DataTemplate.LoadContent Method

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Creates the UIElement objects in the DataTemplate.

Namespace:  System.Windows
Assembly:  System.Windows (in System.Windows.dll)

Syntax

'Declaration
Public Function LoadContent As DependencyObject

public DependencyObject LoadContent()

Return Value

Type: System.Windows.DependencyObject
The root UIElement of the DataTemplate.

Remarks

When you call LoadContent, the UIElement objects in the DataTemplate are created, and you can add them to the visual tree of another UIElement.

Examples

The following examples demonstrate using the LoadContent method to change the appearance of a Border at run time. The example creates a ListBox that contains the numbers 1 through 10. When the user selects an item in the ListBox, the Border displays the selected number. If the user selects an even number, the number is red and has a green circle around it. If the user selects an odd number, the number is blue and has a purple square around it.

Run this sample

<StackPanel Background="White" Name="rootStackPanel">

  <StackPanel.Resources>
    <DataTemplate x:Key="oddNumberTemplate">
      <Grid>
        <Rectangle Stroke="Purple" StrokeThickness="4" />
        <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" 
                   VerticalAlignment="Center" 
                   FontSize="24" Foreground="Blue" 
                   FontWeight="Bold"/>
      </Grid>
    </DataTemplate>


    <DataTemplate x:Key="evenNumberTemplate">
      <Grid>
        <Ellipse Stroke="Green" StrokeThickness="4"/>
        <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" 
                   VerticalAlignment="Center" 
                   FontSize="24" Foreground="Red" 
                   FontWeight="Bold"  />
      </Grid>
    </DataTemplate>
  </StackPanel.Resources>


  <Border Name="selectedItemDisplay"
          Width="50" Height="50"/>

  <ListBox Name="numberList" SelectionChanged="ListBox_SelectionChanged">
    <ListBoxItem Content="1"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="2"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="3"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="4"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="5"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="6"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="7"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="8"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="9"/>
    <ListBoxItem Content="10"/>
  </ListBox>
</StackPanel>

Private Sub ListBox_SelectionChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As SelectionChangedEventArgs)
    Dim lbi As ListBoxItem = CType(CType(sender, ListBox).SelectedItem, ListBoxItem)
    SelectDataTemplate(lbi.Content)

End Sub

Private Sub SelectDataTemplate(ByVal value As Object)
    Dim numberStr As String = CType(value, String)

    If Not numberStr Is Nothing Then
        Dim num As Integer

        Try
            num = Convert.ToInt32(numberStr)
        Catch
            Return
        End Try

        Dim template As DataTemplate


        ' Select one of the DataTemplate objects, based on the 
        ' value of the selected item in the ComboBox.
        If num Mod 2 <> 0 Then
            template = CType(rootStackPanel.Resources("oddNumberTemplate"), DataTemplate)
        Else
            template = CType(rootStackPanel.Resources("evenNumberTemplate"), DataTemplate)
        End If

        selectedItemDisplay.Child = CType(template.LoadContent(), UIElement)
        Dim tb As TextBlock = FindVisualChild(Of TextBlock)(selectedItemDisplay)
        tb.Text = numberStr

    End If
End Sub

Private Function FindVisualChild(Of childItem As DependencyObject) _
        (ByVal obj As DependencyObject) As childItem

    Dim i As Integer

    For i = 0 To VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(obj) - 1

        Dim child As DependencyObject = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(obj, i)
        If ((Not child Is Nothing) And (TypeOf child Is childItem)) Then
            Return child
        End If

        Dim childOfChild As childItem = Me.FindVisualChild(Of childItem)(child)
        If (Not childOfChild Is Nothing) Then
            Return childOfChild
        End If

    Next i

    Return Nothing

End Function

private void ListBox_SelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
{
    ListBoxItem lbi = ((sender as ListBox).SelectedItem as ListBoxItem);
    SelectDataTemplate(lbi.Content);

}

private void SelectDataTemplate(object value)
{
    string numberStr = value as string;

    if (numberStr != null)
    {
        int num;

        try
        {
            num = Convert.ToInt32(numberStr);
        }
        catch
        {
            return;
        }

        DataTemplate template;

        // Select one of the DataTemplate objects, based on the 
        // value of the selected item in the ComboBox.
        if (num % 2 != 0)
        {
            template = rootStackPanel.Resources["oddNumberTemplate"] as DataTemplate;
        }
        else
        {
            template = rootStackPanel.Resources["evenNumberTemplate"] as DataTemplate;
        }

        selectedItemDisplay.Child = template.LoadContent() as UIElement;
        TextBlock tb = FindVisualChild<TextBlock>(selectedItemDisplay);
        tb.Text = numberStr;

    }
}

private childItem FindVisualChild<childItem>(DependencyObject obj)
    where childItem : DependencyObject
{

    for (int i = 0; i < VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(obj); i++)
    {

        DependencyObject child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(obj, i);

        if (child != null && child is childItem)
            return (childItem)child;
        else
        {
            childItem childOfChild = FindVisualChild<childItem>(child);
            if (childOfChild != null)
                return childOfChild;
        }
    }

    return null;
}

Version Information

Silverlight

Supported in: 5, 4, 3

Silverlight for Windows Phone

Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0

Platforms

For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.

See Also

Reference

DataTemplate Class

System.Windows Namespace