How-to define Empty DataTemplate for the ItemsControl based controls like ListView or DataGrid

Question

ASP.NET controls like ListView allows providing a custom template by setting the ListView.EmptyDataTemplate property, this template will be rendered in case of empty data source.

How to do the same in WPF (XAML only preferrable) for ItemsControl based controls like ListView and DataGrid? So I want to show my custom DataTemplate in case when ItemsSource is empty.

Answer 1

There is a 100% xaml solution that makes use of the "HasItems" dependancy property.

<ItemsControl>
    <ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <TextBlock Text="{Binding Description}"/>
        </DataTemplate>
    </ItemsControl.ItemTemplate>
    <ItemsControl.Style>
        <Style TargetType="ItemsControl">
            <Style.Triggers>
                <Trigger Property="HasItems" Value="false">
                        <Setter Property="Template">
                            <Setter.Value>
                                <ControlTemplate>
                                    <TextBlock Text="This Control is empty"/>
                                </ControlTemplate>
                            </Setter.Value>
                        </Setter>
                </Trigger>
            </Style.Triggers>
        </Style>
    </ItemsControl.Style>
</ItemsControl>