You can use this page to continue from declarative ViewModels to UI layout hints and custom rendering in ViewModel-aided views.
Continue the training
The next training chapter is Training:Taking It Further Still. It explains how optional placing hints on ViewModel columns can provide layout information for generated WPF controls without making the ViewModel a presentation design.
For example, placing-hint fields such as Presentation, Column, Row, and Span can describe the intended relative position of available data. A ViewModel-aware control may use those hints to generate an administrative UI, while external styles still determine its visual appearance.
Add a custom control
Use HowTos:Custom Controls in ViewModel Aided Views when an automatically generated control is not sufficient. That guide shows how to mark a ViewModel column as a content override and connect a custom WPF control while retaining the ViewModel as the source of bound data and behavior.
A typical division of responsibility is:
- Keep available data, valid values, selection lists, actions, and ViewModel logic in the ViewModel.
- Use placing hints when a generated layout is appropriate.
- Add a custom control only for a specialized display or interaction, such as a visual representation of a value.