How can I make a WPF Expander Stretch?
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/680498
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The Expander control in WPF does not stretch to fill all the available space. Is there any solutions in XAML for this?
Solution
All you need to do is this:
<Expander>
<Expander.Header>
<TextBlock
Text="I am header text..."
Background="Blue"
Width="{Binding
RelativeSource={RelativeSource
Mode=FindAncestor,
AncestorType={x:Type Expander}},
Path=ActualWidth}"
/>
</Expander.Header>
<TextBlock Background="Red">
I am some content...
</TextBlock>
</Expander>
http://joshsmithonwpf.wordpress.com/2007/02/24/stretching-content-in-an-expander-header/
OTHER TIPS
Non stretchable Expanders is usually the problem of non stretchable parent controls.. Perhaps one of the parent controls has defined a HorizontalAlignment or VerticalAlignment property?
If you can post some sample code, we can give you a better answer.
This solution is a lot simpler and does not effect other expander controls you may using in your application.
<Expander ExpandDirection="Right" Grid.Column="0" Name="topOfB">
<Expander.Header>
<Grid HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Width="{Binding Path=ActualWidth, ElementName=topOfB}">
<!-- control content goes here -->
The accepted answer draws outside the control because the header content is in one column and the expander button is in the first. Might be good enough for some cases.
If you want a clean solution you have to change the template of the expander.
Another way is an attached property:
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
public static class ParentContentPresenter
{
public static readonly System.Windows.DependencyProperty HorizontalAlignmentProperty = System.Windows.DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
"HorizontalAlignment",
typeof(HorizontalAlignment),
typeof(ParentContentPresenter),
new PropertyMetadata(default(HorizontalAlignment), OnHorizontalAlignmentChanged));
public static void SetHorizontalAlignment(this UIElement element, HorizontalAlignment value)
{
element.SetValue(HorizontalAlignmentProperty, value);
}
[AttachedPropertyBrowsableForChildren(IncludeDescendants = false)]
[AttachedPropertyBrowsableForType(typeof(UIElement))]
public static HorizontalAlignment GetHorizontalAlignment(this UIElement element)
{
return (HorizontalAlignment)element.GetValue(HorizontalAlignmentProperty);
}
private static void OnHorizontalAlignmentChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
var presenter = d.Parents().OfType<ContentPresenter>().FirstOrDefault();
if (presenter != null)
{
presenter.HorizontalAlignment = (HorizontalAlignment) e.NewValue;
}
}
private static IEnumerable<DependencyObject> Parents(this DependencyObject child)
{
var parent = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child);
while (parent != null)
{
yield return parent;
child = parent;
parent = VisualTreeHelper.GetParent(child);
}
}
}
It lets you do:
<Expander Header="{Binding ...}">
<Expander.HeaderTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<!--Using a border here to show how width changes-->
<Border BorderBrush="Red" BorderThickness="1"
local:ParentContentPresenter.HorizontalAlignment="Stretch">
...
</Border>
</DataTemplate>
</Expander.HeaderTemplate>
</Expander>
Note that the use of the attached property is somewhat fragile as it assumes that there is a ContentPresenter in the template.
I am pretty surprised nobody has mentioned to just edit the control template, all the other solutions have some pretty serious drawbacks weather its not calculating width properly, not redrawing, render time etc...
