Re: Resource Dictionaries - Confused - WPF Discussion Boards

Re: Get started with WPF with XAMLFest Online in June

12-May-09 9:49

Thanks for that post!

Mark Salsbery
Microsoft MVP - Visual C++
Java | [Coffee]

#realJSOP12-May-09 10:47

Resource Dictionaries - Confused

12-May-09 10:47

If they aren't gonna give us solutions to the buggy IDE that don't include the phrase "wait until VS2010 is released", I'm sure it'll be a complete waste of time. As often as VS2008 freezes up, I can keep a 5-gallon container of ice cream on my monitor and not worry about it going bad. And yeah - I have all the "hot fixes" (an ironic pseudonym for something that's suppose to fix the freezing problems). and no, I haven't bothered reporting these issues to Microsoft because I'm tired of seeing people that are reporting real bugs being told by MS that it's not a bug. I call "bullsh*t!"

brucedkyle wrote:
Learn more about Microsoft emerging technologies

I don't want to learn about things like the puddle of afterbirth that is WPF. Pardon my cynicism, but WPF is obviously a half-assed attempt at a "technology", and the current tools from Microsoft, quite frankly, bite big hairy donkey penile glands.

For what it's worth, all you guys gotta do is release the real WPF and associated tools to the real developers out here, and we'd be generally happy. As it is now, WPF sucks.

"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

#realJSOP12-May-09 6:08

12-May-09 6:08

What is the best (least troublesome) method for organizing your resource dictionaries without making them so large as to become unwieldy? The only way I can make mine usable is to make one giant file, which just pisses me off to no end.

Mark Salsbery12-May-09 6:51

12-May-09 6:51

Use merged dictionaries?

Mark Salsbery
Microsoft MVP - Visual C++
Java | [Coffee]

#realJSOP12-May-09 8:42

12-May-09 8:42

I've been trying that, and I must be missing some fundamental skill. I have this:

In a separate assembly (a sub-project in the solution)

Styles.xaml

<Style x:Key="StyleUDPBaseButton" TargetType="{x:Type Button}" >
    <Style.Triggers>
        <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="false">
            <Setter Property="Opacity" Value="0.40" />
        </Trigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style>

Buttons.xaml

<Style x:Key="ToolbarButtonNewServiceOrder" TargetType="{x:Type Button}"
                BasedOn="{StaticResource StyleToolbarButtonEx}" >
    <Setter Property="ToolTip" Value="Create a new service order" />
    <Setter Property="Template" >
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type Button}">
                <Image Source="/CometResources;component/Images/GlassServiceOrder64.png" />
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>

In the application assembly

Window1.xaml.cs

<Grid Name="gridToolbarObjects" MinHeight="41" MaxHeight="41">
    <Button Name="buttonNewServiceOrder" Style="{DynamicResource ToolbarButtonNewServiceOrder}" />
</Grid>

App.XAML

<Application.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
        <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
            <ResourceDictionary Source="/CometResources;component/Styles.xaml" />
            <ResourceDictionary Source="/CometResources;component/Buttons.xaml" />
        </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    </ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>

I'm getting the ever-informative exception that states:

startIndex cannot be larger than length of string.<br />
Parameter name: startIndex

This tells me that it can't find one of the things in my string of derived styles. Actually, it doesn't give any indication of what's really wrong - I had to google it, but I digress.

What am I doing wrong, Obi-Wan? You're my only hope.

Pete O'Hanlon12-May-09 8:51

12-May-09 8:51

Looking at your markup here, it looks like you're using an external resource dictionary. Try using the following instead:

<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/CometResources;component/Styles.xaml"/>
<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/CometResources;component/Buttons.xaml"/>

"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

#realJSOP12-May-09 8:58

12-May-09 8:58

No change... :/

Pete O'Hanlon12-May-09 9:03

12-May-09 9:03

You might find this[^] a useful resource.

