My Master's Thesis Problems and solutions encountered…

Upload Files to MS SQL DB – MVVM

In my application, I needed the users to be able to upload a file in order to document their answer to questions about their working and environmental conditions.

First, I am just going to show the sequence of windows the user has to go through in order to upload a specific file.

1) The users clicks the "Upload file" button
2) The user chooses which file to upload
3) The user is informed about the upload (progress bar)
4) The user is informed of whether the upload succeeded or failed

Step 1: Create the "Upload file" button.

        <Button x:Name="Upload"  
            Content="Upload file" 
            Command="{Binding UploadFile}"
            HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>

Step 2: Create the UploadFile command that the button is bound. If you have not already created the DelegateCommand.cs needed to handle your commands from buttons, add the following class to your ViewModel:

using System;
using System.Windows.Input;

namespace ViewModel
{
    public class DelegateCommand : ICommand //
    {
        private Predicate<object> _canExecute;
        private Action<object> _method;
        public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;

        public DelegateCommand(Action<object> method)
            : this(method, null)
        {
        }

        public DelegateCommand(Action<object> method, Predicate<object> canExecute)
        {
            _method = method;
            _canExecute = canExecute;
        }

        public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
        {
            if (_canExecute == null)
            {
                return true;
            }

            return _canExecute(parameter);
        }

        public void Execute(object parameter)
        {
            _method.Invoke(parameter);
        }

        protected virtual void OnCanExecuteChanged(EventArgs e)
        {
            var canExecuteChanged = CanExecuteChanged;

            if (canExecuteChanged != null)
                canExecuteChanged(this, e);
        }

        public void RaiseCanExecuteChanged()
        {
            OnCanExecuteChanged(EventArgs.Empty);
        }
    }
}

Otherwise, just create UploadFile command, that defines what needs to be done when the user clicks the button.

        private DelegateCommand uploadFile;
        public DelegateCommand UploadFile // property bound to the button
        {
            get
            {
                if (uploadFile == null)
                    uploadFile = new DelegateCommand(executeuploadFile, canExecuteUploadFile);
                return uploadFile;
            }
        }
 //Defines if the button is clickable. 
        private bool canExecuteUploadFile(object parameter)
        {
                return true; //always clickable... for now. 
          }


      //Execute
        private void executeuploadFile(object parameter)
        {

            //Provides the dialog box that allows the user to chose files from their computer
            OpenFileDialog openDialog = new OpenFileDialog();
          //New instance of WebService
            WebService = new Service1Client();
           
           //Open dialog box, where user choses file
           if (openDialog.ShowDialog() == true)
            {
                try
                {
                    using (Stream stream = openDialog.File.OpenRead())
                    {
                        // Don't allow really big files (more than 5 MB).
                        if (stream.Length < 5120000)
                        {
                            byte[] data = new byte[stream.Length];
                            stream.Read(data, 0, (int)stream.Length);
                            
                             //The method that is called after the upload has completed: 
                            WebService.UploadFileCompleted += new EventHandler<AsyncCompletedEventArgs>(WebService_UploadFileCompleted);
                            // The method that uploads to the database: An ID, the name of the file, and the file in a bite array.  
                            WebService.UploadFileAsync(AID, openDialog.File.Name, data);
                           //Open progress bar that lets the user know the file is being uploaded (window 2). 
                             ShowText = "Uploading file";
                            BusyWindow = true;

                        }
                        stream.Close();
                    }

                }
                catch (FileNotFoundException ex)
                {

                }

            }
        }

//The method that is called when the file has been uploaded
  void WebService_UploadFileCompleted(object sender, AsyncCompletedEventArgs e)
        {
            //Close busyWindow
            BusyWindow = false;

//Show verification childwindow. 
         
        }

Remember that you have to make changes to the .config files on both the client and the server, in order to allow larger files to be sent.

Step 4: Be sure to have a table in your database, where you can upload the files: You'll need a table with the following 3 columns: An Int attribute to store the unique value, a varchar(50) for the name of the file, and a varbinary(MAX) for containing the bite array that constitutes the file.

Step 5: I am not going show how to add the [ServiceContract] etc. in the Model, as it has been showed many times before, so I am just showing the UploadFile() that is defined in the Model:

 public class FileDTO_DAC : DBConnection
    {

        public void UploadFile(int a_ID, string FileType, byte[] Data)
        {
            //Open SQL connection
            SqlConnection dbConn = connectToDB();

         try
            {
                dbConn.Open();
                using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("INSERT INTO attachments (a_ID, fileName, fileBin) VALUES (@a_ID, @Type, @BinaryData)", dbConn))
                {
                    cmd.Parameters.Add("@a_ID", SqlDbType.Int).Value = a_ID;
                    cmd.Parameters.Add("@Type", SqlDbType.VarChar, 50).Value = FileType;
                    cmd.Parameters.Add("@BinaryData", SqlDbType.VarBinary).Value = Data;
                    cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                }
             }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                throw;
            }
            dbConn.Close();
        

Enjoy!

