Implementing INotifyPropertyChanged - does a bette

Question

Microsoft should have implemented something snappy for INotifyPropertyChanged, like in the automatic properties, just specify {get; set; notify;} I think it makes a lot of sense to do it. Or are there any complications to do it?

Can we ourselves implement something like 'notify' in our properties. Is there a graceful solution for implementing INotifyPropertyChanged in your class or the only way to do it is by raising the PropertyChanged event in each property.

If not can we write something to auto-generate the piece of code to raise PropertyChanged event?

Answer 1

Look here : http://dotnet-forum.de/blogs/thearchitect/archive/2012/11/01/die-optimale-implementierung-des-inotifypropertychanged-interfaces.aspx

It's written in German, but you can download the ViewModelBase.cs. All the comments in the cs-File are written in English.

With this ViewModelBase-Class it is possible to implement bindable properties similar to the well known Dependency Properties :

public string SomeProperty
{
    get { return GetValue( () => SomeProperty ); }
    set { SetValue( () => SomeProperty, value ); }
}

Answer 2

Let me introduce my own approach called Yappi. It belongs to Runtime proxy|derived class generators, adding new functionality to an existing object or type, like Caste Project's Dynamic Proxy.

It allows to implement INotifyPropertyChanged once in base class, and then declare derived classes in following style, still supporting INotifyPropertyChanged for new properties:

public class Animal:Concept
{
    protected Animal(){}
    public virtual string Name { get; set; }
    public virtual int Age { get; set; }
}

Complexity of derived class or proxy construction can be hidden behind the following line:

var animal = Concept.Create<Animal>.New();

And all INotifyPropertyChanged implementation work can be done like this:

public class Concept:INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    //Hide constructor
    protected Concept(){}

    public static class Create<TConcept> where TConcept:Concept
    {
        //Construct derived Type calling PropertyProxy.ConstructType
        public static readonly Type Type = PropertyProxy.ConstructType<TConcept, Implementation<TConcept>>(new Type[0], true);
        //Create constructing delegate calling Constructor.Compile
        public static Func<TConcept> New = Constructor.Compile<Func<TConcept>>(Type);
    }


    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;

    protected void OnPropertyChanged(PropertyChangedEventArgs eventArgs)
    {
        var caller = PropertyChanged;
        if(caller!=null)
        {
            caller(this, eventArgs);
        }
    }

    //define implementation
    public class Implementation<TConcept> : DefaultImplementation<TConcept> where TConcept:Concept
    {
        public override Func<TBaseType, TResult> OverrideGetter<TBaseType, TDeclaringType, TConstructedType, TResult>(PropertyInfo property)
        {
            return PropertyImplementation<TBaseType, TDeclaringType>.GetGetter<TResult>(property.Name);
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Overriding property setter implementation.
        /// </summary>
        /// <typeparam name="TBaseType">Base type for implementation. TBaseType must be TConcept, and inherits all its constraints. Also TBaseType is TDeclaringType.</typeparam>
        /// <typeparam name="TDeclaringType">Type, declaring property.</typeparam>
        /// <typeparam name="TConstructedType">Constructed type. TConstructedType is TDeclaringType and TBaseType.</typeparam>
        /// <typeparam name="TResult">Type of property.</typeparam>
        /// <param name="property">PropertyInfo of property.</param>
        /// <returns>Delegate, corresponding to property setter implementation.</returns>
        public override Action<TBaseType, TResult> OverrideSetter<TBaseType, TDeclaringType, TConstructedType, TResult>(PropertyInfo property)
        {
            //This code called once for each declared property on derived type's initialization.
            //EventArgs instance is shared between all events for each concrete property.
            var eventArgs = new PropertyChangedEventArgs(property.Name);
            //get delegates for base calls.
            Action<TBaseType, TResult> setter = PropertyImplementation<TBaseType, TDeclaringType>.GetSetter<TResult>(property.Name);
            Func<TBaseType, TResult> getter = PropertyImplementation<TBaseType, TDeclaringType>.GetGetter<TResult>(property.Name);

            var comparer = EqualityComparer<TResult>.Default;

            return (pthis, value) =>
            {//This code executes each time property setter is called.
                if (comparer.Equals(value, getter(pthis))) return;
                //base. call
                setter(pthis, value);
                //Directly accessing Concept's protected method.
                pthis.OnPropertyChanged(eventArgs);
            };
        }
    }
}

It is fully safe for refactoring, uses no reflection after type construction and fast enough.

