How to change easily a TextBox to a Watermark TextBox in WPF?

Question

What's the simplest way to change this TextBox code to a watermark TextBox?

<TextBox Grid.Column="1" Name="txtBoxAddress" Width="200" GotKeyboardFocus="TxtBoxAddress_GotKeyboardFocus" Text="" KeyUp="TxtBoxAddress_KeyUp"></TextBox>

I saw this post, but it was to much to read for this little change — ArmandoS63, Sep 02 '14 at 15:32
*Maby I'm not lazy, but the deadline is near?*... I very much doubt that the deadline is so near that you don't have time to copy and paste a solution. — Sheridan, Sep 02 '14 at 16:07

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 02 '14 at 15:44

Option one would be to use a background image as described in the MSDN. If you want to use bindings this will probably be the best way.

XAML

  <StackPanel>
    <TextBox Name="myTextBox" TextChanged="OnTextBoxTextChanged" Width="200">
      <TextBox.Background>
        <ImageBrush ImageSource="TextBoxBackground.gif" AlignmentX="Left" Stretch="None" />
      </TextBox.Background>
    </TextBox>
  </StackPanel>
</Page>

Code

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;

namespace SDKSample
{
    public partial class TextBoxBackgroundExample : Page
    {

        void OnTextBoxTextChanged(object sender, TextChangedEventArgs e)
        {

            if (myTextBox.Text == "")
            {
                // Create an ImageBrush.
                ImageBrush textImageBrush = new ImageBrush();
                textImageBrush.ImageSource =
                    new BitmapImage(
                        new Uri(@"TextBoxBackground.gif", UriKind.Relative)
                    );
                textImageBrush.AlignmentX = AlignmentX.Left;
                textImageBrush.Stretch = Stretch.None;
                // Use the brush to paint the button's background.
                myTextBox.Background = textImageBrush;

            }
            else
            {

                myTextBox.Background = null;
            }

        }

    }

Or you could use a BooleanToVisibilityConverter as described in this codeproject article .

How to change easily a TextBox to a Watermark TextBox in WPF?

1 Answers1