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:

Use the following namespace.
1. xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
Declare the resource in Windows.Resources.
1. <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
Now we can use above resource for binding data to controls.
1. <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.

Declare new style in Windows Resources,
1. <Window.Resources>
2. <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
3. <Style TargetType="TextBlock">
4. <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="DarkRed"/>
5. <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
6. </Style>
7. </Window.Resources>
This style will automatically set for all TextBlocks in current page
We Can also Make object for specific Textblock
1. <Window.Resources>
2. <sys:String x:Key="strTitle">Pi-Techniques</sys:String>
3. <Style TargetType="TextBlock">
4. <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="DarkRed"/>
5. <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
6. </Style>
8. <Style x:Key="Headings" TargetType="TextBlock">
9. <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="30"/>
10. <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Blue"/>
11. <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Center"/>
12. </Style>
13. </Window.Resources>
14. <StackPanel>
15. <TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}" Style="{StaticResource Headings}"/>
16. <TextBlock>Welcome in "<TextBlock Text="{StaticResource strTitle}" />"!</TextBlock>
17. </StackPanel>