How to reference an app resource in a xaml Window? - wpf

I've added a reference to an app resource in my View's window. But when I declare the resource I get the error:
Error 10 RegexValidationRule is not supported in a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) project.
This is how I added the resource to the View:
<Window.Resources>
<validators:RegexValidationRule x:Key="localRegexValidationRule"/>
</Window.Resources>
Does anyone know how to reference the resource correctly in WPF?
I've followed this solution but still get the same error on the resource. This is how I've declared the resource in app.xaml within a resource dictionary:
<Application x:Class="MongoDBApp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:converters="clr-namespace:MongoDBApp.Converters"
xmlns:validators="clr-namespace:MongoDBApp.Validators"
StartupUri="pack://application:,,,/Views/MainView.xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<converters:BoolToNonVisibilityConverter x:Key="localBoolToNonVisibilityConverter" />
<converters:BoolToVisibilityConverter x:Key="localBoolToVisibilityConverter" />
<validators:RegexValidationRule x:Key="localRegexValidationRule" />
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>

Have you added the appropriate using statement in your View file? It should have the same statement as your App.xaml file:
xmlns:validators="clr-namespace:MongoDBApp.Validators"

Related

WPF ResourceDictionary cannot locate source

My XAML designer keep screaming "Cannot locate resource xxx.xaml". I have tried both pack application and absolute path URI formats
"pack://application:,,,/ReferencedAssembly;component/Subfolder/ResourceFile.xaml"
"pack://application:,,,/Subfolder/ContentFile.xaml"
"/AssemblyName;component/FilePath.xaml"
The project file structure (can't post picture, not enough rep):
root/App.xaml
root/MainWindow.xaml
root/Res
root/Res/PalleteBlue.xaml
root/UserControl
root/UserControl/NavigationDrawer.xaml
root/UserControl/Res
root/UserControl/Res/NavigationDrawerResource.xaml
NavigationDrawer.xaml use NavigationDrawerResource.xaml
MainWindow.xaml have instance of NavigationDrawer.xaml
XAML designer on NavigationDrawer has no issues, but on MainWindow it keep telling Cannot locate resource usercontrol/res/navigationdrawerresource.xaml
Here is resource declaration in NavigationDrawer.xaml
<UserControl.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/UserControl/Res/NavigationDrawerResource.xaml"/>
<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Res/PalleteBlue.xaml"/>
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</UserControl.Resources>
And here is how MainWindow.xaml add instance of NavigationDrawer
xmlns:uc="clr-namespace:InfiniteLite.View.UserControl"
<Grid>
<uc:NavigationDrawer></uc:NavigationDrawer>
</Grid>
This yields the Cannot locate resource.... error on <uc:NavigationDrawer> tag but the project can debug just fine

Global style in a separate assembly

For my application themes, I created a separate class library MyApp.Themes.dll.
In the root folder of this library I have Standard.xaml:
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="pack://application:,,,/MyApp.Themes;component/Standard/Accordion.xaml"/>
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
In Standard folder I have Accordion.xaml:
<ResourceDictionary xmlns:layoutPrimitivesToolkit="..."
xmlns:layoutToolkit="..."
...>
<!-- layoutPrimitivesToolkit:AccordionButton -->
<Style TargetType="layoutPrimitivesToolkit:AccordionButton">
...
</Style>
...
</ResourceDictionary>
which are default styles for WPF Toolkit Accordion control, except that style for
AccordionItem is modified to set background to transparent (instead of blue, which is a known bug).
For both xaml files Build Action is set to "Resource".
Now, after referencing MyApp.Themes library in MyApp WPF project, in App.xaml I wrote the following:
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="pack://application:,,,/MyApp.Themes;component/Standard.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
It doesn't work (no error; just style not applied). If I copy&paste Accordion.xaml styles directly in App.xaml, then it works.
Some people suggested adding dummy resource dictionary, so I added the following in App.xaml after MergedDictionaries ending tag:
<Style TargetType="{x:Type layoutToolkit:AccordionItem}" />
Again, it doesn't work. Can someone help me solve this? By the way, I didn't try an approach
suggested by some others - using basedOn. If I must do that, I'd like to do in MyApp.Themes,
because it makes using themes nicer in App.xaml. Thank you in advance.
UPDATE1: It works if I directly copy&paste Accordion.xaml content to Standard.xaml
UPDATE2: I tried local assembly resource file URI (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa970069.aspx) in Standard.xaml:
<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Standard/Accordion.xaml"/>
It throws an error, saying standard/accordion.xaml not found.
It seems there's a bug in .NET. See the thread below:
Trouble referencing a Resource Dictionary that contains a Merged Dictionary
Also, there's a connect page on Microsoft site:
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/609601/merge-dictionaries-does-not-work-when-we-merge-merged-dictionaries#tabs

