How to call a Style in a ResourceDictionary file in XAML?

Question

I have a button style in a created style.xaml ResourceDictionary file.

I used this code to call it:

<Button Style="{DynamicResource exitButton}" />

But it didn't recognize the style key either using StaticResource doesn't work too. How to solve this problem?

My style code:

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
  <Style x:Key="exitButton" TargetType="Button">
    <Setter Property="Width" Value="22"/>
    <Setter Property="Height" Value="32"/>
    <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FF7070"/>
    <Setter Property="Template">
      <Setter.Value>
        <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
          <Border Width="{TemplateBinding Width}"
                  Height="{TemplateBinding Height}"
                  HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                  VerticalAlignment="Center">
            <TextBlock Text="X"
                       FontSize="15"
                       Foreground="White"
                       FontWeight="Bold"/>
          </Border>
        </ControlTemplate>
      </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
  </Style>
</ResourceDictionary>

Possible duplicate of [WPF Reference custom resource defined in another xaml file](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15775111/wpf-reference-custom-resource-defined-in-another-xaml-file) — Massimiliano Kraus, Sep 03 '16 at 20:53

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 03 '16 at 20:52

You have to import the ResourceDictionary file in your xaml, in the Resources tags.

Something like this:

<UserControl blablabla...>
  <UserControl.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
      <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
        <ResourceDictionary Source="/*PROJECT_NAME*;component/*FOLDER_PATH*/style.xaml"/>
      </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    </ResourceDictionary>
  </USerControl.Resources>

  <!-- the content -->

  ...

  <Button Style="{StaticResource exitButton}"/>

</UserControl>

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 17 '16 at 17:32

You have two options:

As HasNotifications said, embede the resource into the view that you want the style take affect
Embed the style to the application ResourceDictionary. On that case the style will be available to any view on the application

Add the following code to the App.xaml file:

<Application x:Class="WpfApp1.App"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfApp1"
             StartupUri="MainWindow.xaml">
    <Application.Resources>
        <ResourceDictionary>
            <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
                <ResourceDictionary Source="/*PROJECT_NAME*;component/*FOLDER_PATH*/style.xaml"/>
            </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
        </ResourceDictionary>
    </Application.Resources>
</Application>

How to call a Style in a ResourceDictionary file in XAML?

2 Answers2