Reference nested enum type from XAML

Question

I can't seem to reference a public nested enum type from XAML. I have a class ``` namespace MyNamespace { public class MyClass { public enum MyEnum { A, B, } } } ``` And I try to reference `MyEnum` in Xaml like this: ``` xmlns:MyNamespace="clr-namespace:MyNamespace;assembly=MyApp" .... {x:Type MyNamespace:MyClass:MyEnum} // DOESN'T WORK ``` but VS complains it can't find public type `MyEnum`. I also tried using the `+` syntax based on one of the answers to this post... ``` {x:Type MyNamespace:MyClass+MyEnum} // DOESN'T WORK ``` but that doesn't work either. Note that `x:Static` does work with the `+` syntax: ``` {x:Static MyNamespace:MyClass+MyEnum.A} // WORKS ``` And if I move `MyEnum` out of `MyClass` I can reference it too. But not if it's nested... So what am I missing? How do I reference a nested enum from XAML using `x:Type`? (And note, I'm not trying to instantiate anything, just reference the type). UPDATE It looks like this is just a bug with the VS 2010 designer. The designe…

Accepted Answer

A bit late here, but I used a markup extension and then used the following references in my xaml to reference the nested enum in a combobox:

```
xmlns:MyNamespace="clr-namespace:MyNamespace;assembly=MyApp"
```

...

```
ItemsSource="{Binding Source={resource:EnumBindingSource {x:Type MyNamespace:MyClass+MyEnum}}}"
```

The code for the MarkupExtension was taken from here

```
public class EnumBindingSourceExtension : MarkupExtension
{
    private Type _enumType;
    public Type EnumType
    {
        get { return this._enumType; }
        set
        {
            if (value != this._enumType)
            {
                if (null != value)
                {
                    Type enumType = Nullable.GetUnderlyingType(value) ?? value;
                    if (!enumType.IsEnum)
                        throw new ArgumentException("Type must be for an Enum.");
                }

this._enumType = value;
            }
        }
    }

public EnumBindingSourceExtension() { }

public EnumBindingSourceExtension(Type enumType)
    {
        this.EnumType = enumType;
    }

public override object ProvideValue(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
    {
        if (null == this._enumType)
            throw new InvalidOperationException("The EnumType must be specified.");

Type actualEnumType = Nullable.GetUnderlyingType(this._enumType) ?? this._enumType;
        Array enumValues = Enum.GetValues(actualEnumType);

if (actualEnumType == this._enumType)
            return enumValues;

Array tempArray = Array.CreateInstance(actualEnumType, enumValues.Length + 1);
        enumValues.CopyTo(tempArray, 1);
        return tempArray;
    }
}
```

Reference nested enum type from XAML

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