WPF set image for a button in the C# code behind at runtime

Question

I'm very new to WPF, so please bear with me.

Basically I have defined a Style in a WPF UserControl to show buttons with an image as follows:

<UserControl.Resources>
    <Style TargetType="Button">
        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
                    <TextBlock  HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
                        <Image Width="16" Height="16" Stretch="UniformToFill"/>
                        <ContentPresenter/>
                    </TextBlock>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>

        </Setter>
    </Style>
</UserControl.Resources>

I then add a load of buttons to a grid at runtime (it has to be at run time as the number and type of button is dynamic).

What I would like to do is set the image of the buttons at runtime as well. I have tried a number of ways, but none seem to work. Setting the source in the Xaml works fine. The code I'm trying is as follows:

Button b = new Button();
// Create source.
BitmapImage bi = new BitmapImage();
bi.BeginInit();
bi.UriSource = new Uri(@"C:\SourceCode\DSA\DSALibrary\Icons\money.png");
bi.EndInit();

b.SetValue(Image.SourceProperty, bi);

Could anybody point me towards where I'm going wrong, if I were to guess, I would say that where I think I'm setting the value, I'm actually not.

Cheers

The problem is that Button is no Image.. And you are trying to set a strange property (for button) on b.. You can set the bitmap on the Content of button and use a datatemplate (see answer) — Arcturus
– Arcturus, Commented Aug 5, 2009 at 11:41
Edited to show what B. @Arcturus, I thought that might be the problem, I just wasn't sure how I would go about setting it, if datatemplates are the way to go, thanks very much. — MrEdmundo
– MrEdmundo, Commented Aug 5, 2009 at 11:44

Arcturus · Accepted Answer · 2009-08-05 12:25:02Z

3

You can try to use the Content property of Button, and declare a DataTemplate for handling the content:

<UserControl.Resources>
    <Style TargetType="Button">
        <Setter Property="ContentTemplate">
            <Setter.Value>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                        <Image Width="16" Height="16" Stretch="UniformToFill" Source="{Binding}"/>
                        <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Text="My button text" />
                    </StackPanel>
                </DataTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
    </Style>
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
                <ContentPresenter/>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</UserControl.Resources>

Set the BitmapImage on the content of your button, et voila :)

edited Aug 5, 2009 at 12:25

answered Aug 5, 2009 at 11:38

Arcturus

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9 Comments

MrEdmundo Over a year ago

OK... I'm with you. I must admit I haven't hit binding yet. Could you point me in the direction of how I define what is "{Binding}"? Thanks

MrEdmundo Over a year ago

Just a quick point, I can't see how the text of the button is set in your example above?

Arcturus Over a year ago

When you set the Content on Button, the ContentControl (Button) will use a intern ContentPresenter. The ContentPresenter will set the Content as its DataSource. The DataSource property is the property which will determe the direct binding. So the {Binding} creates a binding to the DataSource, which happens to be the Content which is the Bitmap image... :)

Arcturus Over a year ago

Ahh I'm sorry.. I skimped the text.. let me add that ;)

MrEdmundo Over a year ago

OK, that looks good. But what if I want the text and the image to be dynamic?

|

Jon Cage · Accepted Answer · 2009-08-05 11:35:14Z

0

Can you confirm that it's a System.Windows.Controls.UserControl derived object you're creating?

My guess would be that the control loads it's bitmap when you create it so setting the image source property after that isn't being caught. Have you tried creating a button programmatically with a two-stage creation and setting it before you do the second stage?

You could try calling the button's Invalidate() function to make sure it redraws.

answered Aug 5, 2009 at 11:35

Jon Cage

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