Getting error when adding MergedDictionary to Application.Resources WPF

I am using MVVM light to create a "quick" WPF app to test some web services. I have the whole app runiing but need to add my ResourceDictionary to the applications resources. When I add the following to the App.xaml:
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="Resources/ResourceDictionary.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
I get the error:
Error 4 Program '' does not contain a static 'Main' method suitable for an entry point
All the help I can find on this error is related to the Build Action being set to ApplicationDefinition and this is not the problem.
Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
TIA!
I've had the same error when adding anything to the resources in App.xaml while learning MVVM Light Toolkit. The problem is caused by incorrect dictionary declaration in the <Application.Resources>, and is not related to the MVVM Light Toolkit.
The application's resources dictionary should be similar to this:
<Application ...>
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<!-- Global ViewModelLocator -->
<vm:ViewModelLocator x:Key="Locator"
d:IsDataSource="True" />
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<!-- Global style -->
<ResourceDictionary Source="Skin1.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="Skin2.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="Templates1.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="Templates2.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
This way, you get working, global resources' dictionary with the old Locator key in the same place, and new keys from dictionaries declared in listed files.
Files being loaded look like:
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Style TargetType="{x:Type Button}">
<Setter Property="Height" Value="28" />
<Setter Property="Padding" Value="12,3" />
</Style>
...
</ResourceDictionary>
Hmm what a wierd error - does your program compile and run before you add the merge dictionary section to App.xaml ?
It may well be worth checking the properties of your project - sounds like you may have it set to a Console Application - which by default has a static main method which is the start of the application.
If it's not set to Console Application - its still worth checking for the Startup object setting - this can be set to a particular class which again can be checked for a static main method as the entry point.
Entry point basically means the first thing that runs as part of the application.
HTH,
Scott

Error when adding code behind for Silverlight resource dictionary: AG_E_PARSER_BAD_TYPE

It should be possible to add a code behind file for a resource dictionary in Silverlight, but I keep getting the same error, thrown from the InitializeComponent method of my App.xaml constructor: XamlParseException: AG_E_PARSER_BAD_TYPE.
The resource dictionary xaml file looks like this:
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
x:Class="Celerior.Annapurna.SL.ProvisiorResourceDictionary"
x:ClassModifier="public">
...
</ResourceDictionary>
If I remove the x:Class attribute everything works fine again (of course, I double-checked the class name and it's correct). My App.xaml file isn't really exciting and just contains a reference to the resource dictionary:
<Application xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
x:Class="Celerior.Annapurna.SL.App">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="ProvisiorResourceDictionary.xaml"/>
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
What am I doing wrong?
Kind regards,
Ronald Wildenberg
Silverlight does not support the x:ClassModifier thats only supported in WPF.
In addition x:Class isn't valid in a Resource dictionary. Certainly when trying to include the Xaml from the resource dictionary as a merged dictionary Silverlight wouldn't know what to do with the x:Class at that point.
Actually the above isn't strictly true x:Class is valid but the way you are including the dictionary in the application dictionary needs tweaking. Let me first just state that there is the assumption here that you actually need to sub-class ResourceDictionary (if not just drop the x:Class).
I'm also going to go out on a limb based on your inclusion of x:ClassModifier that you actually don't have a ProvisiorResourceDictionary.xaml.cs file in your project. Since SL always creates a public partial you need this file to contain at least:-
public partial class ProvisiorResourceDictionary
{
public ProvisiorResourceDictionary()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
That said if don't have something like this already then you may as well just drop x:Class altogether.
Now your app.xaml needs to look like this:-
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<common:ProvisiorResourceDictionary />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
Instead of trying to import the XAML file as resource via the Source property you now include an instance of the specialised ResourceDictionary.
Is the ProvisiorResourceDictionary class public? If not, maybe you need to specify the x:ClassModifier attribute as well.

