Question

I have two HeaderedContentControls like those below that each have their content property bound to one of two view model properties of the same base type (one control is on the left side of the window and one on the right, thus the view model property names).

However, either view model property can be one of four different derived types. So the left could be an Airplane and the right can be a Car. Then later, the left could be a Boat and right could be an Airplane. I would like the Style property of the header controls to be dynamic based on the derived type. What’s the best way to do this declaratively?

<Window...>
    <StackPanel 
        Grid.Row="2"
        Orientation="Horizontal" VerticalAlignment="Top">
        <Border 
            Height="380" 
            Width="330"
            Margin="0,0,4,0"
            Style="{StaticResource MainBorderStyle}">
            <HeaderedContentControl
                Content="{Binding Path=LeftChild}"
                Header="{Binding LeftChild.DisplayName}"
                Style="{StaticResource StandardHeaderStyle}"
            />
        </Border>

        <Border 
            Height="380" 
            Width="330"
            Style="{StaticResource MainBorderStyle}">
            <HeaderedContentControl
                Content="{Binding Path=RightChild}"
                Header="{Binding RightChild.DisplayName}"
                Style="{StaticResource StandardHeaderStyle}"
            />  
        </Border>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>


<ResourceDictionary 
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:myViewModelNamespace;assembly=myViewModelAssembly"
    xmlns:vw="clr-namespace:myViewNamespace" >

    <!--***** Item Data Templates ****-->
    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type vm:CarViewModel}">
        <vw:CarView />
    </DataTemplate>

    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type vm:BoatViewModel}">
        <vw:BoatView />
    </DataTemplate>

    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type vm:AirplaneViewModel}">
        <vw:AirplaneView />
    </DataTemplate>

    <!--***** 
        Other stuff including the StandardHeaderStyle and the MainBorderStyle
    ****-->

</ResourceDictionary>

Answer 1

My answer is an elaboration on Archimed’s. Don’t hesitate to ask further!

<Window x:Class="Datatemplate_selector.Window1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="Window1" Height="300" Width="300"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Datatemplate_selector">
<Window.Resources>
    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type local:CarDetail}">
     <Border BorderBrush="Yellow" BorderThickness="2">
        <HeaderedContentControl Margin="4" Foreground="Red">
            <HeaderedContentControl.Header>
                <Border BorderBrush="Aquamarine" BorderThickness="3">
                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}"/>
                </Border>
             </HeaderedContentControl.Header>
            <HeaderedContentControl.Content>
                <Border BorderBrush="CadetBlue" BorderThickness="1">
                    <TextBlock TextWrapping="Wrap" Text="{Binding Description}"/>
                </Border>
            </HeaderedContentControl.Content>
        </HeaderedContentControl>
       </Border>
    </DataTemplate>
    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type local:HouseDetail}">
        <HeaderedContentControl Margin="4" Foreground="Yellow" FontSize="20"
                    Header="{Binding Name}">
            <HeaderedContentControl.Content>
                <TextBlock Foreground="BurlyWood"  TextWrapping="Wrap"
                           Text="{Binding Description}"/>
            </HeaderedContentControl.Content>
        </HeaderedContentControl>
    </DataTemplate>
    <DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type local:ItemDetail}">
        <HeaderedContentControl Margin="4" Foreground="Green" FontStyle="Italic" 
                    Content="{Binding Description}"
                    Header="{Binding Name}">
        </HeaderedContentControl>
    </DataTemplate>
</Window.Resources>
<StackPanel>
    <ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding ItemDetails}">
        <ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
            <ItemsPanelTemplate>
                <UniformGrid Columns="2"/>
            </ItemsPanelTemplate>
        </ItemsControl.ItemsPanel>
    </ItemsControl>
</StackPanel>

using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.Windows;

namespace Datatemplate_selector
{
   public partial class Window1 : Window
    {
        public ObservableCollection<ItemDetail> ItemDetails { get; set; }

        public Window1()
        {
            ItemDetails = new ObservableCollection<ItemDetail>
                              {
                                  new CarDetail{Name="Trabant"},
                                  new HouseDetail{Name="Taj Mahal"}
                              };
            DataContext = this;
            InitializeComponent();
        }
    }

    public class ItemDetail:DependencyObject
    {
        public string Name
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(NameProperty); }
            set { SetValue(NameProperty, value); }
        }

        public static readonly DependencyProperty NameProperty =
            DependencyProperty.Register("Name",
            typeof(string),
            typeof(ItemDetail),
            new UIPropertyMetadata(string.Empty));

        public virtual string Description
        {
             get { return Name + " has a lot of details"; }
        }
    }

    public class CarDetail:ItemDetail
    {
        public override string Description
        {
            get { return string.Format("The car {0} has two doors and a max speed of 90 kms/hr", Name); }
        }
    }

    public class HouseDetail:ItemDetail
    {
        public override string Description
        {
            get { return string.Format("The house {0} has two doors and a backyard", Name); }
        }
    }
}

PS: I thought that this use of inheritance in a generic collection was not supported in .Net 3. I am pleasurably surprised that this code works!