Download files from a MS SQL Database – MVVM

This post will show to download a file that is located in a MS SQL Database. The user goes through the following steps:

1) The user clicks the download button
2) The user is informed that the download is in progress (progress bar)
3) The user has to confirm the download
4) The user is asked to define where he want the file to be saved
5) The user is of the success or failure of saving the file to his desktop

The most important thing to notice is that the user has to 'confirm' the download twice: When he first clicks the button, and again when it has been downloaded, and the user can chose to 'Save' or 'Cancel' to open the dialog box, where the user determines where on his desktop he want to save the file.

Step 1. Create the object that is returned from the database containing the file you want to download. The file object has two attributes: The name of the file, and the file itself, which is saved as a bite array, and is of type SqlBytes:

using System.Data.SqlTypes;


  [DataContract]
    public class FileDTO
    {

        private string _fileType;
        private SqlBytes _data;

        [DataMember]
        public string FileType
        {
            get { return _fileType;}
            set { _fileType = value; }
        }

        [DataMember]
        public SqlBytes Data
        {
            get  {return _data;}
            set  {_data = value; }
        }
    }  

Step 2: While you're in the Model, create the method GetFile() that returns an instance of the FileDTO class, that contains the file from the database.

 public FileDTO GetFile(int ID)
        {

            //New instance
            FileDTO fileDTO = new FileDTO();
            SqlConnection dbConn = connectToDB();
            //The query
            string _selectQuery = string.Format("Select * from attachments where a_ID = " + ID + "");
          try
            {
                dbConn.Open();
                using (SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("Select * from attachments where a_ID = @ID", dbConn))
                {
                    cmd.Parameters.Add("@ID", SqlDbType.Int).Value = ID;
                    SqlDataReader rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader();
                    while (rdr.Read())
                    {
                        fileDTO.FileType = rdr.GetString(2);
                        fileDTO.Data = rdr.GetSqlBytes(3);
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                throw;
            }
            
            dbConn.Close();
            return fileDTO;
        }

Step 3: Create the "Download file" button in the View. Notice that it binds to the command DownloadFile

<Button x:Name="Get" Content="Download file" 
                Style="{StaticResource Knap}"  Width="80"  
                Command="{Binding DownloadFile}" 
  />
 

Step 4: In the ViewModel, create the command that executes when the "Download File" button is clicked, and that calls the GetFile() method described in step 2.

You will have to notice several things: First, the executeDownloadFile calls the GetFile(), and when the call is completed, the WebService_GetFileCompleted method is called, and return value (the file) is saved in a newly created object of type FileDTO , i.e. the class you created in step 1.

//Property bound to the button
 private DelegateCommand downloadFile;
        public DelegateCommand DownloadFile
        {
            get
            {
                if (downloadFile == null)
                    downloadFile = new DelegateCommand(executeDownloadFile, canExecuteDownloadFile);
                return downloadFile;
            }
        }

//Defines if the button is clickable
        private bool canExecuteDownloadFile(object parameter) //Definerer om knappen er klik-bar. 
        {
                return true; //always clickable
        }

        private void executeDownloadFile(object parameter)
        {
           //Shows progress bar while downloading 
           ShowText = "Downloading file";
            BusyWindow = true;


            WebService = new Service1Client();
            //defines the method that is called when it returns with a value
            WebService.GetFileCompleted += new EventHandler<GetFileCompletedEventArgs>(WebService_GetFileCompleted);
             //Calls the method
            WebService.GetFileAsync(AID);

        }
         //Method is called when the Model has returned with a value
        void WebService_GetFileCompleted(object sender, GetFileCompletedEventArgs e)
        {
            // Call the method CallBackFromService with the result (the file) as a parameter
           CallBackFromService(e.Result);
        }
        //Create new instance of FileDTO. 
        FileDTO fileDTO;
        public void CallBackFromService(FileDTO fileDTOCallBack)
        {
            Set to the local version of the fileDTO, close progressbar
            fileDTO = fileDTOCallBack;
            BusyWindow = false;

