How do you set ContentPresenter properties inside a GridViewRowPresenter?

Question

I am trying to get the text inside my ListView to align to the top of the cells.

This is what I've done so far:

The data is bound like this:

<ListView.View>
  <GridView>
    <GridViewColumn Width="50">
      <GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
          <TextBlock Text="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor,
                                        AncestorType={x:Type ListViewItem}},
                                    Converter={StaticResource lviIndexToString}}"
                     Foreground="White"
                     VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
        </DataTemplate>
      </GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
    </GridViewColumn>
    <GridViewColumn Width="80">
      <GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
          <TextBlock Text="{Binding LogTime}"
                     Foreground="{StaticResource ConsoleOrange}"/>
        </DataTemplate>
      </GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
    </GridViewColumn>
    <GridViewColumn Width="80">
      <GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
          <TextBlock Text="{Binding MessageType}"
                     Foreground="{Binding MessageType,
                         Converter={StaticResource logMsgToColor}}"/>
        </DataTemplate>
      </GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
    </GridViewColumn>
    <GridViewColumn DisplayMemberBinding="{Binding Path=Message}"/>
  </GridView>
</ListView.View>

the ItemContainer is styled like this:

<ListView.ItemContainerStyle>
<Style TargetType="ListViewItem">
<Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Stretch"/>
<Setter Property="Template">
  <Setter.Value>
    <ControlTemplate TargetType="ListViewItem">
      <Grid>
        <GridViewRowPresenter VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
          <GridViewRowPresenter.Resources>
            <Style TargetType="ContentPresenter">
              <Setter Property="Margin" Value="1"/>
              <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Stretch"/>
            </Style>
          </GridViewRowPresenter.Resources>
        </GridViewRowPresenter>
      </Grid>
    </ControlTemplate>
  </Setter.Value>
</Setter>

It works if the ContentPresenters VerticalAlignment is set to 'Stretch'. However, the visual tree reveals that the ContentPresenter style is being overridden by something, but I can't for the life of me figure out by what.

If anyone have any idea how to set the nested ContentPresenters properties, or educate me in how to set up a custom GridViewRowPresenter to have more control over how to display the data, I would be most greatful.

I apologise if this has been answered elsewhere, but my google-fu search (and the search here) have not revealed any useful solutions.

Update The end goal is to align the text in the first 3 columns to the top of the ListViewItem.

Answer 1

To override value of VerticalAlignment property ContentPresenter, we need to set it with some higher precedence step. Animation holds number 2 position in precedence order.

<ListView.Resources>
    <Style TargetType="ContentPresenter">
        <Style.Triggers>
            <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Loaded">
                <BeginStoryboard>
                    <Storyboard >
                        <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="VerticalAlignment">
                            <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:0">
                                <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                    <VerticalAlignment>Top</VerticalAlignment>
                                </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                            </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                        </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                    </Storyboard>
                </BeginStoryboard>
            </EventTrigger>
        </Style.Triggers>
    </Style>
</ListView.Resources>

Another approach is just to handle ContentPresenter.Loaded event and set property values there.

  <Style TargetType="ContentPresenter">
         <EventSetter Event="Loaded" Handler="ContentPresenter_Loaded"/>
  </Style>

Handler :

void ContentPresenter_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    (sender as ContentPresenter).VerticalAlignment = System.Windows.VerticalAlignment.Bottom;
}

This changing of property using Loaded event handler can be done using Blend Behaviors / Attached Property too.