyProperty AProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("A", typeof(int), typeof(DPChangeSample), new PropertyMetadata(propertyChanged));
    public static DependencyProperty BProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("B", typeof(int), typeof(DPChangeSample), new PropertyMetadata(propertyChanged));
    public static DependencyProperty CProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("C", typeof(int), typeof(DPChangeSample), new PropertyMetadata(propertyChanged));


    private static void propertyChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        ((DPChangeSample)d).recalculate();
    }


    private void recalculate()
    {
        // Using A, B, C do some cpu intensive calculations
    }


    public DPChangeSample(int a, int b, int c)
    {
        SetValue(AProperty, a);
        SetValue(BProperty, b);
        SetValue(CProperty, c);
    }
}

Answer 1

Use DependencyObject.SetValueBase. This bypasses any Metadata specified, so your propertyChanged won't be called. See msdn.

Answer 2

Hi Stefan, you don't want to execute recalculate() unless all three properties are set, but in the it gets called from the constructor when setting a, b and c? is this correct?

if so, can you not just put a check in the recalculate near the top to check that all three properties are set and decide if you want to execute or not....

This will work because you mentions that

as the method recalculate() can't do anything really useful without all 3 properties set.

Answer 3

Can you try this?

private bool SupressCalculation = false;
private void recalculate() 
{ 
    if(SupressCalculation)
        return;
    // Using A, B, C do some cpu intensive caluclations 
} 


public DPChangeSample(int a, int b, int c) 
{
    SupressCalculation = true; 
    SetValue(AProperty, a); 
    SetValue(BProperty, b); 
    SupressCalculation = false;
    SetValue(CProperty, c); 
}