Make DatePicker easier to read when disabled - wpf

Question

The text is grayed out when the DatePicker is disabled and I want the content to be easier to read.
What I did on some TextBoxes was:
<Style TargetType="TextBox">
<Style.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Black" />
</Trigger>
</Style.Triggers>
</Style>
It did make the text easier to read.
I do manage to change the Foreground colour on the DataPicker but it does not do the trick. The text was still grayed out.
Seems like there is another property I need to set to make the content of the disabled DatePicker easier to read.
So, how do I make the content of my disabled DatePicker easier to read?

Answer 1

Can you extend DatePicker by adding bool DependencyProperty called Editable.
I found a working example at the following link, note that I run this code in .NET 4.
Here is the DatePicker Control:
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Controls.Primitives;
using System.Windows.Data;
namespace DatePickerStyle
{
public class ExtendedDatePicker : DatePicker
{
public static readonly DependencyProperty EditableProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Editable", typeof(bool),
typeof(ExtendedDatePicker), new PropertyMetadata(true));
public bool Editable
{
get { return (bool)GetValue(EditableProperty); }
set { SetValue(EditableProperty, value); }
}
public override void OnApplyTemplate()
{
base.OnApplyTemplate();
var textBox = GetTemplateChild("PART_TextBox") as DatePickerTextBox;
var binding = new Binding { Source = this, Path = new PropertyPath(ExtendedDatePicker.EditableProperty) };
textBox.SetBinding(UIElement.FocusableProperty, binding);
}
}
}
Here is the XAML:
<Window x:Class="DatePickerStyle.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:DatePickerStyle="clr-namespace:DatePickerStyle"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<DatePicker IsEnabled="True" Grid.Row="0" SelectedDate="2002/12/31"/>
<DatePicker IsEnabled="False" Grid.Row="1" SelectedDate="2002/12/31"/>
<DatePickerStyle:ExtendedDatePicker Editable="True" Grid.Row="2" SelectedDate="2002/12/31"/>
<DatePickerStyle:ExtendedDatePicker Editable="False" Grid.Row="3" SelectedDate="2002/12/31"/>
</Grid>
</Window>

Answer 2

My I suggest this simpler, universal approach?
<ControlTemplate x:Key="MyDisabledDatePicker">
<Border BorderBrush="Black" BorderThickness="1">
<TextBlock
Text="{Binding Path=SelectedDate, StringFormat={}{0:d}, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}"
VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Padding="10,0,0,0"/>
</Border>
</ControlTemplate>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type DatePicker}">
<Style.Triggers>
<DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Path=IsEnabled, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}" Value="false">
<Setter Property="Template" Value="{StaticResource MyDisabledDatePicker}" />
</DataTrigger>
</Style.Triggers>
</Style>
Presto!

Answer 3

the above code w ExtendedDatePicker works, first I thought it didn't but that was because the dropdown could still change the text and the Editable="False" doesn't work on the dropdown
so don't forget to add the following to the ExtendedDatePicker
Editable="False" AllowDrop="False" IsDropDownOpen="False" IsHitTestVisible="False" IsManipulationEnabled="False"