Obsolete

This library is depreciated in favor of https://github.com/ArchLeaders/ConfigFactory

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Avalonia SettingsFactory

Avalonia SettingsFactory is a dynamic UI library that lets you seamlessly implement a settings editor in your Avalonia application using an existing settings object.

Avalonia.SettingsFactory.Demo.mp4

Usage

Avalonia SettingsFactory works by reading a decorated settings object and sending the results into a custom view that inherits the SettingsFactory UserControl included in this library.

The SettingsFactory component can be initialized with the InitializeSettingsFactory function and an optional SettingsFactoryOptions instance to configure the front-end actions used by the internal library.

public partial class SettingsView : SettingsFactory, ISettingsValidator

// ...

InitializeComponent();

// ...

SettingsFactoryOptions options = new() {

    // Application implementation of a message prompt
    AlertAction = (msg) => Debug.WriteLine(msg),

    // Folder browse dialog or custom input system.
    BrowseAction = async (title) => {
        OpenFolderDialog dialog = new() { Title = title };
        var result = await dialog.ShowAsync(App.StaticView);
        return result;
    },
};

// Custom resource loader (must always return a Dictionary<string, string>)
FetchResource = (res) => JsonSerializer.Deserialize<Dictionary<string, string>>(File.ReadAllText(res))

// Implement custom logic to occur after saving or cancelling
AfterSaveEvent += () => {
    // Dispose view after saving
    (App.StaticView.DataContext as AppViewModel).Content = null;
};

AfterCancelEvent += () => {
    // Dispose view after cancelling
    (App.StaticView.DataContext as AppViewModel).Content = null;
};

// Initialize the settings layout
InitializeSettingsFactory(
    new SettingsFactoryViewModel(canCancel: true), // Build-in or custom ViewModel inheriting SettingsFactoryViewModel
    this, // implemented ISettingsValidator
    Settings.Config, // Your decorated settings object
    options
);

The attached view must also have some assosiated XAML to tell the SettingsFactory where to place the setting elements.

• <StackPanel Name="Root"> | This will hold navigation buttons and folders.
• <Button Name="Save"> | This button will trigger the Save event.
• <Button Name="Cancel"> | This button will trigger the Cancel event.
• <ContentControl Content="{Binding ActiveElement}"> | This will hold the active settings page.

For a basic fluent design page, check out the demo application — SettingsView.axaml

Each setting (property) can also be validated with custom logic using the ISettingsValidator interface and SettingsFactory indexing.

// Custom validation for specified settings
// in your base settings object
public bool? ValidateString(string key, string value)
{
    return key switch
    {
        // Execute a custom check.
        "UserName" => value.All(c => (c >= 'a' && c <= 'z') || (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z')),

        // You can also reference other properties using the SettingsFactory indexing.
        "FullName" => value.Contains((string)this["FirstName"]!) && value.Contains((string)this["LastName"]!),
        
        // Run a custom action (e.g. change the application theme)
        "Theme" => ValidateTheme(value),

        // Or return null (default, blank color)
        _ => null
    };
}

// Validate bool properties
public bool? ValidateBool(string key, bool value) { /* ... */ }

// Check all the properties before saving
// and warn the user about specific settings
public string? ValidateSave(Dictionary<string, bool?> validated)
{
    // Singled-out property logic
    if (validated["UserName"] == null) {
        return "Please enter a username before saving!";
    }

    // Optionally do one final check on all properties and return a generic error.
    // If all property values validated true, return null to continue saving.
    return validated.Where(x => x.Value == false).Any() ? "One or more settings could not be verified. Please review your settings." : null;
}

* Note: Setting properties without a Setting attribute will not be read!

* Check out the Demo application for a complete implementation.

Install

Install with NuGet or build from source.

NuGet

Install-Package AvaloniaSettingsFactory
Install-Package AvaloniaSettingsFactory.Core

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/ArchLeaders/Avalonia.SettingsFactory.git
dotnet build Avalonia.SettingsFactory

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