Supported expressions

DotVVM translates value binding expressions into JavaScript so they can be evaluated in the browsed. Therefore, not all expressions can be used in the bindings.

The static command expressions are also translated to JavaScript. If there is any method that cannot be translated to JavaScript, the static command will make a request to the server to invoke the method and obtain its return value. The method must be marked with the [AllowStaticCommand] attribute.

The resource and command bindings are not translated into JavaScript, but they are limited to the syntax constructs that can be used in binding expressions.

Syntax constructs

• Member access
  • SomeProperty
  • SomeProperty.OtherProperty
• Access the parent binding contexts
  • _root.SomeProperty
  • _parent.SomeProperty
• Collections and array elements access
  • SomeCollection[6]
  • SomeCollection[6].OtherProperty
• Access the collection metadata (if the current binding context is a collection)
  • _collection.Index
  • _collection.IsOdd, _collection.IsEven...
• Binary operations
  • SomeProperty >= 0
  • SomeProperty + 1
  • SomeProperty != OtherProperty
• Ternary conditional operator
  • SomeProperty ? "some string" : "other string"
• Method invocation (only supported methods)
  • SomeMethod(argument)
• Block expression
  • (expression1; expression2; expression3)
  • Note: This is a composition of supported expressions within one data-binding. DotVVM uses parentheses ( ... ) to enclose expressions as compared to C#, which uses curly braces { ... }. Result type of any composite expression is determined by the last child expression.
• Lambda functions (new in version 3.0)
  • (int intArg, string strArg) => SomeMethod(intArg, strArg)
  • Note: Type inference for lambda parameters is not available in version 3.0, therefore type information needs to be explicitly supplied together with lambda parameters definition. Type inference is an upcoming feature in DotVVM 3.1.
• Local variables (new in version 3.0)
  • var myVariable = SomeFunction(arg1, arg2); SomeMethod(myVariable)
  • Note: Variables are by design single-assignable (immutable). Variables may shadow property names and previously defined variables.

.NET methods supported in value bindings

DotVVM can translate several .NET methods on basic types or collections to JavaScript, so you can safely use them in value bindings.

String methods

• String.Length

Collection methods

• ICollection.Count and Array.Length

Enum methods

• Enums.GetNames<TEnum>()

Task methods

• Task<T>.Result

Formatting

• String.Format(format, arg1 [, arg2, [ arg3]])
• String.Format(format, argumentArray)
• Object.ToString()
• Convert.ToString()
• DateTime.ToString() and DateTime.ToString(format)
• numericType.ToString() and numericType.ToString(format)

Nullable types

• Nullable<T>.HasValue
• Nullable<T>.Value

LINQ methods

• Enumerable.Select<T,U>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,U> selector)
• Enumerable.Where<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,bool> predicate)
• Note: These methods are new in version 3.0.

REST API binding methods

• Api.RefreshOnChange
• Api.RefreshOnEvent
• Api.PushEvent
• Note: See REST API bindings for more info

Provide custom method translators

It is possible to register custom translators for any method. See Provide custom JavaScript translators for more information.

Upcoming support for .NET methods in DotVVM 3.1

We plan to add support for the following methods in DotVVM 3.1.

LINQ methods

• Enumerable.All<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,bool> predicate)
• Enumerable.Any<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection)
• Enumerable.Any<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,bool> predicate)
• Enumerable.Concat<T>(IEnumerable<T> first, IEnumerable<T> second)
• Enumerable.Distinct<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection)
  • Note: this method is restricted to primitive types.
• Enumerable.FirstOrDefault<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection) and Enumerable.FirstOrDefault<T>(IEnumerable<T> collections, Func<T,bool> predicate)
• Enumerable.LastOrDefault<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection) and Enumerable.LastOrDefault<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,bool> predicate)
• Enumerable.Max<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection) and Enumerable.Max<T,U>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,U> selector)
  • Note: these methods are restricted to numeric types
• Enumerable.Min<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection) and Enumerable.Min<T,U>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,U> selector)
  • Note: these methods are restricted to numeric types
• Enumerable.OrderBy<T,U>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,U> selector)
  • Note: this method is restricted to primitive types
• Enumerable.OrderByDescending<T,U>(IEnumerable<T> collection, Func<T,U> selector)
  • Note: this method is restricted to primitive types
• Enumerable.Skip<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, int count)
• Enumerable.Take<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection, int count)
• Enumerable.ToArray<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection)
• Enumerable.ToList<T>(IEnumerable<T> collection)

String methods

• String.Contains(string value) and String.Contains(char value)
• String.EndsWith(string value) and String.EndsWith(char value)
• String.IndexOf(string value) and String.IndexOf(char value)
• String.IndexOf(string value, int startIndex) and String.IndexOf(char value, int startIndex)
• String.IsNullOrEmpty(string value)
• String.Join(string separator, IEnumerable<string> values) and String.Join(char separator, IEnumerable<string> values)
• String.LastIndexOf(string value) and String.LastIndexOf(char value)
• String.LastIndexOf(string value, int startIndex) and String.LastIndexOf(char value, int startIndex)
• String.Replace(char oChar, char nChar) and String.Replace(string oStr, string nStr)
• String.Split(char separator, StringSplitOptions = StringSplitOptions.None) and String.Split(string separator, StringSplitOptions = StringSplitOptions.None)
• String.StartsWith(string value) and String.StartsWith(char value)
• String.ToLower()
• String.ToUpper()

Math methods

• Basic: Math.Abs, Math.Exp, Math.Max, Math.Min, Math.Pow Math.Sign, Math.Sqrt
• Rounding: Math.Ceiling, Math.Floor, Math.Round, Math.Trunc
• Logarithmic: Math.Log, Math.Log10
• Trigonometric: Math.Acos, Math.Asin, Math.Atan, Math.Atan2, Math.Cos, Math.Cosh, Math.Sin, Math.Sinh, Math.Tan, Math.Tanh

See also

• Data-binding overview
• Respond to user actions
• Binding context
• REST API bindings
• Custom JavaScript translators