WPF How to load Dictionaries as Application does?

Question

I am converting application in to DLL (CLassLibrary) and therefore I cannot use App.Xaml (Application). Inside my Dictionaries I use StaticResources for Storyboards and animations. Unfortunately it is not possible to use DynamicResources for Storyboards and I have problem to load my Dictionaries due StaticResource.

When I create application and add resources to application and then to my UserControl, it will be loaded without problem, but if I not use application, it throw exception.

Here is code how I load Dictionaries. (btw this code is from simple example app for test)

namespace WGUI
{
    public class ResDict
    {
        public ResDict()
        {
            MainResources = new ResourceDictionary();
            List<Uri> uris = new List<Uri>();
            uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary3.xaml")); // Contain Colors
            uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary1.xaml"));
            uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary2.xaml")); // Contain StaticResource to Colors from Dictionary3
            foreach (var u in uris)
            {
                ResourceDictionary r = new ResourceDictionary();
                MainResources.MergedDictionaries.Add(r);
            }
        }

        private ResourceDictionary MainResources = null;
        public ResourceDictionary GetDictionary
        {
            get { return MainResources; }
        }
    }
}

---

    public UserControl2()
    {
        try
        {
            mResources = new ResDict();
            this.Resources = mResources.GetDictionary;
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(e.ToString());
        }
        InitializeComponent();
    }

Question is:
How can be Dictionary loaded like Application does? Application doesn't have problem load StaticResource but Resource from UserControl does.

Answer 1

Hi, in your download file your "ButtonStyle2" don't know colors (in Dictionary3.xaml). Try following demo:

XAML MainWindow

<Window x:Class="WpfApp1.Window19"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApp1"
        xmlns:uc="clr-namespace:WpfControlLibrary1;assembly=WpfControlLibrary1"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="Window19" Height="450" Width="800">
  <Grid>
    <uc:Window19UC1/>
  </Grid>
</Window>

XAML UserControl (in WpfControlLibrary1):

<UserControl x:Class="WpfControlLibrary1.Window19UC1"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" 
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008" 
             xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfControlLibrary1"
             mc:Ignorable="d" 
             d:DesignHeight="450" d:DesignWidth="800">
  <StackPanel>
    <TextBlock Text="UserControl 1a" Style="{StaticResource Style1}"/>
  </StackPanel>
</UserControl>

XAML Dictionary1 (in WpfControlLibrary1/Themes/Dictionary1.xaml)

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
                    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfControlLibrary1.Themes">
  <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/WpfControlLibrary1;component/Themes/Dictionary2.xaml"/>
  </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
  <Style x:Key="Style1" TargetType="TextBlock">
    <Setter Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource Red}"/>
  </Style>
</ResourceDictionary>

XAML Dictionary2 (in WpfControlLibrary1/Themes/Dictionary2.xaml)

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
                    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfControlLibrary1.Themes">
  <Brush x:Key="Red">#FFFF0000</Brush> 
</ResourceDictionary>

Code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using WpfControlLibrary19;

namespace WpfControlLibrary1
{
  /// <summary>
  /// Interaction logic for UserControl1.xaml
  /// </summary>
  public partial class Window19UC1 : UserControl
  {
    public Window19UC1()
    {
      try
      {
        var mResources = new ResDict();
        this.Resources = mResources.GetDictionary;
      }
      catch (Exception e) { MessageBox.Show(e.ToString()); }
      InitializeComponent();
    }
  }
}

namespace WpfControlLibrary19
{
  public class ResDict
  {
    public ResDict()
    {
      MainResources = new ResourceDictionary();
      List<Uri> uris = new List<Uri>();
      uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WpfControlLibrary1;component/Themes/Dictionary1.xaml"));
      uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WpfControlLibrary1;component/Themes/Dictionary2.xaml"));
      foreach (var u in uris)
      {
        ResourceDictionary r = new ResourceDictionary();
        r.Source = u;
        MainResources.MergedDictionaries.Add(r);
      }
    }

    private ResourceDictionary MainResources = null;
    public ResourceDictionary GetDictionary
    {
      get { return MainResources; }
    }
  }
}

Answer 2

Hi,
you must set the Source of ResourceDictionary (r.Source = u;)!

 namespace WGUI
 {
     public class ResDict
     {
         public ResDict()
         {
             MainResources = new ResourceDictionary();
             List<Uri> uris = new List<Uri>();
             uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary3.xaml")); // Contain Colors
             uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary1.xaml"));
             uris.Add(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/WGUI;component/Themes/Dictionary2.xaml")); // Contain StaticResource to Colors from Dictionary3
             foreach (var u in uris)
             {
                 ResourceDictionary r = new ResourceDictionary();
                 r.Source = u;
                 MainResources.MergedDictionaries.Add(r);
             }
         }

         private ResourceDictionary MainResources = null;
         public ResourceDictionary GetDictionary
         {
             get { return MainResources; }
         }
     }
 }