Answer 3

I resolved in This Way (it's a little bit laboriouse, but it's surely the faster in runtime).

In VB (sorry, but I think it's not hard translate it in C#), I make this substitution with RE:

(?<Attr><(.*ComponentModel\.)Bindable\(True\)>)( |\r\n)*(?<Def>(Public|Private|Friend|Protected) .*Property )(?<Name>[^ ]*) As (?<Type>.*?)[ |\r\n](?![ |\r\n]*Get)

with:

Private _${Name} As ${Type}\r\n${Attr}\r\n${Def}${Name} As ${Type}\r\nGet\r\nReturn _${Name}\r\nEnd Get\r\nSet (Value As ${Type})\r\nIf _${Name} <> Value Then \r\n_${Name} = Value\r\nRaiseEvent PropertyChanged(Me, New ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs("${Name}"))\r\nEnd If\r\nEnd Set\r\nEnd Property\r\n

This transofrm all code like this:

<Bindable(True)>
Protected Friend Property StartDate As DateTime?

In

Private _StartDate As DateTime?
<Bindable(True)>
Protected Friend Property StartDate As DateTime?
    Get
        Return _StartDate
    End Get
    Set(Value As DateTime?)
        If _StartDate <> Value Then
            _StartDate = Value
            RaiseEvent PropertyChange(Me, New ComponentModel.PropertyChangedEventArgs("StartDate"))
        End If
    End Set
End Property

And If I want to have a more readable code, I can be the opposite just making the following substitution:

Private _(?<Name>.*) As (?<Type>.*)[\r\n ]*(?<Attr><(.*ComponentModel\.)Bindable\(True\)>)[\r\n ]*(?<Def>(Public|Private|Friend|Protected) .*Property )\k<Name> As \k<Type>[\r\n ]*Get[\r\n ]*Return _\k<Name>[\r\n ]*End Get[\r\n ]*Set\(Value As \k<Type>\)[\r\n ]*If _\k<Name> <> Value Then[\r\n ]*_\k<Name> = Value[\r\n ]*RaiseEvent PropertyChanged\(Me, New (.*ComponentModel\.)PropertyChangedEventArgs\("\k<Name>"\)\)[\r\n ]*End If[\r\n ]*End Set[\r\n ]*End Property

With

${Attr} ${Def} ${Name} As ${Type}

I throw to replace the IL code of the set method, but I can't write a lot of compiled code in IL... If a day I write it, I'll say you!

Answer 4

A very AOP-like approach is to inject the INotifyPropertyChanged stuff onto an already instantiated object on the fly. You can do this with something like Castle DynamicProxy. Here is an article that explains the technique:

Adding INotifyPropertyChanged to an existing object

Answer 5

Another Idea...

 public class ViewModelBase : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    private Dictionary<string, object> _propertyStore = new Dictionary<string, object>();
    protected virtual void SetValue<T>(T value, [CallerMemberName] string propertyName="") {
        _propertyStore[propertyName] = value;
        OnPropertyChanged(propertyName);
    }
    protected virtual T GetValue<T>([CallerMemberName] string propertyName = "")
    {
        object ret;
        if (_propertyStore.TryGetValue(propertyName, out ret))
        {
            return (T)ret;
        }
        else
        {
            return default(T);
        }
    }

    //Usage
    //public string SomeProperty {
    //    get { return GetValue<string>();  }
    //    set { SetValue(value); }
    //}

    public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
    protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
    {
        var temp = PropertyChanged;
        if (temp != null)
            temp.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
    }
}

Answer 6

I came up with this base class to implement the observable pattern, pretty much does what you need ("automatically" implementing the set and get). I spent line an hour on this as prototype, so it doesn't have many unit tests, but proves the concept. Note it uses the Dictionary<string, ObservablePropertyContext> to remove the need for private fields.

