TabControl Styles and Templates

This topic describes the styles and templates for the TabControl control. You can modify the default ControlTemplate to give the control a unique appearance. For more information, see Create a template for a control.

TabControl Parts

The following table lists the named parts for the TabControl control.

Part Type Description
PART_SelectedContentHost ContentPresenter The object that shows the content of the currently selected TabItem.

When you create a ControlTemplate for a TabControl, your template might contain an ItemsPresenter within a ScrollViewer. (The ItemsPresenter displays each item in the TabControl; the ScrollViewer enables scrolling within the control). If the ItemsPresenter is not the direct child of the ScrollViewer, you must give the ItemsPresenter the name, ItemsPresenter.

TabControl States

The following table lists the visual states for the TabControl control.

VisualState Name VisualStateGroup Name Description
Normal CommonStates The default state.
Disabled CommonStates The control is disabled.
Valid ValidationStates The control uses the Validation class and the Validation.HasError attached property is false.
InvalidFocused ValidationStates The Validation.HasError attached property is true has the control has focus.
InvalidUnfocused ValidationStates The Validation.HasError attached property is true has the control does not have focus.

TabItem Parts

The TabItem control does not have any named parts.

TabItem States

The following table lists the visual states for the TabItem control.

VisualState Name VisualStateGroup Name Description
Normal CommonStates The default state.
MouseOver CommonStates The mouse pointer is positioned over the control.
Disabled CommonStates The control is disabled.
Focused FocusStates The control has focus.
Unfocused FocusStates The control does not have focus.
Selected SelectionStates The control is selected.
Unselected SelectionStates The control is not selected.
Valid ValidationStates The control uses the Validation class and the Validation.HasError attached property is false.
InvalidFocused ValidationStates The Validation.HasError attached property is true has the control has focus.
InvalidUnfocused ValidationStates The Validation.HasError attached property is true has the control does not have focus.

TabControl ControlTemplate Example

The following example shows how to define a ControlTemplate for the TabControl and TabItem controls.

<Style  TargetType="{x:Type TabControl}">
  <Setter Property="OverridesDefaultStyle"
          Value="True" />
  <Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels"
          Value="True" />
  <Setter Property="Template">
    <Setter.Value>
      <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type TabControl}">
        <Grid KeyboardNavigation.TabNavigation="Local">
          <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
            <RowDefinition Height="*" />
          </Grid.RowDefinitions>
          <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
            <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
              <VisualState x:Name="Disabled">
                <Storyboard>
                  <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                                Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).
                    (SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                    <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                         Value="#FFAAAAAA" />
                  </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                </Storyboard>
              </VisualState>
            </VisualStateGroup>
          </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
          <TabPanel x:Name="HeaderPanel"
                    Grid.Row="0"
                    Panel.ZIndex="1"
                    Margin="0,0,4,-1"
                    IsItemsHost="True"
                    KeyboardNavigation.TabIndex="1"
                    Background="Transparent" />
          <Border x:Name="Border"
                  Grid.Row="1"
                  BorderThickness="1"
                  CornerRadius="2"
                  KeyboardNavigation.TabNavigation="Local"
                  KeyboardNavigation.DirectionalNavigation="Contained"
                  KeyboardNavigation.TabIndex="2">
            <Border.Background>
              <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1"
                                   StartPoint="0.5,0">
                <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ContentAreaColorLight}"
                              Offset="0" />
                <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ContentAreaColorDark}"
                              Offset="1" />
              </LinearGradientBrush>
            </Border.Background>
            <Border.BorderBrush>
              <SolidColorBrush Color="{DynamicResource BorderMediumColor}"/>
            </Border.BorderBrush>
            <ContentPresenter x:Name="PART_SelectedContentHost"
                              Margin="4"
                              ContentSource="SelectedContent" />
          </Border>
        </Grid>
      </ControlTemplate>
    </Setter.Value>
  </Setter>
</Style>

