Ajax-style Style for Silverlight BusyIndicator? - silverlight

Question

I'm looking for an example Style to change the look of the Silverlight BusyIndicator to more like the "spinning wheel" look of AJAX apps.
A lap around google produces some links to where people are creating new controls to achieve the same thing (I suspect they pre-date the BusyIndicator) but I'd rather skin the BusyIndicator if possible.
Anyone pont me in the right direction?
Thanks
Mark

Answer 1

I made my own custom BusyIndicator from Silverlight Toolkit
Here is what you need:
Set the System namespace in your style file:
xmlns:System="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
Put the style/template in your style file:
<ControlTemplate x:Key="AjaxBusyIndicatorControlTemplate" TargetType="toolkit:BusyIndicator">
<Grid x:Name="ColorLayer">
<VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
<VisualStateGroup x:Name="VisibilityStates">
<VisualState x:Name="Hidden">
<Storyboard>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="busycontent">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<Visibility>Collapsed</Visibility>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="overlay">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<Visibility>Collapsed</Visibility>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
<VisualState x:Name="Visible">
<Storyboard>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="busycontent">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<Visibility>Visible</Visibility>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="overlay">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<Visibility>Visible</Visibility>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
</VisualStateGroup>
<VisualStateGroup x:Name="BusyStatusStates">
<VisualState x:Name="Idle">
<Storyboard>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Control.IsEnabled)" Storyboard.TargetName="content">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<System:Boolean>True</System:Boolean>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
<VisualState x:Name="Busy">
<Storyboard RepeatBehavior="Forever" AutoReverse="False">
<DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(CompositeTransform.Rotation)" Storyboard.TargetName="loader">
<EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="0"/>
<EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:1" Value="359.999"/>
</DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
<ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Control.IsEnabled)" Storyboard.TargetName="content">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
<DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
<System:Boolean>False</System:Boolean>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
</DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
</ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
</Storyboard>
</VisualState>
</VisualStateGroup>
</VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
<ContentControl x:Name="content" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" VerticalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
<Rectangle x:Name="overlay" Style="{TemplateBinding OverlayStyle}"/>
<ContentPresenter x:Name="busycontent">
<Path x:Name="loader" Height="19" Width="19" Canvas.Left="0.5" Canvas.Top="0.5" Stretch="Fill" UseLayoutRounding="False" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="0.2" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,0.5"
Data="M9.5,3 C5.9101491,3 3,5.9101491 3,9.5 C3,13.08985 5.9101491,16 9.5,16 C13.08985,16 16,13.08985 16,9.5 C16,5.9101491 13.08985,3 9.5,3 z M9.5,0 C14.746705,0 19,4.2532949 19,9.5 C19,14.746705 14.746705,19 9.5,19 C4.2532949,19 0,14.746705 0,9.5 C0,4.2532949 4.2532949,0 9.5,0 z">
<Path.RenderTransform>
<CompositeTransform/>
</Path.RenderTransform>
<Path.Fill>
<LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">
<GradientStop Color="#FF0089FF" Offset="0"/>
<GradientStop Color="White" Offset="1"/>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</Path.Fill>
</Path>
</ContentPresenter>
</Grid>
</ControlTemplate>
<Style x:Key="AjaxBusyIndicator" TargetType="toolkit:BusyIndicator" >
<Setter Property="Template" Value="{StaticResource AjaxBusyIndicatorControlTemplate}"/>
</Style>
Use it in your XAML:
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
<toolkit:BusyIndicator IsBusy="True" Style="{StaticResource AjaxBusyIndicator}">
<TextBox Text="TEST test test" />
</toolkit:BusyIndicator>
</Grid>

Answer 2

Well really a common scenario.. Silverlight devs usually use
Link this type of control. but as your requirement is to have it like AJAX i think this link could be helpful:
http://chrisa.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/a-wait-indicator-in-silverlight/
Here are some hints on how to customize data template for busy indicator:
http://www.jeff.wilcox.name/2009/11/busy-indicator-control/
Regards.