Binding a combobox in wpf c# to a list<t> not displaying

Question

I have a (should be) simple project where I need to create a list of three databases which are the same structure stored on different servers, each database represents a different Business site within a group of companies

I am building a data access layer which can be configured at runtime by the user. This will be achieved by a list of objects called Databases and the user selecting the company name of the database they wish to update. The first problem is I need to bind a combobox to my list of Databases, which I have done below. It does not error when I compile but it does not display either.

I am missing something obvious here please help

Many thanks

The xmal

 <Window.Resources>
    <CollectionViewSource x:Key="companyViewSource"/>

</Window.Resources>
<Grid>

    <Grid Height="38" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="11,79,0,0" Name="grid2" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="262">
        <ComboBox Height="23" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="136,9,0,0" Name="cBComapny" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120" 
                    ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource companyViewSource}}"
                    DisplayMemberPath="CompanyName" 
                    SelectedValuePath="CompanyName" 
                    SelectedValue="{Binding CompanyLetter}" />
    </Grid>
</Grid>

The class code for Database

public class Databases
{
    public string Database { get; set; }
    public string CompanyName { get; set; }
    public string ServerName { get; set; }
    public string CompanyLetter { get; set; }

    public Databases()
    {

    }

    public static List<Databases> GetFoundryDatabases()
    {
        List<Databases> Foundries = new List<Databases>();

        Foundries.Add (new Databases(){Database="CompanyA", CompanyName="Company1", ServerName="Server1", CompanyLetter="A"});
        Foundries.Add(new Databases() { Database = "CompanyL", CompanyName = "Company2", ServerName = "Server1", CompanyLetter = "L" });
        Foundries.Add(new Databases() { Database = "CompanyR", CompanyName = "Company3", ServerName = "Server2", CompanyLetter = "R"});

        return Foundries;

    }

}

And the code for Window load

    System.Windows.Data.CollectionViewSource companyViewSource = new CollectionViewSource();
            companyViewSource.Source=SysproDAL.Databases.GetFoundryDatabases();
            companyViewSource.View.MoveCurrentToFirst();

Answer 1

You are creating a new local companyViewSource but you are really not binding it. I think you should be using a ObjectDataProvider .Change your code as following:

XAML

    xmlns:dal="clr-namespace:SysproDAL;assembly:SysproDAL"

    <Window.Resources>
        <ObjectDataProvider x:Key="DataBasesDataProvider"
            ObjectType="{x:Type dal:Databases}" MethodName="GetFoundryDatabases"/>
    </Window.Resources>
    <Grid>

        <Grid Height="38" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="11,79,0,0" Name="grid2" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="262">
            <ComboBox Height="23" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="136,9,0,0" Name="cBComapny" VerticalAlignment="Top" Width="120" 
                ItemsSource="{Binding Source={StaticResource DataBasesDataProvider}}"
                DisplayMemberPath="CompanyName" 
                SelectedValuePath="CompanyName" 
                SelectedValue="{Binding CompanyLetter}" />
        </Grid>
    </Grid>

This way you can delete your Window Load Code. as the ObjectDataProvider is the one calling GetFoundryDatabases as you can see in MethodName