Exception with type System:Char

Question

I am trying to create a reusable System:Char value in my xaml resources.

I have:

xmlns:s="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"

Then:

<s:Char x:Key="MaskPromptChar">#</s:Char>

I get an exception:

The type 'Char' was not found. [Line: 8 Position: 44]

But... I also have:

<s:Double x:Key="DefaultControlWidth">200</s:Double>

And...

<s:String x:Key="ApplicationTitle">My Title</s:String>

Both String and Double work fine.

Ideas??

Answer 1

This code works for me in both Silverlight and WPF.

<UserControl.Resources>
<sys:Double x:Key='myDouble'>4</sys:Double>
<sys:Char  x:Key='myChar'>#</sys:Char>
</UserControl.Resources>
<StackPanel x:Name="LayoutRoot">
  <PasswordBox Password='aaa'
               PasswordChar='$' />
  <PasswordBox Password='aaa'
               PasswordChar='{StaticResource myChar}' />
</StackPanel>

What property are you trying to assign the char to?

Answer 2

My guess is that Char is a structure, rather than an object, and what's you're really looking at is boxing of a 16-bit integer value representing Unicode. I tend to look at XAML as a specialization serialization of objects, and if Char is actually a struct, this model may break down.

You might want to consider biting the bullet and using a String of length one instead.

UPDATE: I agree with gmcalab's solid line of reasoning, and based on that conducted an experiment using a namespace to mscorlib and the corresponding character resource. It worked without a hitch. (Are we now looking at a namespace or library collision problem?)