            //Makes button from (3) visible: The user has to confirm that he wants to download the file. 
            AfterDownload = Visibility.Visible;
 }

Step 6: After the CallBackFromService has been called, the user must confirm that he wants to download the file. The button in "Save File" in window (3) shown above is bound to the command SaveAttachment:

     //Property bound to the button
        private DelegateCommand saveAttachment;
        public DelegateCommand SaveAttachment
        {
            get
            {
                if (saveAttachment == null)
                    saveAttachment = new DelegateCommand(executeSaveAttachment);
                return saveAttachment;
            }
        }
 //Execute: 
        private void executeSaveAttachment(object parameter)
        {
            //Enables the apperance of a Dialog, where the user can specify where to save the file
            SaveFileDialog textDialog = new SaveFileDialog();

            //We found out what type of file it is (.doc, .pdf, etc). 
             
            //name of file, for example MyFile.doc
            string test = fileDTO.FileType;
            //Gets the number of characters before the "."
            int index = test.LastIndexOf(@".");
            //Find the type of the file by retrieving the characters after the index number
            string docType = test.Substring(index);
            //Doctype : .doc, .pdf, etc. 
  
           //Knowing the type, we can now define which default type-value has to be chosen in the Dialog, where the user saves the file. 

            if (docType == ".jpg")
            {

                textDialog.DefaultExt = ".jpg";
                textDialog.Filter = "JPG|*.jpg";

            }

            else if (docType == ".docx")
            {
                textDialog.DefaultExt = ".docx";
                textDialog.Filter = "Microsoft Office 2008 .docx|*.docx";

            }

            else if (docType == ".doc")
            {
                textDialog.DefaultExt = ".doc";
                textDialog.Filter = "Microsoft Office 2003 .doc|*.doc";

            }

//10 other formats have been added
          
             //save the file in a bite array
            byte[] fileBytes = fileDTO.Data;//your bytes here 
            //Open dialog where the user determines where to save the file. 
             bool? result = textDialog.ShowDialog();
            if (result == true)
            {
                When the user clicks OK, the file is saved. 
                using (Stream fs = (Stream)textDialog.OpenFile())
                {
                    fs.Write(fileBytes, 0, fileBytes.Length);
                    fs.Close();
                }
            }

            //The user is informed of the download. 
            AfterRealDownload = Visibility.Visible;

And that's it!

Create a Pie Chart with Silverlight toolbox – MVVM

This post quickly shows how to create a pie chart in your MVVM Silverlight application, like the one shown below:

Step 1: Add the System.Windows.Controls.DataVisualization.Toolkit into your project, and insert this at the top of your MyPage.xaml in the View:

   xmlns:charting="clr-namespace:System.Windows.Controls.DataVisualization.Charting;assembly=System.Windows.Controls.DataVisualization.Toolkit"    

Step 2: Insert the pie chart in MyPage.xaml. Notice the ItemSource, which we will bind to in the ViewModel.

 <charting:Chart HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" 
                BorderBrush="Transparent"
                VerticalAlignment="Top" Height="170" 
                Name="pieChart" Margin="0 -10 0 -10">

                <charting:Chart.Series >
                    <charting:PieSeries ItemsSource="{Binding ChartItems}" 
                          IndependentValueBinding="{Binding Key}"
                          DependentValueBinding="{Binding Value}" >
                     </charting:PieSeries>
                </charting:Chart.Series>
</charting:Chart>

Step 3: In the ViewModel, create the following property, that will contain the array of the chart:

  private KeyValuePair<string, int>[] _chartItems;
         public KeyValuePair<string, int>[] ChartItems
         {
             get
             {
                 return _chartItems;
             }

             set
             {
                 _chartItems = value;
             }
         }

Step 4: In your ViewModels constructor, create the ChartItems and populate them.

    ChartItems = new KeyValuePair<string, int>[4];

             ChartItems[0] = new KeyValuePair<string, int>("Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet", 20);
             ChartItems[1] = new KeyValuePair<string, int>("Maecenas iaculis dapibus", 90);
             ChartItems[2] = new KeyValuePair<string, int>("Nulla facilisi. Curabitur laoreet", 112);
             ChartItems[3] = new KeyValuePair<string, int>("Pellentesque non turpis elit", 160); 

             //RaisePropertyChanged("ChartItems"); //Only necessary of you create the ChartItems outside the constructor

And that's it!

Of course, you will want to populate the chart with integers retrieved from a database, and in that case, just create properties for each of the items.

