What event handler to use for ComboBox Item Selected (Selected Item not necessarily changed)

Question

Goal: issue an event when items in a combobox drop down list is selected.

Problem: Using \"SelectionChanged\", however, if the user

Answer 1

For UWP, I tried a different approach. I extended the ComboBox class, and processed the SelectionChanged and OnKeyUp events on the ComboBox as well as the Tapped event on the ComboBoxItems. In cases where I get a Tapped event or an Enter or Space key without first getting a SelectionChanged then I know the current item has been re-selected and I respond accordingly.

class ExtendedComboBox : ComboBox
{
    public ExtendedComboBox()
    {
        SelectionChanged += OnSelectionChanged;
    }

    protected override void PrepareContainerForItemOverride(Windows.UI.Xaml.DependencyObject element, object item)
    {
        ComboBoxItem cItem = element as ComboBoxItem;
        if (cItem != null)
        {
            cItem.Tapped += OnItemTapped;
        }

        base.PrepareContainerForItemOverride(element, item);
    }

    protected override void OnKeyUp(KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        // if the user hits the Enter or Space to select an item, then consider this a "reselect" operation
        if ((e.Key == Windows.System.VirtualKey.Space || e.Key == Windows.System.VirtualKey.Enter) && !isSelectionChanged)
        {
            // handle re-select logic here
        }

        isSelectionChanged = false;

        base.OnKeyUp(e);
    }

    // track whether or not the ComboBox has received a SelectionChanged notification
    // in cases where it has not yet we get a Tapped or KeyUp notification we will want to consider that a "re-select"
    bool isSelectionChanged = false;
    private void OnSelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        isSelectionChanged = true;
    }

    private void OnItemTapped(object sender, TappedRoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (!isSelectionChanged)
        {
            // indicates that an item was re-selected  - handle logic here
        }

        isSelectionChanged = false;
    }
}