This control template will modify the header's contentpresenter horizontal alignment to match the actual expanders (meaning it will stretch)
<ControlTemplate x:Key="ExpanderControlTemplate1" TargetType="{x:Type Expander}">
<Border BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}" BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" CornerRadius="3" SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
<DockPanel>
<ToggleButton x:Name="HeaderSite" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding HeaderTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Header}" DockPanel.Dock="Top" Foreground="{TemplateBinding Foreground}" FontWeight="{TemplateBinding FontWeight}" FontStyle="{TemplateBinding FontStyle}" FontStretch="{TemplateBinding FontStretch}" FontSize="{TemplateBinding FontSize}" FontFamily="{TemplateBinding FontFamily}" HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" IsChecked="{Binding IsExpanded, Mode=TwoWay, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" Margin="1" MinWidth="0" MinHeight="0" Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}" VerticalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}">
<ToggleButton.FocusVisualStyle>
<Style>
<Setter Property="Control.Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate>
<Border>
<Rectangle Margin="0" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="1" StrokeDashArray="1 2"/>
</Border>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</ToggleButton.FocusVisualStyle>
<ToggleButton.Style>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="19"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
<Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
<ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" Grid.Column="1" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" Margin="4,0,0,0" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Grid>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
<Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</ToggleButton.Style>
</ToggleButton>
<ContentPresenter x:Name="ExpandSite" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" DockPanel.Dock="Bottom" Focusable="False" HorizontalAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" Margin="{TemplateBinding Padding}" Visibility="Collapsed" VerticalAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
</DockPanel>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsExpanded" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Visibility" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Visible"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Right">
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Right"/>
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Left"/>
<Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
<Setter.Value>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="19"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid>
<Grid.LayoutTransform>
<TransformGroup>
<RotateTransform Angle="-90"/>
</TransformGroup>
</Grid.LayoutTransform>
<Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
<Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Grid>
<ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,0" Grid.Row="1" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
<Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Up">
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Top"/>
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Bottom"/>
<Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
<Setter.Value>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="19"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid>
<Grid.LayoutTransform>
<TransformGroup>
<RotateTransform Angle="180"/>
</TransformGroup>
</Grid.LayoutTransform>
<Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
<Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Grid>
<ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" Grid.Column="1" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="4,0,0,0" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Grid>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
<Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="ExpandDirection" Value="Left">
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="ExpandSite" Value="Left"/>
<Setter Property="DockPanel.Dock" TargetName="HeaderSite" Value="Right"/>
<Setter Property="Style" TargetName="HeaderSite">
<Setter.Value>
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Setter Property="Template">
<Setter.Value>
<ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}">
<Border Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
<Grid Background="Transparent" SnapsToDevicePixels="False">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="19"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid>
<Grid.LayoutTransform>
<TransformGroup>
<RotateTransform Angle="90"/>
</TransformGroup>
</Grid.LayoutTransform>
<Ellipse x:Name="circle" Fill="White" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="19" Stroke="#FF333333" VerticalAlignment="Center" Width="19"/>
<Path x:Name="arrow" Data="M1,1.5L4.5,5 8,1.5" HorizontalAlignment="Center" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" Stroke="#FF333333" StrokeThickness="2" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
</Grid>
<ContentPresenter ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" ContentStringFormat="{TemplateBinding ContentStringFormat}" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,0" Grid.Row="1" RecognizesAccessKey="True" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>
</Border>
<ControlTemplate.Triggers>
<Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Data" TargetName="arrow" Value="M1,4.5L4.5,1 8,4.5"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF5593FF"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFF3F9FF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FF3C77DD"/>
<Setter Property="StrokeThickness" TargetName="circle" Value="1.5"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFD9ECFF"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="Black"/>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFBCBCBC"/>
<Setter Property="Fill" TargetName="circle" Value="#FFE6E6E6"/>
<Setter Property="Stroke" TargetName="arrow" Value="#FF707070"/>
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Style>
</Setter.Value>
</Setter>
</Trigger>
<Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
<Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.GrayTextBrushKey}}"/>
</Trigger>
</ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>
I Agree with HTH - check what sort of a container you're putting the Expander in... the StackPanel will always fold it's children down to the smallest size they can go to.
I'm using Expanders a lot in my project, and if you drop them into a Grid / DockPanel, then the expander will fill all available space (assuming it's Vertical & Horizontal orientations are set to Stretch).
Jonathan's suggestion of Binding the Expander's width to the container's width can get a bit tricky... I tried this technique a few weeks back and found that it can producte undesirable results in some cases, because it can inhibit the functioning of the layout system.
PS: As a general tip (and I'm sure I'm gonna get flamed for writing this), if you're unsure of what sort of layout-container to your controls in, then start off with a Grid. Using the Column & Row definitions allows you to very easily control whether child controls use minimum space ("Auto"), maximum space ("*") or an exact amount of space ("[number]").
<Expander Name="EXPANDER_NAME">
<Expander IsExpanded="True" Margin="0">
<Expander.Header>
<Grid Background="Red" Width="{Binding ElementName=EXPANDER_NAME, Path=ActualWidth}">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="30"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<TextBlock> HEADER TEXT <TextBlock>
</Grid>
</Expander.Header>
</Expander>
The Silverlight Toolkit includes an Accordion control which acts like an expander that always stretches to the available space. I haven't tested it yet, but it might be functional for WPF too, like the Silverlight Chart controls.
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