Open Child Window in a MVVM’ish design pattern

This post explains how to open a ChildWindow, pass data to the ChildWindow, and how to pass data back from the ChildWindow to the MainPage, using a MVVM Design pattern in a Silverlight 4 application.

The method I am using is not strickly MVVM, because I actually create my ChildWindows in the ViewModel, which is usually a no-go. But considering the endless Googling after alternatives only to find guides that use all kinds of toolkits in order for a ChildWindow to appear (see fx., here, here and (the one that takes the price in length and complexity) here), I consider this workaround the best way to do it. I hope and expect that an easier and strickly MVVM solution will be possible with Silverlight 5.

This post is just meant as a proof of concept, and is based on a very simple example: The MainPage.xaml contains two textboxes, Name and Address, respectively, and the ChildWindow, the same. When the user enters their Name in the MainPage and presses the button, the ChildWindow appears, with the Name value entered (see picture below). The user can then enter an address in the ChildWindow and press the button, and return to the MainPage, where the value has been inserted in to the Address textbox of the MainPage.

So. The solution is simple. Just create the ChildWindow in the View Model project, so you can parse data through the ChildWindow and MainPage. Then create properties for each of the 4 textboxes (2 for each), and create the commands for the buttons, that will open/close the Child Window, and connect the properties. Notice that the ChildWindow does not have a ViewModel, and everything thus happens in the ViewModel of the MainPage:

Step 1: Create a new ChildWindow in your ViewModel. Right-click on project >> Add >> Silverlight ChildWindow. I have named mine MyChildWindow.xaml.

Step 2: Create a ViewModel for your MainPage. I have named mine MainPage_ViewModel.cs.

Step 3: Connect the MainPage.xaml.cs and MyChildWindow.xaml.cs to the MainPage_ViewModel.cs:

MainPage.xaml.cs:

namespace View
{
    public partial class MainPage : UserControl
    {

          
        public MainPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            this.DataContext = new MainPage_ViewModel(); 
         }
     }
}

MyChildWindow.xaml.cs:

namespace ViewModel
{
    public partial class MyChildWindow : ChildWindow
    {
        public MyChildWindow(MainPage_ViewModel ma)
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            this.DataContext = ma; 
        }

    }
}

Step 4: Create properties for the textboxes of the MainPage and ViwModel (both have two textboxes), in the MainPage_ViewModel.cs:

using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using ViewModel; 


namespace ViewModel
{
    public class MainPage_ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
    {
//Properties of Mainpage
private string myNameVM = "";
        public string MyNameVM
        {

            get { return myNameVM; }
            set {
                myNameVM = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("myNameVM"); 
            }
        }

        private string myAddressVM = ""; 
        public string MyAddressVM
        {

            get { return myAddressVM; }
            set
            {
                myAddressVM = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyAddressVM");
            }
        }

//Properties of ChildWindow
        private string myNameCW = "";
        public string MyNameCW
        {

            get { return myNameCW; }
            set
            {
                myNameCW = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyNameCW");
            }
        }

        private string myAddressCW = "";
        public string MyAddressCW
        {

            get { return myAddressCW; }
            set
            {
                myAddressCW = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyAddressCW");
            }
        }

          //EventHandler
        public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
        private void RaisePropertyChanged(string propertyname)
        {
            if (PropertyChanged != null)
            {
                PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyname));
            }
        }
    }

 }

(Step 5): If you have not created one eralier, you will need to create a DelegateCommand class in your ViewModel, that will handle the button commands needed for the next step. So. Create a new class, name it DelegateCommand.cs, and insert the following:

using System;
using System.Windows.Input;

namespace ViewModel
{
    public class DelegateCommand : ICommand // 
    {
        private Predicate<object> _canExecute;
        private Action<object> _method;
        public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;

        public DelegateCommand(Action<object> method)
            : this(method, null)
        {
        }

        public DelegateCommand(Action<object> method, Predicate<object> canExecute)
        {
            _method = method;
            _canExecute = canExecute;
        }

        public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
        {
            if (_canExecute == null)
            {
                return true;
            }

            return _canExecute(parameter);
        }

        public void Execute(object parameter)
        {
            _method.Invoke(parameter);
        }

        protected virtual void OnCanExecuteChanged(EventArgs e)
        {
            var canExecuteChanged = CanExecuteChanged;

            if (canExecuteChanged != null)
                canExecuteChanged(this, e);
        }

        public void RaiseCanExecuteChanged()
        {
            OnCanExecuteChanged(EventArgs.Empty);
        }
    }
}

Step 6: Create the commands in the MainPage_ViewModel.cs, that you will bind to the buttons in the MainPage.xaml and MyChildWindow, respectively.

