WPF Search Form

This generator helps you create a standard WPF search form that consists of a search criteria panel and a results grid under it. The form will be based on a single operation defined in the model that may take search criteria as an input structure and that outputs a list of rows. Both the row and criteria structures must be configured in the object model to be parts of corresponding Xomega Framework data objects, which the generated form will use as a data model to bind the controls to. The data object for the list row must be specified in the generator's configuration (see the List Row Object parameter), which will automatically identify the operation in the object model.

The generated controls on the form will be automatically bound to the corresponding properties of the underlying data objects. Unlike the standard WPF bindings, the property bindings are validated during compile time rather than at runtime, which helps catching errors when properties get renamed.

This generator can be rerunnable during initial prototyping phase to allow quickly visualizing the object model. During this phase you can add additional code to a separate partial class, e.g. to add a grid double-click handler to invoke a details form. However, you will eventually want to edit the generated code manually to remove columns or fields that should not be displayed and perhaps add other controls or rearrange the controls on the form. At this point you may want to rename the generated file, so that the generator doesn't accidentally override it or delete it during the cleanup operation. This is why it is recommended to make the generated files start with an underscore to distinguish them from non-generated files.

Below is a sample form that was generated by this generator.