"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

#realJSOP12-May-09 9:23

12-May-09 9:23

Yeah, I already found that - comment: Big deal MS - the "fix" is coming in VS2010. In the meantime, I'm f*cked because we don't use tools here that are purposely labeled "beta"...

Pete O'Hanlon12-May-09 9:26

12-May-09 9:26

I know this is no consolation to you, but I use Blend precisely to get round issues like this.

"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

#realJSOP12-May-09 11:01

12-May-09 11:01

Blend. BAH! Blend is for people that are tired of complaining about the IDE and the general suckiness of WPF.

I will not rest!

I will not give in!

I will not...

Oh look! Something shiny!

Pete O'Hanlon12-May-09 11:10

12-May-09 11:10

Shiny's good. I like shiny.

"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

Mark Salsbery12-May-09 9:46

12-May-09 9:46

Do you have forward resource references? Seems to me that's what that bug is related to.

Forward resource references were already known as a bad idea...

I also saw you used a "StaticResource" in there....depending on where that desired
resource is in your chain of dictionaries, you may need to use DynamicResource.

Mark Salsbery
Microsoft MVP - Visual C++
Java | [Coffee]

#realJSOP12-May-09 10:36

Re: Resource Dictionaries - Confused [modified]

12-May-09 10:36

Mark Salsbery wrote:
I also saw you used a "StaticResource" in there....depending on where that desired
resource is in your chain of dictionaries, you may need to use DynamicResource.

I changed it from StaticResource because the IDE complained about me trying to use WPF for production code...

Okay, that was sarcastic - at least the last part was...

I've given up for the day (I feel so... French), and I'm just gonna sit here and stare at my monitor - in some ways, I will remain as productive as I've been all day...

#realJSOP12-May-09 9:02

12-May-09 9:02

I added this to Buttons.xaml, and the problem is resolved:

<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries> <ResourceDictionary Source="Styles.xaml" /> </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

I thought that if the dictionaries were all merged, their content would be magically "found". I guess I'm expecting too much.

CRAP

modified on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 3:18 PM

WPF SideBar

GomathiR11-May-09 23:01

GomathiR

11-May-09 23:01

Hi,
I have created a WPF application(browser) having a XamDatagrid. I populated the grid with db values. When i placed the gadget in Windows Sidebar i am unable to see the binded data. And also close, maximize and drag buttons of the sidebar get disappears. Any solution for this will be appreciated. Frown | :(

.Thanks in advance

Gomathi R

Re: WPF SideBar

Mark Salsbery12-May-09 7:19

convert byte[] to BitmabImage

12-May-09 7:19

Is this a WPF issue or a sidebar gadget implementation issue?

I'm wondering if you'll get more help on a more appropriate message board...

Mark Salsbery
Microsoft MVP - Visual C++
Java | [Coffee]

amer shammout11-May-09 21:56

amer shammout

11-May-09 21:56

MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream(b); //b is byte[]
BitmapImage image = new BitmapImage();
image.BeginInit();
image.StreamSource = stream;
image.EndInit();

when i use this code i receve an error

Exception message is {"No imaging component suitable to complete this operation was found."}
inner Exception is {"Exception from HRESULT: 0x88982F50"}

what is th problem

KarstenK11-May-09 22:10

KarstenK

11-May-09 22:10

the BitmapImage needs to get some members filled. Unsure | :~

Press F1 for help or google it.
Greetings from Germany

califax2k12-May-09 0:43

califax2k

12-May-09 0:43

I am also interested in which members this might be. Which are the most important ones?

Thanks,

Lars

#pragma error( disable : * )

Pete O'Hanlon12-May-09 1:31

12-May-09 1:31

Whenever I've seen this error, it's been caused by one of two things:

1. The image data needs to be offset. In the Northwind data, you have to offset the image byte array by 78 bytes (I think - you'd need to look this up, but this rings a bell)

or

2. You aren't actually located at the right place to read the data from in your stream, i.e. you've gone past the end of the data. Use stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin); to reset the stream to the start of the byte array.

Note that option 2 is just a variation on option 1.

"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.