How to dynamically load XAML for getting Controls information

Question

I am trying to load a Silverlight project to read every XAML file by creating an instance using reflection, Activator.CreateInstance, of every XAML class for reading its controls.

C# Code:

string strPath = "SilverlightUI.dll";
StreamResourceInfo sri = Application.GetResourceStream(new Uri(strPath, UriKind.RelativeOrAbsolute));
AssemblyPart assemblyPart = new AssemblyPart();
Assembly assembly = assemblyPart.Load(sri.Stream);
Type[] typeArray = assembly.GetExportedTypes();

foreach (Type type in typeArray)
{
    object ctl = (object)Activator.CreateInstance(type);
    // Following exception is occurring while creating an instance using above line of code 
    // Exception "Cannot find a Resource with the Name/Key ComboBoxStyle"
}

Perhaps, reflection is not able to recognize Silverlight style ComboBoxStyle. How can i possibly create an instance to read every control in the XAML file dynamically?

Answer 1

I have managed to find the required solution to my problem after struggling with the Google.

1. Copy all the Style Resources from Silverlight project (intended to load).
2. Paste them in the App.xaml of the Master/Caller Silverlight project or application, which is using the reflection code to load the Silverlight Controls information

Following these steps will eliminate the XAML Parse Exception of missing Style.

Cannot find a Resource with the Name/Key ComboBoxStyle

Reference: XAML Parser cannot find resource within dynamically loaded XAP when creating form instance

Answer 2

I was able to load custom controls using the XamlReader class.
I am using plain string that contains the XAML of the control not like your reflection idea.

//string xaml = "<...>";
var content = XamlReader.Load(xaml) as FrameworkElement;
this.scrollViewer.Content = content;

The type XamlReader is in System.Windows.Markup.

If it is possible in your case you can try to get XAML resources from your assembly and read them to string. Then use the provided code. After you have the content variable you can do anything using the Silverlight API to the control.
Hope this will help you.