WPF: Basic question about Dependency Properties

Question

I have the following Xaml in a Window (ArtistInfo):

<Grid>
    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Artist.Name}"></TextBlock>
</Grid>

And this is the code-behind for the same window (code simplified for question's sake):

public static readonly DependencyProperty ArtistProperty = 
        DependencyProperty.Register("Artist", typeof(Artist), typeof(ArtistInfo));

Artist Artist {
    get {
        return (Artist)GetValue(ArtistProperty);
    }
    set {
        SetValue(ArtistProperty, value);
    }
}

public ArtistInfo() {
    InitializeComponent();
}
public ArtistInfo(int artistID) {
    InitializeComponent();
    Artist = GetArtist(artistID);
}

Basically what I'm trying to do is data binding to a Dependency Property, so that when Artist is populated (in the constructor), the TextBlock gets filled with the Artist's name.

What am I missing here?

Answer 1

The only thing I didn't see was you updating the Binding source for the TextBlock. First add a name to the TextBlock

<TextBlock Name="m_tb" ... />

Then update the DataContext value in the constructor

public ArtistInfo() {
 ...
 m_tb.DataContext = this;
}

EDIT OP mentioned that there may be more than one TextBlock or child element.

In that case I would do the above trick for the closest parent object to all of the values. In this case the Grid control. The DataContext property will be inherited so to speak by all of the inner children.

Answer 2

<Window DataContext="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}" ...>
    <Grid>
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Artist.Name}"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>

HTH, Kent