Resources And Styles In WPF

 Resources and Styles in WPF

Windows resources allow us to reuse defined values and objects. We can set the properties of multiple control at a time.

Here’s a list of place where your resources can be declared:

• As global application scope within the application App.xaml file.
  
  
• As Window level scope within the Resources property of the current window.
  
  
• Within the Resources property of any FrameworkElement or FrameworkContentElement. (eg Grid, StackPanel).
  
  
• Separate XAML resource file.

Lets see a very simple example of reusable string resource placing as Window Level Scope:

1. Use the following namespace.
   

   xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"

2. Declare the resource in Windows.Resources.
   

   <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>

3. Now we can use above resource for binding data to controls.
   

   <TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}"/>

Code:

<Window x:Class="WpfApplication.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApplication"
        xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
    <Window.Resources>
        <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
    </Window.Resources>
    <StackPanel>
        <TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}" FontSize="56" />
        <TextBlock>Welcome in "<TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}" />"!</TextBlock>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Example of reusable style

Styles in WPF are same as CSS in html.

1. Declare new style in Windows Resources,
   

   <Window.Resources>
           <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
           <Style  TargetType="TextBlock">
               <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="DarkRed"/>
               <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
           </Style>
       </Window.Resources>

   This style will automatically set for all TextBlocks in current page
   
   
   
   
2. We Can also Make object for specific Textblock
   

   <Window.Resources>
          <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
          <Style  TargetType="TextBlock">
              <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="DarkRed"/>
              <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
          </Style>
   
          <Style x:Key="Headings" TargetType="TextBlock">
              <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="30"/>
              <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Blue"/>
              <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
          </Style>
      </Window.Resources>
      <StackPanel>
          <TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}"  Style="{StaticResource Headings}"/>
          <TextBlock>Welcome in "<TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}" />"!</TextBlock>
      </StackPanel>