  public class ObservableByTracking<T> : IObservable<T>
  {
    private readonly Dictionary<string, ObservablePropertyContext> _expando;
    private bool _isDirty;

    public ObservableByTracking()
    {
      _expando = new Dictionary<string, ObservablePropertyContext>();

      var properties = this.GetType().GetProperties(BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance).ToList();
      foreach (var property in properties)
      {
        var valueContext = new ObservablePropertyContext(property.Name, property.PropertyType)
        {
          Value = GetDefault(property.PropertyType)
        };

        _expando[BuildKey(valueContext)] = valueContext;
      }
    }

    protected void SetValue<T>(Expression<Func<T>> expression, T value)
    {
      var keyContext = GetKeyContext(expression);
      var key = BuildKey(keyContext.PropertyName, keyContext.PropertyType);

      if (!_expando.ContainsKey(key))
      {
        throw new Exception($"Object doesn't contain {keyContext.PropertyName} property.");
      }

      var originalValue = (T)_expando[key].Value;
      if (EqualityComparer<T>.Default.Equals(originalValue, value))
      {
        return;
      }

      _expando[key].Value = value;
      _isDirty = true;
    }

    protected T GetValue<T>(Expression<Func<T>> expression)
    {
      var keyContext = GetKeyContext(expression);
      var key = BuildKey(keyContext.PropertyName, keyContext.PropertyType);

      if (!_expando.ContainsKey(key))
      {
        throw new Exception($"Object doesn't contain {keyContext.PropertyName} property.");
      }

      var value = _expando[key].Value;
      return (T)value;
    }

    private KeyContext GetKeyContext<T>(Expression<Func<T>> expression)
    {
      var castedExpression = expression.Body as MemberExpression;
      if (castedExpression == null)
      {
        throw new Exception($"Invalid expression.");
      }

      var parameterName = castedExpression.Member.Name;

      var propertyInfo = castedExpression.Member as PropertyInfo;
      if (propertyInfo == null)
      {
        throw new Exception($"Invalid expression.");
      }

      return new KeyContext {PropertyType = propertyInfo.PropertyType, PropertyName = parameterName};
    }

    private static string BuildKey(ObservablePropertyContext observablePropertyContext)
    {
      return $"{observablePropertyContext.Type.Name}.{observablePropertyContext.Name}";
    }

    private static string BuildKey(string parameterName, Type type)
    {
      return $"{type.Name}.{parameterName}";
    }

    private static object GetDefault(Type type)
    {
      if (type.IsValueType)
      {
        return Activator.CreateInstance(type);
      }
      return null;
    }

    public bool IsDirty()
    {
      return _isDirty;
    }

    public void SetPristine()
    {
      _isDirty = false;
    }

    private class KeyContext
    {
      public string PropertyName { get; set; }
      public Type PropertyType { get; set; }
    }
  }

  public interface IObservable<T>
  {
    bool IsDirty();
    void SetPristine();
  }

Here's the usage

public class ObservableByTrackingTestClass : ObservableByTracking<ObservableByTrackingTestClass>
  {
    public ObservableByTrackingTestClass()
    {
      StringList = new List<string>();
      StringIList = new List<string>();
      NestedCollection = new List<ObservableByTrackingTestClass>();
    }

    public IEnumerable<string> StringList
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => StringList); }
      set { SetValue(() => StringIList, value); }
    }

    public IList<string> StringIList
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => StringIList); }
      set { SetValue(() => StringIList, value); }
    }

    public int IntProperty
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => IntProperty); }
      set { SetValue(() => IntProperty, value); }
    }

    public ObservableByTrackingTestClass NestedChild
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => NestedChild); }
      set { SetValue(() => NestedChild, value); }
    }

    public IList<ObservableByTrackingTestClass> NestedCollection
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => NestedCollection); }
      set { SetValue(() => NestedCollection, value); }
    }

    public string StringProperty
    {
      get { return GetValue(() => StringProperty); }
      set { SetValue(() => StringProperty, value); }
    }
  }