property Template not found for custom wpf control - wpf

Question

I am trying to modify the wpf tray icon at http://www.hardcodet.net/projects/wpf-notifyicon
the aim is to have a separate xaml file that would define a trayicon with a specific configuration, so that this configuration, in a separate file, could be easily added to say a wpf window.
im very new to wpf, but am trying to use ControlTemplate in a ResourceDictionary to achieve the aim:
Pointing to resource in App.xaml
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="trayicon.xaml"/>
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
The separated configuration of trayicon.xaml
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:tb="clr-namespace:Hardcodet.Wpf.TaskbarNotification">
<ControlTemplate x:Key="TrayIcon" TargetType="{x:Type tb:TaskbarIcon}">
<tb:TaskbarIcon x:Name="MyNotifyIcon"
IconSource="/TaskbarNotification/DefaultTrayIcon.ico"
ToolTipText="I am notified yes!"
MenuActivation="LeftOrRightClick"></tb:TaskbarIcon>
</ControlTemplate>
</ResourceDictionary>
Trying to use the configuration
<Window x:Class="Test.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:tb="clr-namespace:Hardcodet.Wpf.TaskbarNotification"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
<Grid>
<tb:TaskbarIcon Template="{StaticResource TrayIcon}"></tb:TaskbarIcon>
</Grid>
</Window>
Exception thrown in MainWindow.xaml
The property 'Template' was not found in type 'TaskbarIcon'
My guess is that i have to add some code to this custom wpf control that woudl expose the Template property and set it how it should be set?
But i have no idea how i would do that, could you point me in the right direction please?
Wild partial guess of code needed
public static readonly DependencyProperty TemplateProperty =
DependencyProperty.Register("Template",
typeof (SomeTemplateType),
typeof (TaskbarIcon),
new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(SomeTemplateType.Empty, TemplatePropertyChanged));
[Category(CategoryName)]
[Description("Enables Templating.")]
public SomeTemplateType Template
{
get { return (SomeTemplateType)TemplateProperty; }
set { SetValue(TemplateProperty,value); }
}

Answer 1

Cel I dont understand the template in the first place. The control template is targetted for tb:TaskbarIcon which actually has another tb:TaskbarIcon inside it!!!
I assume you want following properties to be applied to TrayIcons across your application with their specified values...
IconSource="/TaskbarNotification/DefaultTrayIcon.ico";
ToolTipText="I am notified yes!";
MenuActivation="LeftOrRightClick"
If thats so then assuming that above properties are dependency properties, instead of creating a control template why dont you create a style which is targetted to tb:TaskbarIcon and specify Setters which set the above properties with their corresponding values.
<Style x:Name="MyNotifyIcon" TargetType="{x:Type tb:TaskbarIcon}">
<Setter Property="IconSource" Value="/TaskbarNotification/DefaultTrayIcon.ico"/>
<Setter Property="ToolTipText" Value="I am notified yes!" />
<Setter Property="MenuActivation" Value="LeftOrRightClick" />
</Style>
Then apply this style to your TaskbarIcon
<tb:TaskbarIcon Style="{StaticResource MyNotifyIcon}"></tb:TaskbarIcon>
So basically if this is what you are looking for, then template is out of question.
Please suggest if this helps you.