Referencing a ResourceDictionary in another assembly

Question

I have a class library project that is common to several other projects. It's assembly name is "MyCompany" and its default namespace also "".

Then in one of these other projects (namespace "MyCompany.Something") I have the dll referenced, and I want to use a resource dictionary that I have in "MyCompany".

I found this: Add ResourceDictionary to class library

So I did exactly what it says, my xaml file located at "MyCompany" root directory is named "Recursos.xaml", built action set to Resource, not copy and blank custom tool and custom tool namespace, with the following content:

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
  <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Controls.xaml" />
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Fonts.xaml" />
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Colors.xaml" />
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Accents/Blue.xaml" />
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Accents/BaseLight.xaml" />
    <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Resources/Icons.xaml"/>
 </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
  -- some other styles...
 </ResourceDictionary>

Then, in my WPF app project, I have in App.xaml the following:

<Application.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
        <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
            <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MahApps.Metro;component/Styles/Controls.xaml" />
            <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/MyCompany;component/Recursos.xaml" />
        </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    </ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>

Just added there the Controls.xaml for testing purposes. That one works, but mine doesn't:

An error occurred while finding the resource dictionary "pack://application:,,,/MyCompany;component/Recursos.xaml"

So I don't know why it doesn't recognize it. The reference is working as I can use every class from it.

Hi, try `` and make sure the resource dictionary's build action is `Page` — learningcs, Jul 30 '15 at 06:42
maybe there's and error in Resources.xaml are you merging other dictionaries on to it ? — eran otzap, Jul 30 '15 at 06:57
what do you mean by "on to it"? The full code of Recursos.xaml is there, and it doesn't have any errors. — Pinx0, Jul 30 '15 at 06:59
does Resources.xaml Merge other dictionaries into itself ? just like Application.Resources merges it. — eran otzap, Jul 30 '15 at 07:36
Yes, in my question there are two pieces of code. First one is Recursos.xaml, you can see there that it has merged dictionaries. — Pinx0, Jul 30 '15 at 07:39
use http://stackoverflow.com/questions/36675366/resourcedictionary-from-external-assembly-read-object-from-unmanagedmemorystrea solution — Kylo Ren, Apr 23 '16 at 21:27

DeshDeep Singh · Answer 1 · 2015-07-30T06:56:24.947

4

Try like this it will work: Project ABC has a reference to Project XYZ.

   <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
        <ResourceDictionary Source="/Project XYZ;component/YourSubFolder/YourResourceFile.xaml" />
    </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

Then you can just use the Resources defined in YourResourceFile.xaml.

edited Jul 30 '15 at 06:56

answered Jul 30 '15 at 06:44

DeshDeep Singh

1,817
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Yes, it's the same as xtnd8 suggested, as the file isn't in any subfolder. But it doesn't work. – Pinx0 Jul 30 '15 at 06:57
yes then you can specify directly without subfolder – DeshDeep Singh Jul 30 '15 at 07:15

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 10 '18 at 11:14

3

You need to add your ResourceDictionary as:

<ResourceDictionary Source="/MyCompany;component/Recursos.xaml" />

edited Mar 10 '18 at 11:14

Pinx0

1,248
17
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answered Jul 30 '15 at 06:42

So, as I can understand, you've added this library as a external reference? It's not another project in your solution? – Jul 30 '15 at 07:02
No, it's a different solution, it's been compiled and then added as reference by examining and selecting the dll. – Pinx0 Jul 30 '15 at 07:19

dba · Answer 3 · 2017-07-18T11:45:58.947

I assume this won't help you two years later. May do for someone else :) Make sure, to close VS and reopen the sln after referencing the external xaml... Did the trick for me... The XAML-Editor part is still not 100% (much better in VS2017 as it has been, but still... there are some issues like that)

AND don't forget to add:

System.Reflection.Assembly.LoadFrom("yourResourceAssemblyfullpath")

in the ctor of the Window/Control consuming the Resource BEFORE calling "InitializeComponent()"

    Sub New()

    System.Reflection.Assembly.LoadFrom("yourResourceAssemblyfullpath")
    InitializeComponent()

    End Sub

Otherwise you get a runtime error...

Referencing a ResourceDictionary in another assembly

3 Answers3