i) Read the content from XML document
ii) Convert the content to JSON response
iii) De serializes the JSON response to entity of object which will be used as binding
property.
You can refer the same code to implement this XML data binding mechanism in Windows Store apps.
Read the Content from XML Document:
1) Create a windows Phone project in MVVM light, add the XML document to Assets folder
and set the properties, Build Action to Embedded Resource and Copy to Output directory to “Copy Always”.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<NewsItems>
<NewsItem>
<Title>Gulf Work Schedule</Title>
<Description>
Designed to you and your customers quick access to the last schedule of all
premier workshops
The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below
for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from "de Finibus Bonorum
et Malorum" by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form,
accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.
</Description>
</NewsItem>
<NewsItem>
<Title>Gulf Service Catalog</Title>
<Description>
This App is designed to provide you quick access to zoom in to the relevant
service offerings.
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots
in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years
old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia,
looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum
passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered
the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of
"de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by
Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very
popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, "Lorem ipsum
dolor sit amet..", comes from a line in section 1.10.32.
The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below
for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from "de Finibus Bonorum
et Malorum" by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form,
accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.
</Description>
</NewsItem>
<NewsItem>
<Title>Standard Bank</Title>
<Description>Learn about Standard Bank by Microsoft Services and download
it from the company portal</Description>
</NewsItem>
</NewsItems>
2) Read XML document as stream
private async Task<Stream> ReadFileAsync(string fileName)
{
var file = await StorageFile.GetFileFromPathAsync(fileName);
return await file.OpenStreamForReadAsync();
}
3) Use Stream Reader to read the Stream object
private async Task<StreamReader> GetFileContents(string fileName)
{
var stream = await this.ReadFileAsync(Path.Combine(Path.Combine(Package.Current.InstalledLocation.Path,
"Assets"), "Main.xml"));
return new StreamReader(stream);
}
Convert the content to JSON response:
1) Parse and serialize the Stream Reader content to JSON Response
private string GetJsonFormattedData(StreamReader streamReader)
{
if (streamReader == null)
{
return string.Empty;
}
var xmlContent = streamReader.ReadToEnd();
var document = XDocument.Parse(xmlContent);
return JsonConvert.SerializeXNode(document);
}
De serializes the JSON response to entity of object which will be used as binding
property:
1) Create a Model class and define the properties
2) Make sure your model class has to be serialized before De serializing JSON response
to this class type. For this, you just need to add the DataContract attribute
at class level and DataMember attribute at properties level.
[DataContract]
public class NewsItem
{
/// <summary>
/// Gets or sets the title.
/// </summary>
[DataMember]
public string Title { get; set; }
/// <summary>
/// Gets or sets the description.
/// </summary>
[DataMember]
public string Description { get; set; }
}
3) Add extension method to desterilize the Json response.
public static T Deserialize<T>(this string json)
{
T returnValue = default(T);
try
{
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(json))
{
using (var stream = new MemoryStream(Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(json)))
{
var serializer = new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(T));
returnValue = (T)serializer.ReadObject(stream);
}
}
}
catch (InvalidOperationException)
{
returnValue = default(T);
}
catch (ArgumentOutOfRangeException)
{
returnValue = default(T);
}
catch (ArgumentException)
{
returnValue = default(T);
}
return returnValue;
}
4) Now de serialize the JSON response to a model class type
var newsItems = newsItemsJson.Deserialize<NewsItems>();
5) Use the model class as Binding property in MainViewModel.cs file
public List<NewsItem> News
{
get
{
return this.news;
}
set
{
this.news = value;
this.RaisePropertyChanged(() => this.News);
}
}
private async Task LoadData()
{
this.News = await this.dataService.GetLatestNews();
}
6) Now add the control in MainPage.XAML and Bind the Viewmodel property.
<phone:LongListSelector ItemsSource="{Binding News}" LayoutMode="List"
/>
Press F5 to run the app.
Download the source code from below location
https://www.nullskull.com/FileUpload/-407123783_XMLDataBinding.zip