Creating controls and data triggers statically

Question

Hi,
I have two questions wrt WPF:
1. I've set of controls like below:
 <Grid >
                                <Border x:Name="DrawerOneBorder"  Height="212" Width="227" Margin="1" BorderThickness="1"
                              BorderBrush="{StaticResource TileBorderBrush}" >
                                    <TextBlock Style="{StaticResource TileTitleTextStyle}">Drawer1</TextBlock>
                                </Border>
                                <Image x:Name="DrawerOneImage"  Height="50" Width="50" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"
                        Source="..\Status\CheckMark.png" >
                                </Image>
                                    <TextBlock x:Name="DrawerOneWarningText" Text="Drawer is open" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
Margin="15" FontSize="16" ></TextBlock>
                                    <TextBlock x:Name="DrawerOneErrorText" Text="Error" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Bottom"
Margin="15" FontSize="16" ></TextBlock>
                                </Grid>
The same set of controls I need to create multiple times. Is there a way where I can create a template kind and use it wherever required? (I should be able to change/give some information like text for each of the controls)
2. I've following code for data triggers:
<DataTrigger Binding="{Binding Path=ModuleDetails.Drawers[0].DrawerStatus }" Value="Ok">                                        
                                        <Setter TargetName="DrawerOneBorder" Property="Background" Value="#BDC2FF"/>
                                        <Setter TargetName="DrawerOneImage" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible"/>
                                        <Setter TargetName="DrawerOneWarningText" Property="Visibility" Value="Hidden"/>
                                        <Setter TargetName="DrawerOneErrorText" Property="Visibility" Value="Hidden"/>
                                    </DataTrigger>
Here, only drawer index changes and rest remains same. Is it possible to give common things in static resource and specific thing in each place?
Kindly waiting for your response.
Thanks,
Santosh

Answer 1

Please only ask ONE question per thread.
>>Is there a way where I can create a template kind and use it wherever required?
You can define an element as a resource at any level (application, window, user control etc.) and then reference it using a ContentControl like this:
<Window.Resources>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="TileBorderBrush">Green</SolidColorBrush>
<Border x:Key="DrawerOneBorder" x:Shared="false" Height="212" Width="227" Margin="1" BorderThickness="1"
BorderBrush="{StaticResource TileBorderBrush}" >
<TextBlock>Drawer1</TextBlock>
</Border>
</Window.Resources>
<ContentControl Content="{StaticResource DrawerOneBorder}"/>
<ContentControl Content="{StaticResource DrawerOneBorder}"/>
<ContentControl Content="{StaticResource DrawerOneBorder}"/>
Remember to set the x:Shared attribute of the resource to false for a new instance of it to get created for each request to it. Note that you cannot modify any properties of the resource directly in XAML this way though.
If you require to be able to this you should use style resources:
<Window.Resources>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="TileBorderBrush">Green</SolidColorBrush>
<Style TargetType="Border" x:Key="DrawerOneBorder">
<Setter Property="Height" Value="212"/>
<Setter Property="Width" Value="227"/>
<!-- rest of the properties... -->
</Style>
</Window.Resources>
<!-- override Height of style -->
<Border Style="{StaticResource DrawerOneBorder}" Height="400">
<TextBlock Style="{StaticResource SomeTextBlockStyle}">....</TextBlock>
</Border>
<Border Style="{StaticResource DrawerOneBorder}" />
>>Is it possible to give common things in static resource and specific thing in each place?
I am afraid I don't know if I understand this question but you cannot define the setters in one place and then somehow "import" these setters into the DataTrigger. This is not possible. But please start a new thread if you have a
new question.
Please also remember to mark helpful posts as answer to close your threads.