CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#wpfxaml
Steven Ball
Steven Ball

Reputation: 481

Cannot find resource dictionary in WPF application

I'm in the process of building a WPF application and ran into an error when trying to reference a resource dictionary. Inside my WPF application project I have a folder called "Styles" to contain all the xaml style templates for my app:

VS2010 Solution Explorer

In my app.xaml file I have this:

<Application.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
        <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
            <ResourceDictionary Source="Styles/MetroTheme.xaml" />
        </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    </ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>

However, when I hover over the source property I get an error saying "An error occurred while finding the resource dictionary "Styles/MetroTheme.xaml". I can see the xaml file inside the folder both in Visual Studio and in the file system.

I have also tried "/Styles/MetroTheme.xaml" and a pack uri for the source property, both with no success. Any idea why I'm getting this file not found error?

Upvotes: 12

Views: 17750

Answers (5)

Mr. Squirrel.Downy
Mr. Squirrel.Downy

Reputation: 1177

I confirm it because of some strange behavior on relative uri.
For example:

/SubProjectDir/WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml

<ResourceDictionary>
   <SolidColorBrush x:Key="TheBrush" Color="Black" />
</ResourceDictionary>

/SubProjectDir/AnotherDir/YourControl.xaml

...
<ResourceDictionary>
    <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
        <ResourceDictionary Source="/WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml" />
    </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
...

/MainExecution/MainWindow.xaml

...
<sub:YourControl />
...

It looks work well in designer. But when you run it, will throw cannot find resource execption.

Because /WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml means "Find the related resource from current root path", but now the MainWindow constructed YourControl, so the current root path is start under MainExecution. Then, it try to find the resource path /WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml in MainExecution. That's must fail!

But if you write this, it will works be fine:

/SubProjectDir/AnotherDir/YourControl.xaml

...
<ResourceDictionary>
    <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
        <ResourceDictionary Source="../WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml" />
<!--                           Here ^^^ Here                          -->
    </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
...

That's will seek the resource in /SubProjectDir/AnotherDir/../WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml => /SubProjectDir/WhatThingDir/YourResource.xaml.
It's ok!

Upvotes: 0

Leonard Keret
Leonard Keret

Reputation: 119

Sometimes closing Visual Studio and open it again solves this problem.

Upvotes: 6

ABDULLA TK
ABDULLA TK

Reputation: 1

Change the target .net version to an older one in the project properties and then reset to the previous version.

Upvotes: -1

nmarler
nmarler

Reputation: 1436

I had the same issue, but setting Build Action = Page did not solve for me. Turned out I needed to use the Pack URI Format. So,

<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Styles/MetroTheme.xaml"/>

EDIT

Turns out the above will eliminate build error but still results in runtime error. I needed to include full assembly specification for complete resolution (even though all files are in same assembly):

<ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/WpfApplication10;component/Styles/MetroTheme.xaml"/>

Upvotes: 11

Andy
Andy

Reputation: 6466

Make sure that the build action for MetroTheme.xaml is set to Page.

enter image description here

Upvotes: 9

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