Get wpf combobox selected value

Question

How do I get the selected value (eg Option1) as a string from my example below. I've tried loads of suggestions on Google but can't get the string.

XAML:

<ComboBox x:Name="selectOption" Text="Select Option" 
                 SelectionChanged="selectOption_SelectionChanged" 
                 SelectedValue="{Binding VMselectedOption, Mode=TwoWay}" >
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb1">Option1</ComboBoxItem>
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb2">Option2</ComboBoxItem>
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb3">Option3</ComboBoxItem>
</ComboBox>

codebehind:

private void selectOption_SelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
   var selectedValue = selectOption.SelectedValue; 
}

//elsewhere in code
var test = viewModel.VMselectedOption;

Both selectedValue and test return the string "System.Windows.Controls.ComboBoxItem: Option1" and not "Option1"

This should be really simple but I just cannot get this working or see what is wrong?

Similar question here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3721430/what-is-the-simplest-way-to-get-the-selected-text-of-a-combo-box-containing-only the top answer worked great for me. — SendETHToThisAddress, Jan 14 '21 at 01:43

score 21 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 25 '14 at 09:34

You should set SelectedValuePath="Content".

<ComboBox x:Name="selectOption" Text="Select Option" 
                 SelectionChanged="selectOption_SelectionChanged" 
                 SelectedValue="{Binding VMselectedOption, Mode=TwoWay}" 
                 SelectedValuePath="Content">
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb1">Option1</ComboBoxItem>
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb2">Option2</ComboBoxItem>
    <ComboBoxItem Name="cbb3">Option3</ComboBoxItem>
</ComboBox>

This is the best and easiest way. Thanks – Gabriel May 07 '19 at 07:57 — Gabriel, May 07 '19 at 07:57

score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:03

13

You shouldn't insert the combobox items manually. Set them by using ItemsSource.

Basically you should create a list of options (or objects representing options) and set them as ItemsSource, this way your SelectedItem will be exactly the option which is selected, not the automatically created wrapping ComboboxItem.

answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:03

Vlad

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2

Yours is the only sane answer I've seen here. – Federico Berasategui Oct 18 '13 at 16:05
@ooo: glad that it helped. Using `ItemsSource` is a good option, considering separation of content and presentation. – Vlad Oct 18 '13 at 16:50

score 8 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:29

8

string Value="";
if(myComboBox.SelectedIndex>=0) 
  Value=((ComboBoxItem)myComboBox.SelectedItem).Content.ToString();

answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:29

Anatoly Nikolaev

520
3
12

It is better to check: if (((ComboBoxItem)myComboBox.SelectedItem).Content != null). Because if you use IsSelected="True" for some element the Content will be null after initialization. – Sasha Feb 23 '17 at 15:09

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:04

7

Update your code to get the Content of comboboxItem.

var selectedValue = ((ComboBoxItem)selectOption.SelectedItem).Content.ToString();

answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:04

Nitin

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score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:03

2

ComboBoxItem.Content is of type Object, so you'll need to cast the item yourself.

answered Oct 18 '13 at 16:03

Daniel

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Get wpf combobox selected value

5 Answers5

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