Create a grid in WPF as Template programmatically

Question

I want to create a basic user control with a style programmatically. In this style I want to add a Grid (no problem), but I can't add column definitions to this grid.

My example code is

ControlTemplate templ = new ControlTemplate();
FrameworkElementFactory mainPanel = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(DockPanel));
mainPanel.SetValue(DockPanel.LastChildFillProperty, true);

FrameworkElementFactory headerPanel = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(StackPanel));
headerPanel.SetValue(StackPanel.OrientationProperty, Orientation.Horizontal);
headerPanel.SetValue(DockPanel.DockProperty, Dock.Top);
mainPanel.AppendChild(headerPanel);

FrameworkElementFactory headerImg = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(Image));
headerImg.SetValue(Image.MarginProperty, new Thickness(5));
headerImg.SetValue(Image.HeightProperty, 32d);
headerImg.SetBinding(Image.SourceProperty, new Binding("ElementImage") { RelativeSource = new RelativeSource(RelativeSourceMode.TemplatedParent) });
headerPanel.AppendChild(headerImg);

FrameworkElementFactory headerTitle = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(TextBlock));
headerTitle.SetValue(TextBlock.FontSizeProperty, 16d);
headerTitle.SetValue(TextBlock.VerticalAlignmentProperty, VerticalAlignment.Center);
headerTitle.SetBinding(TextBlock.TextProperty, new Binding("Title") { RelativeSource = new RelativeSource(RelativeSourceMode.TemplatedParent) });
headerPanel.AppendChild(headerTitle);

FrameworkElementFactory mainGrid = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(Grid));
FrameworkElementFactory c1 = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
c1.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star));
FrameworkElementFactory c2 = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
c2.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto));
FrameworkElementFactory c3 = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
c3.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, new GridLength(3, GridUnitType.Star));
FrameworkElementFactory colDefinitions = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinitionCollection));
colDefinitions.AppendChild(c1);
colDefinitions.AppendChild(c2);
colDefinitions.AppendChild(c3);
mainGrid.AppendChild(colDefinitions);

mainPanel.AppendChild(mainGrid);

FrameworkElementFactory content = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ContentPresenter));
content.SetBinding(ContentPresenter.ContentProperty, new Binding() { RelativeSource = new RelativeSource(RelativeSourceMode.TemplatedParent), Path = new PropertyPath("Content") });
mainGrid.AppendChild(content);

templ.VisualTree = mainPanel;
Style mainStyle = new Style();
mainStyle.Setters.Add(new Setter(UserControl.TemplateProperty, templ));
this.Style = mainStyle;

But the creation of FrameworkElementFactory with type ColumnDefinitionCollection will throw an exception "'ColumnDefinitionCollection' type must derive from FrameworkElement, FrameworkContentElement, or Visual3D."

Who can help me?

Maybe consider using XamlReader.Load() it is prefered over FrameworkElementFactory — nan
– nan, Commented Dec 23, 2010 at 9:02

Jesper Højer · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-14 07:28:57Z

20

FrameworkElementFactory has some custom logic for handling the ColumnDefinitions and RowDefinitions in a Grid. For those values, you treat them like children in the factory tree, for example:

FrameworkElementFactory gridFactory = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(Grid));

var column1 = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
column1.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto));

var column2 = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
column2.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star));

gridFactory.AppendChild(column1);
gridFactory.AppendChild(column2);

edited Sep 14, 2017 at 7:28

Jesper Højer

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answered Oct 25, 2011 at 14:53

Pavan

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Comments

biju · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-23 12:51:17Z

5

you can simply add column definitions like this

XAML Code:

<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Height="50"/>
<ColumnDefinition Height="100"/>
<ColumnDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

C# Code:

ColumnDefinition c = new ColumnDefinition();
c.Width = new GridLength(50, GridUnitType.Pixel);

ColumnDefinition c1 = new ColumnDefinition();
c1.Width = new GridLength(100, GridUnitType.Pixel);

ColumnDefinition c2 = new ColumnDefinition();
c2.Width = new GridLength(0, GridUnitType.Star);

grMain.ColumnDefinitions.Add(c);
grMain.ColumnDefinitions.Add(c1);
grMain.ColumnDefinitions.Add(c2);

for more check here

edited Dec 23, 2010 at 12:51

answered Dec 23, 2010 at 11:40

biju

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1 Comment

boski Over a year ago

Column definitions got Width, not Height :)

Dmitriy · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-07 03:20:38Z

//create grid 
            var grid = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(Grid));

            // assign template to grid 
            CellControlTemplate.VisualTree = grid;

            // define grid's rows 
            var r = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(RowDefinition));
            grid.AppendChild(r);

            // define grid's columns
            var c = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
            grid.AppendChild(c);

            c = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
            c.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, GridLength.Auto);
            grid.AppendChild(c);

            c = new FrameworkElementFactory(typeof(ColumnDefinition));
            c.SetValue(ColumnDefinition.WidthProperty, GridLength.Auto);
            grid.AppendChild(c);

Rubin · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-31 02:35:32Z

1

You just need to change the last part of your code. See below,

Original Code:

        colDefinitions.AppendChild(c1);
        colDefinitions.AppendChild(c2);
        colDefinitions.AppendChild(c3);
        mainGrid.AppendChild(colDefinitions);

New Code:

        mainGrid.AppendChild(c1);
        mainGrid.AppendChild(c2);
        mainGrid.AppendChild(c3);

answered Jan 31, 2013 at 2:35

Rubin

111 bronze badge

1 Comment

sharakan Over a year ago

Always nice to explain why the change is needed!

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