#1,140 – Using a Value Converter in a Template

You can use a value converter anywhere in XAML where you are using data binding.

Below is an example of using a value converter within a data template.  The Visibility property is bound to the underlying Actor object that is the data context for the item template.  The value converter then derives a value for Visibility from several properties within the Actor object.  (Assume that we have an ActorList property that is a collection of Actor instances).

The XAML includes:

    <Window.Resources>
        <loc:DeadFredConverter x:Key="deadFredConverter"/>
    </Window.Resources>

    <StackPanel>
        <ListBox Margin="15" Width="270" Height="320"
             ItemsSource="{Binding ActorList}">
            <ListBox.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                        <Image Source="{Binding Image}" Height="80"/>
                        <StackPanel Margin="5">
                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding FullName}" FontSize="12" FontWeight="Bold"/>
                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding Dates}"/>
                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding KnownFor}" Margin="0,5,0,0" FontStyle="Italic"/>
                        </StackPanel>
                        <Label Content="Dead Fred !" Foreground="Red"
                               FontWeight="Bold"
                               Visibility="{Binding Converter={StaticResource deadFredConverter}}"/>
                    </StackPanel>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ListBox.ItemTemplate>
        </ListBox>
    </StackPanel>

The body of the value converter is:

    class DeadFredConverter : IValueConverter
    {
        // Convert to Visibility, deriving from properties on Actor object
        public object Convert(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            Actor a = (Actor)value;

            Visibility vis = Visibility.Hidden;

            if ((a.FirstName == "Fred") &&
                a.DeathYear.HasValue &&
                (a.DeathYear <= DateTime.Today.Year))
                vis = Visibility.Visible;

            return vis;
        }

        public object ConvertBack(object value, Type targetType, object parameter, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }
    }