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UIElement.DesiredSize Property

  • Reference

Definition

Namespace:
System.Windows
Assembly:
PresentationCore.dll

Gets the size that this element computed during the measure pass of the layout process.

public:
 property System::Windows::Size DesiredSize { System::Windows::Size get(); };
public System.Windows.Size DesiredSize { get; }
member this.DesiredSize : System.Windows.Size
Public ReadOnly Property DesiredSize As Size

Property Value

Size

The computed size, which becomes the desired size for the arrange pass.

Examples

The following example shows DesiredSize as part of a MeasureOverride implementation. Notice how Measure is called immediately prior to obtaining DesiredSize. This assures that DesiredSize holds a legitimate value.

virtual Size MeasureOverride(Size availableSize) override
{
    Size^ panelDesiredSize = gcnew Size();

    // In our example, we just have one child. 
    // Report that our panel requires just the size of its only child.
    for each (UIElement^ child in InternalChildren)
    {
        child->Measure(availableSize);
        panelDesiredSize = child->DesiredSize;
    }
    return *panelDesiredSize ;
}

protected override Size MeasureOverride(Size availableSize)
{
    Size panelDesiredSize = new Size();

    // In our example, we just have one child. 
    // Report that our panel requires just the size of its only child.
    foreach (UIElement child in InternalChildren)
    {
        child.Measure(availableSize);
        panelDesiredSize = child.DesiredSize;
    }

    return panelDesiredSize ;
}

Protected Overrides Function MeasureOverride(ByVal availableSize As System.Windows.Size) As System.Windows.Size
    Dim panelDesiredSize As Size = New Size()
    ' In our example, we just have one child. 
    ' Report that our panel requires just the size of its only child.
    For Each child As UIElement In InternalChildren
        child.Measure(availableSize)
        panelDesiredSize = child.DesiredSize
    Next
    Return panelDesiredSize
End Function

Remarks

The value returned by this property will only be a valid measurement if the value of the IsMeasureValid property is true.

DesiredSize is typically checked as one of the measurement factors when you implement layout behavior overrides such as ArrangeOverride, MeasureOverride, or OnRender (in the OnRender case, you might check RenderSize instead, but this depends on your implementation). Depending on the scenario, DesiredSize might be fully respected by your implementation logic, constraints on DesiredSize might be applied, and such constraints might also change other characteristics of either the parent element or child element. For example, a control that supports scrollable regions (but chooses not to derive from the WPF framework-level controls that already enable scrollable regions) could compare available size to DesiredSize. The control could then set an internal state that enabled scrollbars in the UI for that control. Or, DesiredSize could potentially also be ignored in certain scenarios.

Applies to

See also