How to set data context where Views and View models in separate library

My Projects are

1. student.shell.client
2. student.views
3. student.viewModels
4. Modules.student

student.views has student.viewModels reference, in stuent.views used ViewModelLocator.AutoWireViewModel= true, its not resolving the view model. Is this is not a good practise to have views and view models in different project. How to wireup views and view models here?

Do you really need separate assemblies for the views and view models? Likely not. If you want to use the view model locator, then the easiest way is for them to be in the same project/assembly.

Either that, or new up the view models in the views code behind. This will work okay if your view models don't have any dependencies. Some frown on this because the coupling between the view and view model is rather tight.

public partial class StudentView : UserControl
{
    public StudentView()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        DataContext = new StudentViewModel();
    }
}

Or, you can have the IoC container provide the view model in the views contructor.

public partial class StudentView : UserControl
{
    public StudentView(StudentViewModel viewModel)
    {
        InitializeComponent();
        DataContext = viewModel;
    }
}

This second option (IoC) is a better option given the fact that your view models will likely have dependencies that the container can provide, too.

Hope this helps.