using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using ViewModel; 


namespace ViewModel
{
    public class MainPage_ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
    {
//Properties of Mainpage
private string myNameVM = "";
        public string MyNameVM
        {
            get { return myNameVM; }
            set {myNameVM = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("myNameVM"); 
                 }
            }

        private string myAddressVM = ""; 
        public string MyAddressVM
        {

            get { return myAddressVM; }
            set
            { myAddressVM = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyAddressVM");
            }
        }

//Properties of ChildWindow
        private string myNameCW = "";
        public string MyNameCW
        {

            get { return myNameCW; }
            set
            {  myNameCW = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyNameCW");
            }
        }

        private string myAddressCW = "";
        public string MyAddressCW
        {

            get { return myAddressCW; }
            set
            {  myAddressCW = value;
                RaisePropertyChanged("MyAddressCW");
            }
        }



         //When the button is pressed in MainPage, executes method ExecuteOpenChildWindow
        private DelegateCommand _openChildWindow;
        public DelegateCommand OpenChildWindow
        {
            get
            {
                if (_openChildWindow == null)
                    _openChildWindow = new DelegateCommand(executeOpenChildWindow);

                return _openChildWindow;
            }
        }
        
        // New instance of ChildWindow. Sets the NameProperty of the ChildWindow equal to the Name entered in the MainPage. 
        MyChildWindow cw; 
        private void executeOpenChildWindow(object parameter)
        {
            cw = new MyChildWindow(this);
            MyNameCW = MyNameVM; 
            cw.Show();
        }


      
      //When OK-button is pressed in ChildWindow
        private DelegateCommand _okChildWindow;
        public DelegateCommand OkChildWindow 
        {
            get {
                if (_okChildWindow == null)
                    _okChildWindow = new DelegateCommand(OkSaveChildWindow);

                return _okChildWindow;
            }
        }
        //MainPage Address property is set to the value entered in the address textbox in Child Window. Child Window is closed. 
        private void OkSaveChildWindow(object parameter)
        {
            MyAddressVM = MyAddressCW; 
            cw.Close();
        }

          //EventHandler
        public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
        private void RaisePropertyChanged(string propertyname)
        {
            if (PropertyChanged != null)
            {
                PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyname));
            }
        }
  }
}

Step 7: Add the textboxes in the MainPage.xaml and MyChildWindow.xaml, and bind them to the properties created in MainPage_ViewModel. Also Create the buttons, that will bind to the commands.

MainPage.xaml:

<StackPanel>

        <Grid Margin="0 10 0 5" Width="350">

    <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>

    </Grid.RowDefinitions>
    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <ColumnDefinition Width="150"/>
        <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>

    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

    <!--TextBlocks-->
    <TextBlock Text="Name:" TextWrapping="Wrap" Margin="5,5,0,5" Grid.Row="0"  />
    <TextBlock Text="Address:" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0"  />
    
   <!--TextBox, where the users enters data. Binds to the properties of MainPage_ViewModel-->
  <TextBox Text="{Binding MyNameVM, Mode=TwoWay}" Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="1"/>
  <TextBox Text="{Binding MyAddressVM, Mode=TwoWay}"  Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1"/>

    <Button Content="Open Child Window"
            VerticalAlignment="Center"
            HorizontalAlignment="left"
            Width="auto"
            Margin="5"
            Grid.Row="2"
            Command="{Binding OpenChildWindow}" <!--Binds to CommandDelegate from the ViewModel -->
        />
        </Grid>
    </StackPanel>

MyChildWindow.xaml:

    <Grid Margin="0 30 0 5" Width="350">

        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition Height="auto"/>
            <RowDefinition Height="auto"/>
            <RowDefinition Height="205*"/>

        </Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
            <ColumnDefinition Width="150"/>
            <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>

        </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

    
        <TextBlock Text="Name: " Grid.Row="0" />
        <TextBlock Text="Address:" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0"  />
        
        <!-- TextBoxes are bind to the properties from the ViewModel.  -->
        <TextBox x:Name="InputName" Text="{Binding MyNameCW, Mode=TwoWay}" Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="1" Height="20"/>
        <TextBox x:Name="OutputAddress" Text="{Binding MyAddressCW, Mode=TwoWay}" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1" Height="20"/>

       <!-- Button comand bind to CommandDelegate from ViewModel --> 
      <Button x:Name="OKButton" Command="{Binding OkChildWindow}" Content="OK" Width="75" Height="23" Margin="0,12,79,0" Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="1"/>
    </Grid>

And that's it! :)