Question

I want to set a DataTrigger for multiple DataTemplate but I am not sure if there is way to do that?
I have view structured like below

<ItemsControl ItemsSource="{Binding Collection}"
              AlternationCount="2"
              ItemTemplateSelector="{StaticResource RowSelector}" >
<local:HeaderTemplateSelector x:Key="RowSelector"
            NormalTemplate="{StaticResource NormalTemplate}"
            ExpanderTemplate1="{StaticResource ExpanderTemplate1}"
            ExpanderTemplate2="{StaticResource ExpanderTemplate2}"
            ExpanderTemplate3="{StaticResource ExpanderTemplate3}"  />
<DataTemplate x:Key="NormalTemplate" ...>
    <stackpanel  x:Name="main"
<DataTemplate x:Key="ExpanderTemplate1" ...>
    <Grid  x:Name="main" ..>
<DataTemplate x:Key="ExpanderTemplate2" ...>
    <Expander  x:Name="main"
<DataTemplate x:Key="ExpanderTemplate3" ...>
    <Textblock  x:Name="main" ...>

I want this data trigger which provides alternative background for rows, the trigger defined below

<DataTemplate.Triggers>
    <Trigger Property="ItemsControl.AlternationIndex" Value="0">
        <Setter Property="Background" Value="Blue" TargetName="main"/>
    </Trigger>
    <Trigger Property="ItemsControl.AlternationIndex" Value="1">
        <Setter Property="Background" Value="black"  TargetName="main"/>
    </Trigger>
</DataTemplate.Triggers>

I can add this to the end of each DataTemplate and it works fine but it mean that I have to duplicate the some code 4 times, is there any way to avoid that? (I know I can use datagrid but it is overkill for this simple structure)

Answer 1

You can try to set the trigger with the style:

<Style TargetType="Panel" x:Key="AlternatelyPainted">
    <Style.Triggers>
        <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type ContentPresenter}}, Path=(ItemsControl.AlternationIndex)}" Value="0">
            <Setter Property="Background" Value="Red"/>
        </DataTrigger>
        <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type ContentPresenter}}, Path=(ItemsControl.AlternationIndex)}" Value="1">
            <Setter Property="Background" Value="Blue"/>
        </DataTrigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style>

(code thankfully stolen from this answer) and use it in your templates:

<DataTemplate x:Key="NormalTemplate" ...>
    <StackPanel Style="{StaticResource AlternatelyPainted}">
        ...
    </StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>

etc.

Edit: if you want the style to be universal, not Panel-specific, you can try the following trick:

<Style x:Key="AlternatelyPainted">
    <Style.Triggers>
        <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type ContentPresenter}}, Path=(ItemsControl.AlternationIndex)}" Value="0">
            <Setter Property="Panel.Background" Value="Red"/>
            <Setter Property="Control.Background" Value="Red"/>
            <Setter Property="TextBlock.Background" Value="Red"/>
        </DataTrigger>
        <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type ContentPresenter}}, Path=(ItemsControl.AlternationIndex)}" Value="1">
            <Setter Property="Panel.Background" Value="Blue"/>
            <Setter Property="Control.Background" Value="Blue"/>
            <Setter Property="TextBlock.Background" Value="Blue"/>
        </DataTrigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style>

(removed the TargetType and added explicit types to the property names). Note that TextBlock doesn’t inherit its Background, so we need an additional line for it.