Vista - Reuse Background for multiple pages

I've got an xaml browserlike app with a few pages, and I want to use
the same background in all my pages.

How can I reuse the background without having to copy it in every
page.xaml file? Can I put it in a resource and reference this, or
something?

thanks,
Sam

I also want to know how to do this kind of things. For example I have a
large xaml file which describes a 3D object, but if I insert it in my
main user interface file, it will be a mess. So I want to put the
object in a separate xaml file, and have it referenced in the user
interface xaml. How do we do this? I've looked over MergedDictionaries,
but I can't really figure out how to achieve the functionality I want.

For example, let's say that I have defined a label control in my
separate xaml file (Dictionary1.xaml):

----
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
>
<Label x:Key="MyLabel">
Some Text
</Label>
</ResourceDictionary>
----

I know how to reference the resource in my main file, but I don't know
how to put the label inside the grid:

----
<Window x:Class="WindowsApplication1.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="WindowsApplication1" Height="300" Width="300"
>
<Window.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="Dictionary1.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Window.Resources>
<Grid>
[.......]
</Grid>
</Window>
----

What should I put in place of "[.....]" to have the label inside the
grid? Someone knows?

Cheers,
Cosmin.

Put <StaticResource ResourceKey="MyLabel"/>
--
Valentin Iliescu [MVP C#]


"CosminB [BRT]" wrote:

> I also want to know how to do this kind of things. For example I have a
> large xaml file which describes a 3D object, but if I insert it in my
> main user interface file, it will be a mess. So I want to put the
> object in a separate xaml file, and have it referenced in the user
> interface xaml. How do we do this? I've looked over MergedDictionaries,
> but I can't really figure out how to achieve the functionality I want.
>
> For example, let's say that I have defined a label control in my
> separate xaml file (Dictionary1.xaml):
>
> ----
> <ResourceDictionary
> xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
> xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
> >
> <Label x:Key="MyLabel">
> Some Text
> </Label>
> </ResourceDictionary>
> ----
>
> I know how to reference the resource in my main file, but I don't know
> how to put the label inside the grid:
>
> ----
> <Window x:Class="WindowsApplication1.Window1"
> xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
> xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
> Title="WindowsApplication1" Height="300" Width="300"
> >
> <Window.Resources>
> <ResourceDictionary>
> <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
> <ResourceDictionary Source="Dictionary1.xaml" />
> </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
> </ResourceDictionary>
> </Window.Resources>
> <Grid>
> [.......]
> </Grid>
> </Window>
> ----
>
> What should I put in place of "[.....]" to have the label inside the
> grid? Someone knows?
>
> Cheers,
> Cosmin.
>
>

Thank you both for your quick replies.

Cosmin

I've just tested it, it works, but I get a warning when placing the
StaticResource element inside the Grid element. It says it is invalid,
as it wasn't expected there. What's the proper way to add the
StaticResource to the Grid? Is there a nicer way?

what is the exact error message & call stack? Thanks.

--
-Nick Kramer [MSFT]

---
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

"CosminB [BRT]" <cosminb@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144171652.265280.227260@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I've just tested it, it works, but I get a warning when placing the
> StaticResource element inside the Grid element. It says it is invalid,
> as it wasn't expected there. What's the proper way to add the
> StaticResource to the Grid? Is there a nicer way?
>

There is no error message, just a warning, when editing the xaml file.
Now it looks like this:

<Window x:Class="WindowsApplication1.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="WindowsApplication1" Height="300" Width="300"
>
<Window.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary Source="Dictionary1.xaml" />
</Window.Resources>
<Grid>
<StaticResource ResourceKey="MyLabel" />
</Grid>
</Window>

It says that StaticResource isn't a valid child of Grid. And what I
want to know is: what's the proper way to do it, without getting the
warning? I suppose there is another, correct way.

You can safely ignore the warning.
This is a limitation of how wpf's vs extensions currently provide
intellisense support.
We basically use an xsd in the interim but xsd is quite limited for the
purpose of validating xaml.
We are working on better intellisense support

-- Ifeanyi Echeruo [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"CosminB [BRT]" <cosminb@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144191158.837132.227530@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> There is no error message, just a warning, when editing the xaml file.
> Now it looks like this:
>
> <Window x:Class="WindowsApplication1.Window1"
> xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
> xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
> Title="WindowsApplication1" Height="300" Width="300"
> >
> <Window.Resources>
> <ResourceDictionary Source="Dictionary1.xaml" />
> </Window.Resources>
> <Grid>
> <StaticResource ResourceKey="MyLabel" />
> </Grid>
> </Window>
>
> It says that StaticResource isn't a valid child of Grid. And what I
> want to know is: what's the proper way to do it, without getting the
> warning? I suppose there is another, correct way.
>