I have a WPF custom control MyControl.cs in my application project (.exe) with its style in a resource dictionary in MyControlResources.xaml. This xaml is specified in app.xaml as a part of the merged dictionaries. Everything works fine.
Now I want to move this custom control into an existing DLL project that the application references. Is there a way that I can create the resource dictionary "assignment" in the DLL and make it transparent to the callers i.e. the application project can use it like any built-in control that doesn't require you to know anything about resource dictionary?
I've read about creating a new custom control project can do the trick, but it's only one control for which I don't want to create a new project for. Anyone knows how to do it in an existing class library DLL?
This answer helped me find the trick.
Create a file called Themes\Generic.xaml to merge the resource dictionary.
Add the following attribute to Assembly.cs
[assembly: ThemeInfo(ResourceDictionaryLocation.None, ResourceDictionaryLocation.SourceAssembly)]
Related
I'm hoping to create a WPF User Control Library with reusable controls for my many projects to save time recreating them every time (something I've found myself doing).
So I:
Created a WPF User Control Library, and created a ThemeDark.xaml file to contain common colour keys and styles.
Created a separate regular WPF project in the same solution so that I can test the controls in an actual window.
Added a project reference to the User Control Library.
Added a ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries into the App.xaml which references the theme file from the other project.
The problem: I can access and use the SolidColorBrush keys from the theme file just fine in the testing project, but for some reason IntelliSense can't see the Styles (which all have keys).
I also can't seem to use the pack://application:,,,/ method of referencing the ResourceDictionary in App.xaml; it only accepts the filename. This was originally set through the Properties panel -> Source -> Browse, however I have tried a few different formats, all to no avail. It also doesn't seem to notice that ThemeDark.xaml is in a Themes/ directory within the User Control Library project.
So - How does one properly reference a ResourceDictionary from a WPF User Control Library project and be able to use all resources (including Styles)?
DarkTheme.xaml (inside user control library project):
App.xaml (inside testing project):
Resulting behaviour (very strange - SolidColorBrushes available but Styles aren't):
I found the problem. I had removed the spaces from the project's namespace, but not from the assembly name.
Once that was fixed I was able to use Source="pack://application:,,,/MyControlLibrary;component/Themes/ThemeDark.xaml"
MyControlLibrary isn't the actual name! ;)
I have a wpf application project, with user controls in a separate project.
I'd like to have different resource dictionaries in the different projects
When I view the user controls from the user control project, I'd like to use the user control library's dictionary.
when I run the Application, i'd like to use the application's dictionary.
Right now, when i run the application, the application still has it's own dictionary, but the user controls are still using the user control library's dictionary
I've tried combinations of dictionaries and merged dictionaries.
Not really sure how to do this.
thanks in advace
So I found a workaround:
Include an App.xaml file in the user control library. Define the user control design time resources in the user control App.xaml file
In the regular wpf application project, include the run time resources.
At design time, the user controls only see its own App.xaml file, while at run time, the appliction is run and uses the resources defined in the application projects App.xaml file
Don't know if this is the optimal method of doing this. If anyone has any comments on doing it this way, please feel free to post
Thanks
Let's try to explain it clearly.
I've got a custom control built as a WPF application and it works fine. I've moved all the code into a external DLL. After this change, when I load the application, the method OnApplyTemplate() is not called any more and the control is not rendered either
I've try with Generic.xaml file is into a Themes directory (with capital T) in the root of the DLL which has the control and/or a Themes directory into the StartUp project.
If this info is important here's where I've found the control: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/WPF/WPFOutlookCalendar.aspx
The settings of the project is
Output type: Class Library
Target framework: .Net Framework 4
I've create a simple DLL project and I've added the references manually
Do you have any idea about the solution?
Thanks in advance...
The main difference between a standard Wpf Applicaton and a WPF Custom Control library are the following lines of code.
[assembly: ThemeInfo(
ResourceDictionaryLocation.None, //where theme specific resource dictionaries are located
//(used if a resource is not found in the page,
// or application resource dictionaries)
ResourceDictionaryLocation.SourceAssembly //where the generic resource dictionary is located
//(used if a resource is not found in the page,
// app, or any theme specific resource dictionaries)
)]
Adding these lines of code to your Assembly should fix your bug.
Thanks to dowhilefor, I've found the solution!
I've recreated a new library as a WPF Custom Control Library and it works.
It is a little overkill to recreate a new project so if someone can explain to me how to reconfigure an existing project, it'd be very nice ;)
I've just begun dabbling in putting together a set of controls as assemblies and I'm working on default styling. What I currently have is a UserControl in a project (thanks Reed!) and I'm able to bring that into another project via reference. I plan to add more controls over time to build something of an SDK.
I currently have some hooks that look for resources in the hosting application which either apply the resources to their respective properties, or style out the control via hard coded defaults.
Is it possible to set up resource dictionaries within the project containing the UserControls so they can use those references as the default, instead of hard coding? If so, how do I target them?
(I have a ResourceDictionary set up within the same project as the controls: Resources>Dictionaries>Colors.xaml)
Thanks in advance!
E
You should really look at creating custom templated controls in library rather than derivatives of UserControls. This will allow projects that reference your library to specify an alternative default style for you controls in the same way as we can for the controls in Microsofts own SDK.
The Creating a New Control by Creating a ControlTemplate topic on MSDN is good starter.
I think this is a better explanation, but i'm trying on a desktop application and i got the same problem.
XamlParseException: Failed to create a 'System.Type' from the text 'local:CustomerEntity'
If I'm undestanding correctly you want to create the file "generic.xaml" in the folder "Themes". However, I don't believe automatic styling works with UserControl only with Control. Generally if you trying to make a control that can be stylized and retemplated you want to inherit from Control and not UserControl.
I am trying to merge all the assemblies of an class library in a single .dll file.
I can merge all the assemblies using the Ilmerge but is that when I use the merged dll in a Silverlight application I am having trouble when a template is apply to my control and binding problems if I use a control that inherits with UserControl.
is there any solution to solve this problem?
The problem is that when the initial dlls are built the Xaml in the project is added as a resource in the dll. The code generated to load this xaml will look something like this:-
System.Windows.Application.LoadComponent(this, new System.Uri("/SilverlightLibrary1;component/MyControl.xaml", System.UriKind.Relative));
Note how the name of the dll forms part of the Uri need to fetch the xaml. I doubt IlMerge is able to spot that and fix it up. Hence once merged the Uris cannot be found.
A resolution for this is probably uglier than multiple references or simply creating another project that links all the code files involved.