Making WPF applications look Metro-styled, even in Windows 7? (Window Chrome / Theming / Theme)
I like the window chrome on the new Office Suite and Visual Studio:
I'm still developing applications for Windows 7 of course, but I'm wondering if there's a quick and easy way (read: WPF style or Windows Library) to emulate this style. I've done some window chrome styling in the past, but getting it to look and behave just right is really tricky.
Does anyone know if there are existing templates or libraries to add a "Modern UI" look and feel to my WPF applications?
Answer
What I did was creating my own Window and Style. Because I like to have control over everything and I didn't want some external libraries just to use a Window from it. I looked at already mentioned MahApps.Metro on GitHub
and also very nice Modern UI on GitHub. (.NET4.5 only)
There is one more it's Elysium but I really didn't try this one.
The style I did was really easy when I looked how it's done in these. Now I have my own Window and I can do whatever I want with xaml... for me it's the main reason why I did my own. And I made one more for you too :) I should probably say that I wouldn't be able to do it without exploring Modern UI it was great help. I tried to make it look like VS2012 Window. It looks like this.
Here is code (please note that it's targeting .NET4.5)
public class MyWindow : Window
{
public MyWindow()
{
this.CommandBindings.Add(new CommandBinding(SystemCommands.CloseWindowCommand, this.OnCloseWindow));
this.CommandBindings.Add(new CommandBinding(SystemCommands.MaximizeWindowCommand, this.OnMaximizeWindow, this.OnCanResizeWindow));
this.CommandBindings.Add(new CommandBinding(SystemCommands.MinimizeWindowCommand, this.OnMinimizeWindow, this.OnCanMinimizeWindow));
this.CommandBindings.Add(new CommandBinding(SystemCommands.RestoreWindowCommand, this.OnRestoreWindow, this.OnCanResizeWindow));
}
private void OnCanResizeWindow(object sender, CanExecuteRoutedEventArgs e)
{
e.CanExecute = this.ResizeMode == ResizeMode.CanResize || this.ResizeMode == ResizeMode.CanResizeWithGrip;
}
private void OnCanMinimizeWindow(object sender, CanExecuteRoutedEventArgs e)
{
e.CanExecute = this.ResizeMode != ResizeMode.NoResize;
}
private void OnCloseWindow(object target, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
SystemCommands.CloseWindow(this);
}
private void OnMaximizeWindow(object target, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
SystemCommands.MaximizeWindow(this);
}
private void OnMinimizeWindow(object target, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
SystemCommands.MinimizeWindow(this);
}
private void OnRestoreWindow(object target, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e)
{
SystemCommands.RestoreWindow(this);
}
}
And here resources:
<BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="bool2VisibilityConverter" />
<Color x:Key="WindowBackgroundColor">#FF2D2D30</Color>
<Color x:Key="HighlightColor">#FF3F3F41</Color>
<Color x:Key="BlueColor">#FF007ACC</Color>
<Color x:Key="ForegroundColor">#FFF4F4F5</Color>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="WindowBackgroundColorBrush" Color="{StaticResource WindowBackgroundColor}"/>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="HighlightColorBrush" Color="{StaticResource HighlightColor}"/>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="BlueColorBrush" Color="{StaticResource BlueColor}"/>
<SolidColorBrush x:Key="ForegroundColorBrush" Color="{StaticResource ForegroundColor}"/>
<Style x:Key="WindowButtonStyle" TargetType="{x:Type Button}">
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{DynamicResource ForegroundColorBrush}" />
<Setter Property="Background" Value="Transparent" />
<Setter Property="HorizontalContentAlignment" Value="Center" />
<Setter Property="VerticalContentAlignment" Value="Center" />
<Setter Property="Padding" Value="1" />
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type Button}">
<Grid Background="{TemplateBinding Background}">
<ContentPresenter x:Name="contentPresenter"
HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}"
VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"
SnapsToDevicePixels="{TemplateBinding SnapsToDevicePixels}"
Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}"
RecognizesAccessKey="True" />
</Grid>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource HighlightColorBrush}" />
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Background" Value="{DynamicResource BlueColorBrush}" />
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="false">
<Setter TargetName="contentPresenter" Property="Opacity" Value=".5" />
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
<Style x:Key="MyWindowStyle" TargetType="local:MyWindow">
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{DynamicResource ForegroundColorBrush}" />
<Setter Property="Background" Value="{DynamicResource WindowBackgroundBrush}"/>
<Setter Property="ResizeMode" Value="CanResizeWithGrip" />
<Setter Property="UseLayoutRounding" Value="True" />
<Setter Property="TextOptions.TextFormattingMode" Value="Display" />
