Question

In order to apply a triggered animation to all ToolTips in my app, I’m using a ControlTemplate. However, when using a ControlTemplate the ToolTip loses all of its default visual properties as defined, I believe, by the theme. How can I retain all properties except for those that I override?

Using the following code

<ToolTip Opacity="0.8">
  <ToolTip.Content>
    <StackPanel>
      <Label FontWeight="Bold" Background="DarkSlateBlue" Foreground="White">
        WpfApplication1
      </Label>
      <Label>
        Click to create another button
      </Label>
    </StackPanel>
  </ToolTip.Content>
</ToolTip>

I get the result I want:

alt text http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1488/controltemplateno.png

But when I adjust the code to use a ControlTemplate as so:

<ControlTemplate x:Key="controltemplateToolTip" TargetType="{x:Type ToolTip}">
  <ContentPresenter Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" />  
  <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
    <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="ToolTip.Loaded">
      <BeginStoryboard>
        <Storyboard TargetProperty="Opacity">
          <DoubleAnimation From="0" To="0.8" Duration="0:0:0.2" />
        </Storyboard>
      </BeginStoryboard>
    </EventTrigger>
  </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ToolTip}">
  <Setter Property="Template" Value="{StaticResource controltemplateToolTip}" />
</Style>
...
<ToolTip>
  <ToolTip.Content>
    <StackPanel>
      <Label FontWeight="Bold" Background="DarkSlateBlue" Foreground="White">
        WpfApplication1
      </Label>
      <Label>
        Click to create another button
      </Label>
    </StackPanel>
  </ToolTip.Content>
</ToolTip>

I get the following:

alt text http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8217/controltemplateyes.png

As you can see, the theme default border, background, etc. are not maintained. I don’t want to set these explicitly as I want them to adjust according to the user’s theme. How can I remedy this? Am I going about this the wrong way?

Answer 1

You can’t inherit ControlTemplate from theme style. But you don’t have to. Use DataTemplates to achieve what you want. Here is a quick example:

<Page
  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
  <Page.Resources>
  <Style TargetType="{x:Type ToolTip}">
  <Style.Triggers>
    <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="ToolTip.Loaded">
      <BeginStoryboard>
        <Storyboard TargetProperty="Opacity">
          <DoubleAnimation From="0" To="0.8" Duration="0:0:0.5" />
        </Storyboard>
      </BeginStoryboard>
    </EventTrigger>
  </Style.Triggers>
  </Style>

<DataTemplate x:Key="ToolTipContentTemplate">
<StackPanel>
      <Label FontWeight="Bold" Background="DarkSlateBlue" Foreground="White">
        WpfApplication1
      </Label>
      <Label>
        Click to create another button
      </Label>
    </StackPanel>
</DataTemplate>
  </Page.Resources>

  <Grid>  
<Button Content="Hello">
<Button.ToolTip>
<ToolTip ContentTemplate="{StaticResource ToolTipContentTemplate}">
  <ToolTip.Content>
    Doesn't matter in this case
  </ToolTip.Content>
</ToolTip>
</Button.ToolTip>
</Button>
  </Grid>
</Page>

You can paste it to Kaxaml, and test it.

Hope this helps.