How to reference global resources in user controls in wpf class library projects

Question

How to reference global resources in user controls in wpf class library projects

HoWe Yu 86

I created a WPF class library, and then added a UserControl "Card.xaml", and a resource dictionary "GlobalRes.xaml", I hope to use the style resources in GlobalRes in the Card control. As shown below:

GlobalRes.xaml

<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
    
    <Style x:Key="CloseButton" TargetType="Button">
        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
                    <Border x:Name="Border"/>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
    </Style>
    
</ResourceDictionary>

Card.xaml

<UserControl x:Class="WpfLib.Card"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
             xmlns:local="clr-namespace:WpfLib"
             mc:Ignorable="d"
             d:DesignHeight="450" d:DesignWidth="800">
    <Grid>
        <Button Width="30" Height="30" HorizontalAlignment="Right" VerticalAlignment="Top"
                Style="{StaticResource CloseButton}"/>
    </Grid>
</UserControl>

I know I can add resource references in Card.xaml:

<UserControl.Resources>
    <ResourceDictionary>
        <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
            <ResourceDictionary Source="GlobalRes.xaml"/>
        </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
    </ResourceDictionary>
</UserControl.Resources>

but I want to be able to add resources like in App.xml and then all controls can reference them.

1 answer

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Answer 1

Hongrui Yu-MSFT 5,255 Microsoft External Staff

Hi,@HoWe Yu. Welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

You could try the following method to reference global resources in user controls

In App.xaml, make the following adjustments to <Application.Resources>


    <Application.Resources>

        <ResourceDictionary>

            <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

                <ResourceDictionary Source="GlobalRes.xaml"></ResourceDictionary>

            </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

        </ResourceDictionary>

    </Application.Resources>

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Marcos Cordeiro Oliveira 0 Reputation points

2025-03-28T11:46:49.2833333+00:00

First of all, sorry for my ignorance, I am new in WPF.

I have the same problem as HoWe Yu. The problem here Hongrui Yu-MSFT is that in a WPF class library there is no entry point, so there is no App.xaml.

I was looking for some way to set a Global ResourceDictionary. I've benn looking through posts and some people talk about Application.Current.Resources. But I can't find when to instantiate it so all my controls have the same style.

If I instantiate the Application.Current.Resources in a static class for example, during compile time I have errors.

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How to reference global resources in user controls in wpf class library projects

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