<Style TargetType="{x:Type TabItem}">
  <Setter Property="Template">
    <Setter.Value>
      <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type TabItem}">
        <Grid x:Name="Root">
          <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
            <VisualStateGroup x:Name="SelectionStates">
              <VisualState x:Name="Unselected" />
              <VisualState x:Name="Selected">
                <Storyboard>
                  <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                                Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Panel.Background).
                    (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">
                    <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                         Value="{StaticResource ControlPressedColor}" />
                  </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                  <ThicknessAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderThickness)"
                                                    Storyboard.TargetName="Border">
                    <EasingThicknessKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                             Value="1,1,1,0" />
                  </ThicknessAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                </Storyboard>
              </VisualState>
            </VisualStateGroup>
            <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
              <VisualState x:Name="Normal" />
              <VisualState x:Name="MouseOver" />
              <VisualState x:Name="Disabled">
                <Storyboard>
                  <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                                Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Panel.Background).
                    (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">
                    <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                         Value="{StaticResource DisabledControlDarkColor}" />
                  </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                  <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                                Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).
                    (SolidColorBrush.Color)">
                    <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                         Value="{StaticResource DisabledBorderLightColor}"/>
                  </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                </Storyboard>
              </VisualState>
            </VisualStateGroup>
          </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
          <Border x:Name="Border"
                  Margin="0,0,-4,0"
                  BorderThickness="1,1,1,1"
                  CornerRadius="2,12,0,0">
            <Border.BorderBrush>
              <SolidColorBrush Color="{DynamicResource BorderMediumColor}" />
            </Border.BorderBrush>
            <Border.Background>

              <LinearGradientBrush StartPoint="0,0"
                                   EndPoint="0,1">
                <LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
                  <GradientStopCollection>
                    <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlLightColor}"
                                  Offset="0.0" />
                    <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlMediumColor}"
                                  Offset="1.0" />
                  </GradientStopCollection>
                </LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
              </LinearGradientBrush>

            </Border.Background>
            <ContentPresenter x:Name="ContentSite"
                              VerticalAlignment="Center"
                              HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                              ContentSource="Header"
                              Margin="12,2,12,2"
                              RecognizesAccessKey="True" />
          </Border>
        </Grid>
        <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
          <Trigger Property="IsSelected"
                   Value="True">
            <Setter Property="Panel.ZIndex"
                    Value="100" />
          </Trigger>
        </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
      </ControlTemplate>
    </Setter.Value>
  </Setter>
</Style>

The preceding example uses one or more of the following resources.

<!--Control colors.-->
<Color x:Key="WindowColor">#FFE8EDF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="ContentAreaColorLight">#FFC5CBF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="ContentAreaColorDark">#FF7381F9</Color>

<Color x:Key="DisabledControlLightColor">#FFE8EDF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="DisabledControlDarkColor">#FFC5CBF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="DisabledForegroundColor">#FF888888</Color>

<Color x:Key="SelectedBackgroundColor">#FFC5CBF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="SelectedUnfocusedColor">#FFDDDDDD</Color>

<Color x:Key="ControlLightColor">White</Color>
<Color x:Key="ControlMediumColor">#FF7381F9</Color>
<Color x:Key="ControlDarkColor">#FF211AA9</Color>

<Color x:Key="ControlMouseOverColor">#FF3843C4</Color>
<Color x:Key="ControlPressedColor">#FF211AA9</Color>


<Color x:Key="GlyphColor">#FF444444</Color>
<Color x:Key="GlyphMouseOver">sc#1, 0.004391443, 0.002428215, 0.242281124</Color>

<!--Border colors-->
<Color x:Key="BorderLightColor">#FFCCCCCC</Color>
<Color x:Key="BorderMediumColor">#FF888888</Color>
<Color x:Key="BorderDarkColor">#FF444444</Color>

<Color x:Key="PressedBorderLightColor">#FF888888</Color>
<Color x:Key="PressedBorderDarkColor">#FF444444</Color>

<Color x:Key="DisabledBorderLightColor">#FFAAAAAA</Color>
<Color x:Key="DisabledBorderDarkColor">#FF888888</Color>

<Color x:Key="DefaultBorderBrushDarkColor">Black</Color>

<!--Control-specific resources.-->
<Color x:Key="HeaderTopColor">#FFC5CBF9</Color>
<Color x:Key="DatagridCurrentCellBorderColor">Black</Color>
<Color x:Key="SliderTrackDarkColor">#FFC5CBF9</Color>

<Color x:Key="NavButtonFrameColor">#FF3843C4</Color>

<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="MenuPopupBrush"
                     EndPoint="0.5,1"
                     StartPoint="0.5,0">
  <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlLightColor}"
                Offset="0" />
  <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlMediumColor}"
                Offset="0.5" />
  <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlLightColor}"
                Offset="1" />
</LinearGradientBrush>

<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="ProgressBarIndicatorAnimatedFill"
                     StartPoint="0,0"
                     EndPoint="1,0">
  <LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
    <GradientStopCollection>
      <GradientStop Color="#000000FF"
                    Offset="0" />
      <GradientStop Color="#600000FF"
                    Offset="0.4" />
      <GradientStop Color="#600000FF"
                    Offset="0.6" />
      <GradientStop Color="#000000FF"
                    Offset="1" />
    </GradientStopCollection>
  </LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>

For the complete sample, see Styling with ControlTemplates Sample.

See also