Question

I am in the process of designing a small WPF based application, and I’d like to define some frequently used vector icons in XAML in a form, that is usable in multiple controls on one view, and recolorable through binding.

For example, I’d like to a small cross icon change from black to gray together with the text in a disabled button, (i.e. being colured with the Foreground brush). The icon is set on the button by (ab)using the Tag property.

Currently, I am using DrawingBrushes, based on a GeometryBrush, that are then used to fill Rectangles, but here I see no way to share colors.

What way is there to achieve this effect (preferably elegent and easy)? =)

Answer 1

You can define the geometry of a path in a style (or alone as a geometry if you want) and reuse it as a staticresource

<Style x:Key="PathStyle" TargetType="{x:Type Path}">
    <Setter Property="Data" Value="M0,0 L100,0 L100,100 L0,100Z" />
</Style>

Then just change the colors of the paths as you need to.

<Path Style="{StaticResource PathStyle}" Stroke="Green" Fill="Blue" HorizontalAlignment="Left" />

<Path Style="{StaticResource PathStyle}" Stroke="Purple" Fill="Orange" HorizontalAlignment="Right" />