How to make loose Xaml content aware of custom controls

Question

I have a loose XAML file...

<Style
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:MyNamespace"
    TargetType="{x:Type local:CustomControl}">
    <Setter Property="HoverOpacity" Value="1.0"/>
</Style>

... that I want to load at runtime. When I do I get an exception stating, "Type reference cannot find public type named 'CustomControl'." How can I make the loose XAML aware of my namespace?

I need to use HoverOpacity which is a dependency property of the CustomControl. Here is the code that I am currently using to load the XAML:

var resource = Application.GetResourceStream(new Uri("pack://application:,,,/Assets/HoverStyle.xaml"));

XamlReader.Load(resource.Stream);

BTW, I realize that the XAML is simple and I could just insert the Style in code, but this is a hello world XAML; its going to become a lot more complex, involving animations and such.

P.S. Another solution would be a way of either attaching a XAML file to a custom control derived from Panel (one that doesn't crash Visual Studio 2008) or a way of easily attaching triggers, data-triggers, entry-actions, and exit actions to custom controls.

Answer 1

Gosh darn it, I figured it out. I needed to specify the assembly name with the namespace; like so:

<Style
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:MyNamespace;assembly=MyAssembly"
    TargetType="{x:Type local:CustomControl}">
    <Setter Property="HoverOpacity" Value="1.0"/>
</Style>

I'll give answer credit to anyone who could answer my "P.S." question within the next two days. This whole situation seems a little wet, so I'd be really interested in alternatives.

Thanks :)