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Populate a Silverlight for Windows Embedded UI with Collections of Data (Compact 7)

  • Article

3/12/2014

This section provides information about data binding in a Microsoft Silverlight for Windows Embedded application. Data binding is the process of linking data stored in data source objects with elements in a UI, so that when the data is updated, the UI elements display the new values. This section describes the following:

  • Differences between the implementation of data binding in Silverlight for Windows Embedded and Silverlight for Windows Embedded
  • How to support hierarchical data in collections
  • How to create a list box that is connected to a data source collection
  • How to respond to notifications from the data provider
  • How to add support for updating the data source from the UI

The example project in this section requires Microsoft Expression Blend 3, Visual Studio 2008 with SP1, Windows Embedded Compact 7, and a virtual CEPC.

Many types of Windows Embedded Compact 7 applications must display collections of data that are maintained separately from the UI. Often, these collections are large and constantly changing. For example, an email application on a Windows Embedded Compact device connects to a Microsoft Exchange Server to populate its inbox with a collection of email messages. As new data becomes available, the email data from Microsoft Exchange Server that is displayed in the inbox is updated.

When you want an application to display data that is maintained separately from the UI, you can use Silverlight for Windows Embedded classes and interfaces to bind data in a collection to elements in the UI. When the data changes, you can optionally update the data in the collection so that the UI displays the updated data.

Data binding is the process of linking data stored in data source objects with elements in a UI, so that when the data is updated, the UI elements display the new values.

Some types of applications that you can populate with dynamic data include:

  • Email applications that display data from a Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Multimedia applications that display data from a user’s media library
  • Database applications that display data from SQL Server Compact Edition
  • Short Message Service (SMS) message applications that display data from SMS messages
  • Set-top box applications that display data from a cable television channel listing or video-on-demand (VOD) server
  • Global Positioning System (GPS) applications that display GPS data based on the current location of the device.
  • Applications that display the status of nodes on a home automation or industrial automation network, such as Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), or lights

In This Section

  1. Silverlight Data Binding Prerequisites
  2. Create the Expression Blend Project and the Windows Embedded Silverlight Tools Subproject
  3. Populate the List with Data
  4. Update the Data (Optional)
  5. Add Support for Users to Update the Data (Optional)
  6. Update and Build the Project

See Also

Concepts

Silverlight for Windows Embedded Application Development