Trouble referencing a Resource Dictionary that contains a Merged Dictionary

I have a library, CommonLibraryWpfThemes, with several Resource Dictionary XAML files in it. My Themes/Generic.xml file contains a ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries declaration that merges all the other files together.
Generic.xaml
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/BrushDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/TextBlockDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/LabelDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/ButtonDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/WindowDictionary.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
In my application project, I have a reference to CommonLibraryWpfThemes, and I explicitly reference Generic.xml in my App.xaml file.
App.xaml -- FAILS
<Application
x:Class="MyApp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/Themes/Generic.xaml" />
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
This doesn't work. I get the following error when I run my app:
System.Windows.Markup.XamlParseException occurred
Message="Cannot find resource named '{_fadedOrangeBrush}'. Resource names are case sensitive. Error at object 'System.Windows.Setter' in markup file 'CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/WindowDictionary.xaml' Line 18 Position 13."
Source="PresentationFramework"
LineNumber=18
LinePosition=13
If I place the contents of Generic.xaml into App.xaml directly, everything works fine:
App.xaml -- SUCCEEDS
<Application
x:Class="MyApp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/BrushDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/TextBlockDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/LabelDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/ButtonDictionary.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/ResourceDictionaries/WindowDictionary.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
Maybe I'm going about this in the wrong way. My goal is to make it easy to reference all my theme resources from multiple applications without having to list out all the individual files. Is there a recommended way to do this? (Note: I'm not trying to switch between multiple themes--I just have one theme.)
As a bonus, it would be nice if someone could tell me how to reference resources in an external library without breaking the designer in Visual Studio.
Thanks.
EDIT:
I tried wrapping the ResourceDictionary in a ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionary element, but that also didn't work (I get the same error):
<Application
x:Class="MyApp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/Themes/Generic.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
Answered a similar question here earlier, see Adding a Merged Dictionary to a Merged Dictionary question.
This is an optimization bug, see Microsoft Connect / DefaultStyleKey style not found in inner MergedDictionaries:
On the creation of every object in
XAML, if a default style is present
(i.e. style w/ a key of Type) that
style should be applied. As you can
imagine there are several performance
optimizations to make that (implied)
lookup a light weight as possible. One
of them is that we don’t look inside
Resource Dictionaries unless they are
flagged as “containing default
Styles”. There is a bug: if all your
default styles are nested in merged
dictionaries three levels deep (or
deeper) the top dictionary does not
get flagged so the search skips it.
The work around is to put a default
Style to something, anything, in the
root Dictionary.
So adding a dummy style to the root dictionary fixes this. Example
<Application x:Class="MyApp.App"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/Themes/Generic.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<!-- Dummy Style, anything you won't use goes -->
<Style TargetType="{x:Type Rectangle}" />
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>
Check your constructor in App.xaml.cs calls InitializeComponent() - this is what merges the resource dictionaries...
You should not have to reference generic.xaml at all, it has built-in support. This however means that it provides default styling, which you do not set explicitly. Explicitly set styles/templates need to be attainable from explicitly referenced res dictionaries.
(EDIT for clarity)
One exception to this is the App.xaml, where defined resources become accessible by the whole app, without requiring to reference any specific resource dictionary. The resource itself, would have to be accessible by name.
The reason why this fails
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary
Source="/CommonLibraryWpfThemes;component/Themes/Generic.xaml" />
</Application.Resources>
is, I think, because you didn't wrap it in a MergedDictionary wrapper, adding it to merged dictionaries. Adding directly to resources works only for resources you declare locally, e.g. the styles, etc. themselves.
However, as I said before, you shouldn't have to merge generic.xaml anywhere, maybe you should just refactor brushes and other resources used outside styles, and merge only those resources in app.xaml.
Also note that styles do not have to be in generic.xaml to have "default style" behaviour - if a style with key equal to the type of the element is accessible to it (globally, or in local resources), then it will use the style as a default style. The generic.xaml is just a convenience.
Check this answer.
For other custom brushes, etc, you need to reference those resources explicitly.
You should also check the contents of the WindowDictionary.xaml, this error has a certain smell about it.
I was getting this error in my unit tests and Chris' answer from above gave me the clue I needed. Basically on my first tested method, I put:
MyApplication.App app = new MyApplication.App();
app.InitializeComponent();
And suddenly it could find my template for my pages. Note: this does mean that you have to check to see if an instance of your App already exists if you are unit testing your App.cs as well.
My solution is here, click Workarounds.

Resources