Ajax-style Style for Silverlight BusyIndicator?

Question

I'm looking for an example Style to change the look of the Silverlight BusyIndicator to more like the "spinning wheel" look of AJAX apps.

A lap around google produces some links to where people are creating new controls to achieve the same thing (I suspect they pre-date the BusyIndicator) but I'd rather skin the BusyIndicator if possible.

Anyone pont me in the right direction?

Thanks

Mark

Answer 1

I made my own custom BusyIndicator from Silverlight Toolkit

Here is what you need:

1. Set the System namespace in your style file:

   xmlns:System="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"

2. Put the style/template in your style file:

   <ControlTemplate x:Key="AjaxBusyIndicatorControlTemplate" TargetType="toolkit:BusyIndicator">
       <Grid x:Name="ColorLayer">               
           <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
               <VisualStateGroup x:Name="VisibilityStates">
                   <VisualState x:Name="Hidden">
                       <Storyboard>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="busycontent">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <Visibility>Collapsed</Visibility>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="overlay">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <Visibility>Collapsed</Visibility>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                       </Storyboard>
                   </VisualState>
                   <VisualState x:Name="Visible">
                       <Storyboard>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="busycontent">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <Visibility>Visible</Visibility>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)" Storyboard.TargetName="overlay">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <Visibility>Visible</Visibility>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                       </Storyboard>
                   </VisualState>
               </VisualStateGroup>
               <VisualStateGroup x:Name="BusyStatusStates">
                   <VisualState x:Name="Idle">
                       <Storyboard>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Control.IsEnabled)" Storyboard.TargetName="content">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <System:Boolean>True</System:Boolean>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                       </Storyboard>
                   </VisualState>
                   <VisualState x:Name="Busy">
                       <Storyboard RepeatBehavior="Forever" AutoReverse="False">
                           <DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.RenderTransform).(CompositeTransform.Rotation)" Storyboard.TargetName="loader">
                               <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0" Value="0"/>
                               <EasingDoubleKeyFrame KeyTime="0:0:1" Value="359.999"/>
                           </DoubleAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                           <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames BeginTime="00:00:00" Duration="00:00:00.001" Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Control.IsEnabled)" Storyboard.TargetName="content">
                               <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="00:00:00">
                                   <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                                       <System:Boolean>False</System:Boolean>
                                   </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame.Value>
                               </DiscreteObjectKeyFrame>
                           </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                       </Storyboard>
                   </VisualState>
               </VisualStateGroup>
           </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
           <ContentControl x:Name="content" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding ContentTemplate}" Content="{TemplateBinding Content}" HorizontalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding HorizontalContentAlignment}" VerticalContentAlignment="{TemplateBinding VerticalContentAlignment}"/>
           <Rectangle x:Name="overlay" Style="{TemplateBinding OverlayStyle}"/>
           <ContentPresenter x:Name="busycontent">
               <Path x:Name="loader" Height="19" Width="19" Canvas.Left="0.5" Canvas.Top="0.5" Stretch="Fill" UseLayoutRounding="False" Stroke="Black" StrokeThickness="0.2" RenderTransformOrigin="0.5,0.5"
                   Data="M9.5,3 C5.9101491,3 3,5.9101491 3,9.5 C3,13.08985 5.9101491,16 9.5,16 C13.08985,16 16,13.08985 16,9.5 C16,5.9101491 13.08985,3 9.5,3 z M9.5,0 C14.746705,0 19,4.2532949 19,9.5 C19,14.746705 14.746705,19 9.5,19 C4.2532949,19 0,14.746705 0,9.5 C0,4.2532949 4.2532949,0 9.5,0 z">
                   <Path.RenderTransform>
                       <CompositeTransform/>
                   </Path.RenderTransform>
                   <Path.Fill>
                       <LinearGradientBrush EndPoint="0.5,1" StartPoint="0.5,0">
                           <GradientStop Color="#FF0089FF" Offset="0"/>
                           <GradientStop Color="White" Offset="1"/>
                       </LinearGradientBrush>
                   </Path.Fill>
               </Path>
           </ContentPresenter>
       </Grid>
   </ControlTemplate>
   
   <Style x:Key="AjaxBusyIndicator" TargetType="toolkit:BusyIndicator"  >
       <Setter Property="Template" Value="{StaticResource AjaxBusyIndicatorControlTemplate}"/>
   </Style>
   

3. Use it in your XAML:

<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
    <toolkit:BusyIndicator IsBusy="True" Style="{StaticResource AjaxBusyIndicator}">
        <TextBox Text="TEST test test" />
    </toolkit:BusyIndicator>
</Grid>

Answer 2

Well really a common scenario.. Silverlight devs usually use http://blogs.msdn.com/b/brada/archive/2009/03/20/silverlight-3-activity-control.aspx this type of control. but as your requirement is to have it like AJAX i think this link could be helpful: http://chrisa.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/a-wait-indicator-in-silverlight/

Here are some hints on how to customize data template for busy indicator: http://www.jeff.wilcox.name/2009/11/busy-indicator-control/

Regards.