Pro Silverlight 3 in C# - XAML Resources

1. The Resources Collection

<UserControl x:Class="EightBall.MainPage"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<UserControl.Resources>
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="BackgroundBrush">
<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
<GradientStop Offset="0.00" Color="Yellow" />
<GradientStop Offset="0.50" Color="White" />
<GradientStop Offset="1.00" Color="Purple" />
</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</UserControl.Resources>
...
</UserControl>

<Grid x:Name="grid1" Background="{StaticResource BackgroundBrush}">

2.The Hierarchy of Resources

<UserControl x:Class="Resources.ResourceHierarchy"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Width="400" Height="300">
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
<StackPanel><StackPanel.Resources>
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="ButtonFace">
<GradientStop Offset="0.00" Color="Yellow" />
<GradientStop Offset="0.50" Color="White" />
<GradientStop Offset="1.00" Color="Purple" />
</LinearGradientBrush>
</StackPanel.Resources>
<Button Content="Click Me First" Margin="5"
Background="{StaticResource ButtonFace}"></Button>
<Button Content="Click Me Next" Margin="5"
Background="{StaticResource ButtonFace}"></Button>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</UserControl>

3. Application.Resources

<Application xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
x:Class="SilverlightApplication1.App">
<Application.Resources>
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="ButtonFace">
<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
<GradientStop Offset="0.00" Color="Yellow" /><GradientStop Offset="0.50" Color="White" />
<GradientStop Offset="1.00" Color="Purple" />
</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>

4.Accessing Resources in Code

LinearGradientBrush brush = (LinearGradientBrush)this.Resources["ButtonFace"];
// Swap the color order.
Color color = brush.GradientStops[0].Color;
brush.GradientStops[0].Color = brush.GradientStops[2].Color;
brush.GradientStops[2].Color = color;

SolidColorBrush brush = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Yellow);
this.Resources["ButtonFace"] = brush;

5. Organizing Resources with Resource Dictionaries

<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="ButtonFace">
<LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
<GradientStop Offset="0.00" Color="Yellow" /><GradientStop Offset="0.50" Color="White" />
<GradientStop Offset="1.00" Color="Purple" />
</LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
</LinearGradientBrush>
</ResourceDictionary>

<Application xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
x:Class="SilverlightApplication1.App">
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="ElementBrushes.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
</Application>

<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<ResourceDictionary Source="BasicBrushes.xaml" />
<ResourceDictionary Source="ButtonBrushes.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="GraphicalBrush1" ... ></LinearGradientBrush>
<LinearGradientBrush x:Key="GraphicalBrush2" ... ></LinearGradientBrush>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>

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