WPF Databinding: How do I access the "parent" data context?

Question

I have a list (see below) contained in a window. The window's DataContext has two properties, Items and AllowItemCommand.

How do I get the binding for the Hyperlink's Command property needs to resolve against the window's DataContext?

<ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
  <ListView.View>
    <GridView>
      <GridViewColumn Header="Action">
        <GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
          <DataTemplate>
            <StackPanel>
              <TextBlock>

                <!-- this binding is not working -->
                <Hyperlink Command="{Binding AllowItemCommand}"
                           CommandParameter="{Binding .}">
                    <TextBlock Text="Allow" />
                </Hyperlink>

              </TextBlock>
            </StackPanel>
          </DataTemplate>
        </GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
      </GridViewColumn>
    </GridView>
  </ListView.View>
</ListView>

Can you get into the debugger and step through to the point where the UI is being built? If so can you get into the variable and try to drill up — ist_lion, Jul 14 '09 at 20:49
Simple solution (which also works in Windows 8 Store/Metro app) is here: [http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15366609/how-to-access-parents-datacontext-in-window-8-store-apps/15419382#15419382](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15366609/how-to-access-parents-datacontext-in-window-8-store-apps/15419382#15419382) — LMK, Jun 13 '13 at 03:18

score 463 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 14 '09 at 20:51

463

You could try something like this:

...Binding="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, 
AncestorType={x:Type Window}}, Path=DataContext.AllowItemCommand}" ...

answered Jul 14 '09 at 20:51

flq

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I used this to bind to a ICommand on my VM from a ContextMenu set on a ListBoxItem from within a Style. Worked great, thanks!! – Wil P Nov 02 '11 at 17:13
1

How does one do this in a Windows 8 app? I used "ElementName=..." to get it to work, but it leaks the DataContext – Joris Weimar Jan 22 '13 at 11:26
Sadly didn't work for me because the parent is in a different file. – Thomas Dec 20 '15 at 09:38
@Thomas6767 , Hope you have solved your issue can your please your code. – Mohammed Abrar Ahmed Aug 20 '16 at 07:23
@MohdAbrarAhmed Could take a while, but I'll dig it up this weekend. – Thomas Sep 30 '16 at 09:30
1

Thanks! I was confusing myself with a relative binding because I was thinking it would give me the DataContext of the ancestor, not the ancestor itself. Adding the DataContext. solved the problem :) – DrEsperanto May 06 '19 at 15:12

score 53 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 01 '16 at 12:06

53

This will also work:

<Hyperlink Command="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource AncestorType=ItemsControl},
                             Path=DataContext.AllowItemCommand}" />

ListView will inherit its DataContext from Window, so it's available at this point, too.
And since ListView, just like similar controls (e. g. Gridview, ListBox, etc.), is a subclass of ItemsControl, the Binding for such controls will work perfectly.

edited Nov 01 '16 at 12:06

Yoda

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answered Apr 24 '16 at 09:16

Kylo Ren

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(Looking at the poster and the editor) I find this post funny... :D – Jack Frost May 02 '18 at 12:09
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@JackFrost if Yoda interferes with Kylo'l work again. Kylo is going to kill Yoda. :P – Kylo Ren May 03 '18 at 05:33
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Nope, he can't. Yoda is one with the force now. Hehehe – Jack Frost May 03 '18 at 05:35

score 10 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 11 '12 at 06:43

10

This also works in Silverlight 5 (perhaps earlier as well but i haven't tested it). I used the relative source like this and it worked fine.

RelativeSource="{RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType=telerik:RadGridView}"

answered Apr 11 '12 at 06:43

sangers

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WPF Databinding: How do I access the "parent" data context?

3 Answers3

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