CODEWITHSUNDEEP
wpf
mihajlv
mihajlv

Reputation: 2315

How to represent objects visually?

I am wondering how to represent an object visually in WPF? For example I have a class which has a shape as a filed/property with which I want to represent the object when I add it to a panel, like a canvas for example. I know I can inherit from Shape and override the defining geometry property, but I was wondering if there was any other way?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 351

Answers (2)

Vinit Sankhe
Vinit Sankhe

Reputation: 19895

There are various ways to do this...

  1. If your element does not render anything, but just sits in the visual tree (for some peculier reason), then to host it in visual tree you will have to inherit it from the Visual class. Dont forget to override all the virtual methods from the Visual class to your benefit when you inherit.

  2. If it needs to render on the UI (which I guess is your requirement) then it has to inherit from UIElement class. Here you can render it by overriding a virtual method of the UIElement class called OnRender(). This method receives a DrawingContext parameter that can draw shapes as you like. Adorners work like this usually.

  3. If you want properties such as Style, DataContext and Tag etc, you may have to inherit from FrameworkElement.

  4. If you want your visual object to contain another Visual object inside it then it can inherit from FrameworkContentElement.

Upvotes: 1

LPL
LPL

Reputation: 17083

You could use a DataTemplate to represent your data object:

<DataTemplate DataType="{x:Type local:yourObject}">
    ... your visuals
</DataTemplate>

Upvotes: 0

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