Working With WPF Dockingmanager And Prism
This repository contains samples that demonstrate how to integrate the Syncfusion WPF DockingManager with the Prism framework using an MVVM-friendly architecture. The samples follow the official Syncfusion pattern-and-practices guidance for configuring DockingManager with Prism 6.1 and Prism 7.1.
Overview
DockingManager is not an ItemsControl, which means it does not support direct ItemsSource binding. When building Prism-based MVVM applications, this limitation is addressed by creating a custom region adapter that maps Prism regions to the DockingManager and its document container.
This repository demonstrates how to configure DockingManager as a Prism region host, inject views dynamically, and synchronize active documents while maintaining a clean Prism MVVM architecture. Separate samples are provided for Prism 6.1 and Prism 7.1 to reflect framework differences.
What This Repository Demonstrates
- How to integrate Syncfusion DockingManager with Prism MVVM architecture
- How to configure DockingManager as a Prism region
- How to create a custom DockingManager region adapter
- How to inject docked panes and documents using Prism modules
- How to synchronize active documents between DockingManager and Prism regions
- How to support both Prism 6.1 and Prism 7.1 applications
Repository Structure
- PRISM-6.1
Demonstrates DockingManager integration using Prism 6.1 with custom region adapters and module configuration. - PRISM-7.1
Demonstrates DockingManager integration using Prism 7.1, including updated bootstrapping and region behaviors.
Each folder contains a complete, runnable sample targeted for the respective Prism version. 2
Key Components Used
- DockingManager: Manages docked panes and document windows
- DocumentContainer: Hosts document-style views
- Prism Framework: Provides modularity, dependency injection, and region management
- RegionManager: Injects and activates views inside DockingManager
- Custom Region Adapter: Bridges Prism regions to DockingManager
- Region Behaviors: Synchronize active documents with Prism’s ActiveViews
How It Works
- A Prism Shell hosts the DockingManager.
- A region name is assigned to the DockingManager.
- A custom region adapter maps the Prism region to DockingManager.
- Prism modules register views with the RegionManager.
- Views are injected as docked panes or documents.
- Active document changes are synchronized through region behaviors.
This approach follows Syncfusion’s recommended Prism integration pattern for DockingManager.
Benefits
- Enables true MVVM-compliant DockingManager usage
- Supports modular and scalable Prism applications
- Eliminates direct UI manipulation from code-behind
- Works across multiple Prism versions
- Ideal for IDE-style and document-centric WPF applications
Documentation References
