How to: Find an Element by Its Name

This example describes how to use the FindName method to find an element by its Name value.

Example

In this example, the method to find a particular element by its name is written as the event handler of a button. stackPanel is the Name of the root FrameworkElement being searched, and the example method then visually indicates the found element by casting it as TextBlock and changing one of the TextBlock visible UI properties.

        Private Sub Find(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
            Dim wantedNode As Object = stackPanel.FindName("dog")
            If TypeOf wantedNode Is TextBlock Then
                ' Following executed if Text element was found.
                Dim wantedChild As TextBlock = TryCast(wantedNode, TextBlock)
                wantedChild.Foreground = Brushes.Blue
            End If
        End Sub

void Find(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    object wantedNode = stackPanel.FindName("dog");
    if (wantedNode is TextBlock)
    {
        // Following executed if Text element was found.
        TextBlock wantedChild = wantedNode as TextBlock;
        wantedChild.Foreground = Brushes.Blue;
    }
}