How to propagate PropertyChanged changes in DependencyProperty

Question

I have a class which implements INotifyPropertyChanged. An instance of this class is declared as a DependencyProperty in a Window, e.g.,

    public IMyClass MyClass
    {
        get { return (IMyClass)GetValue(MyClassProperty); }
        set { SetValue(MyClassProperty, value); }
    }
    public static readonly DependencyProperty MyClassProperty=
        DependencyProperty.Register("MyClass", typeof(IMyClass), typeof(MainWindow), new UIPropertyMetadata(null));

In the XAML, I have an element which is bound to this class using

Text="{Binding MyClass, Converter={StaticResource someConverter}}

Whenever I change a property in MyClass, I would like someConverter to be triggered. However, it only happens when I completely swap out MyClass. Is there a way to tie DependencyProperty updates to my MyClass PropertyChanged?

Update. In the spirit of AresAvatar's solution, here's what we have so far. The issue remaining is how to call InvalidateProperty (without having MyClass track it...)

    public IMyClass MyClass
    {
        get { return (IMyClass)GetValue(MyClassProperty); }
        set { SetValue(MyClassProperty, value); }
    }
    public static readonly DependencyProperty MyClassProperty =
        DependencyProperty.Register("MyClass", typeof(IMyClass), typeof(MainWindow),
        new UIPropertyMetadata(null, new PropertyChangedCallback(OnMyClassChanged)));

    private static void OnMyClassChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.OldValue != null)
        {
            ((IMyClass)e.OldValue).PropertyChanged -= ((MainWindow)d).MyClass_PropertyChanged;
        }

        if (e.NewValue != null)
        {
            ((IMyClass)e.NewValue).PropertyChanged += ((MainWindow)d).MyClass_PropertyChanged;
        }
    }

    private void MyClass_PropertyChanged(object sender, System.ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        this.InvalidateProperty(MyClassProperty);  <----- still does not refresh binding, but called.
    }

Answer 1

Converters should not do more work than simple conversions, your question sounds like the converter uses a lot of properties of the object to create some combined value. Use a MultiBinding instead which hooks into all the different properties on the object you need, that way the MultiValueConverter on that MultiBinding will fire if any of those properties change.

Further, since you seem to create text you might be able to get away without using any converter at all as the StringFormat might be enough.

Answer 2

The only technique I've found is to call the binding's UpdateSource method in a strategically placed event handler, such as LostFocus.

private void mycontrol_LostFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    if (mycontrol.IsModified)
    {
        var binding = mycontrol.GetBindingExpression(MyControl.FooBarProperty);
        binding.UpdateSource();
    }
}

If you don't care about chattiness or if your control doesn't take input focus, you could do this in mycontrol_PropertyChanged event or similar. However, forcing a conversion cycle on every property change or every keystroke may interfere with validation.

Answer 3

In MyClass, implement a NotifyPropertyChanged event. Then add a property changed callback to your MyClass DependencyProperty. In the DP's property changed callback, hook your new MyClass NotifyPropertyChanged event to a second callback function (and unhook the previous value, if any, with a -= operator). In the second callback function, call DependencyObject.InvalidateProperty so that the binding gets updated.

Edit: you may need to trigger a binding update with:

BindingExpressionBase exp = BindingOperations.GetBindingExpressionBase(this, Container.MyClassProperty);
if (exp != null)
    exp.UpdateTarget();

class MyClass : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Event raised when a property is changed
    /// </summary>
    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;

    /// <summary>
    /// Raises the property changed event
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="e">The arguments to pass</param>
    protected void OnPropertyChanged(PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (PropertyChanged != null)
            PropertyChanged(this, e);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Notify for property changed
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="name">Property name</param>
    protected void NotifyPropertyChanged(string name)
    {
        OnPropertyChanged(new PropertyChangedEventArgs(name));
    }


    /// <summary>
    /// The parent container object
    /// </summary>
    public Container Parent { get; set; }


    // Some data
    int x;
}


class Container : DependencyObject
{
    public static readonly DependencyProperty MyClassProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("MyClass", typeof(MyClass), typeof(Container), new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(MyClassPropChanged));

    public MyClass MyClass
    {
        get { return (MyClass)GetValue(MyClassProperty); }
        set { SetValue(MyClassProperty, value); }
    }

    void MyClassPropChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        Container ct = d as Container;
        if (ct == null)
            return;

        MyClass oldc = e.OldValue as MyClass;
        if (oldc != null)
        {
            oldc.PropertyChanged -= new PropertyChangedEventHandler(MyClass_PropertyChanged);
            oldc.Parent = null;
        }
        MyClass newc = e.NewValue as MyClass;
        if (newc != null)
        {
            newc.Parent = ct;
            newc.PropertyChanged += new PropertyChangedEventHandler(MyClass_PropertyChanged);
        }
    }


    void MyClass_PropertyChanged(object sender, PropertyChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        MyClass mc = sender as MyClass;
        if (mc == null || mc.Parent == null)
            return;
        mc.Parent.InvalidateProperty(Container.MyClassProperty);
    }
}