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="local:MyWindow">
<Border x:Name="WindowBorder" Margin="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemParameters.WindowNonClientFrameThickness}}" Background="{StaticResource WindowBackgroundColorBrush}">
<Grid>
<Border BorderThickness="1">
<AdornerDecorator>
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="25" />
<RowDefinition Height="*" />
<RowDefinition Height="15" />
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<ContentPresenter Grid.Row="1" Grid.RowSpan="2" Margin="7"/>
<Rectangle x:Name="HeaderBackground" Height="25" Fill="{DynamicResource WindowBackgroundColorBrush}" VerticalAlignment="Top" Grid.Row="0"/>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Right" VerticalAlignment="Top" WindowChrome.IsHitTestVisibleInChrome="True" Grid.Row="0">
<Button Command="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemCommands.MinimizeWindowCommand}}" ToolTip="minimize" Style="{StaticResource WindowButtonStyle}">
<Button.Content>
<Grid Width="30" Height="25" RenderTransform="1,0,0,1,0,1">
<Path Data="M0,6 L8,6 Z" Width="8" Height="7" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
Stroke="{Binding Foreground, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType=Button}}" StrokeThickness="2" />
</Grid>
</Button.Content>
</Button>
<Grid Margin="1,0,1,0">
<Button x:Name="Restore" Command="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemCommands.RestoreWindowCommand}}" ToolTip="restore" Visibility="Collapsed" Style="{StaticResource WindowButtonStyle}">
<Button.Content>
<Grid Width="30" Height="25" UseLayoutRounding="True" RenderTransform="1,0,0,1,.5,.5">
<Path Data="M2,0 L8,0 L8,6 M0,3 L6,3 M0,2 L6,2 L6,8 L0,8 Z" Width="8" Height="8" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
Stroke="{Binding Foreground, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType=Button}}" StrokeThickness="1" />
</Grid>
</Button.Content>
</Button>
<Button x:Name="Maximize" Command="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemCommands.MaximizeWindowCommand}}" ToolTip="maximize" Style="{StaticResource WindowButtonStyle}">
<Button.Content>
<Grid Width="31" Height="25">
<Path Data="M0,1 L9,1 L9,8 L0,8 Z" Width="9" Height="8" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
Stroke="{Binding Foreground, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType=Button}}" StrokeThickness="2" />
</Grid>
</Button.Content>
</Button>
</Grid>
<Button Command="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemCommands.CloseWindowCommand}}" ToolTip="close" Style="{StaticResource WindowButtonStyle}">
<Button.Content>
<Grid Width="30" Height="25" RenderTransform="1,0,0,1,0,1">
<Path Data="M0,0 L8,7 M8,0 L0,7 Z" Width="8" Height="7" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
Stroke="{Binding Foreground, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Mode=FindAncestor, AncestorType=Button}}" StrokeThickness="1.5" />
</Grid>
</Button.Content>
</Button>
</StackPanel>
<TextBlock x:Name="WindowTitleTextBlock" Grid.Row="0" Text="{TemplateBinding Title}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" TextTrimming="CharacterEllipsis" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="8 -1 0 0" FontSize="16" Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}"/>
<Grid Grid.Row="2">
<Path x:Name="ResizeGrip" Visibility="Collapsed" Width="12" Height="12" Margin="1" HorizontalAlignment="Right"
Stroke="{StaticResource BlueColorBrush}" StrokeThickness="1" Stretch="None" Data="F1 M1,10 L3,10 M5,10 L7,10 M9,10 L11,10 M2,9 L2,11 M6,9 L6,11 M10,9 L10,11 M5,6 L7,6 M9,6 L11,6 M6,5 L6,7 M10,5 L10,7 M9,2 L11,2 M10,1 L10,3" />
</Grid>
</Grid>
</AdornerDecorator>
</Border>
<Border BorderBrush="{StaticResource BlueColorBrush}" BorderThickness="1" Visibility="{Binding IsActive, RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Window}}, Converter={StaticResource bool2VisibilityConverter}}" />
</Grid>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="WindowState" Value="Maximized">
<Setter TargetName="Maximize" Property="Visibility" Value="Collapsed" />
<Setter TargetName="Restore" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible" />
<Setter TargetName="LayoutRoot" Property="Margin" Value="7" />
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="WindowState" Value="Normal">
<Setter TargetName="Maximize" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible" />
<Setter TargetName="Restore" Property="Visibility" Value="Collapsed" />
</Trigger>
<MultiTrigger>
<MultiTrigger.Conditions>
<Condition Property="ResizeMode" Value="CanResizeWithGrip" />
<Condition Property="WindowState" Value="Normal" />
</MultiTrigger.Conditions>
<Setter TargetName="ResizeGrip" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible" />
</MultiTrigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
<Setter Property="WindowChrome.WindowChrome">
<Setter.Value>
<WindowChrome CornerRadius="0" GlassFrameThickness="1" UseAeroCaptionButtons="False" />
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>