WPF: How to specify units in Dialog Units?
- by Ian Boyd
i'm trying to figure out how to layout a simple dialog in WPF using the proper dialog units (DLUs).
i spent about two hours dimensioning this sample dialog box from Windows Vista with the various dlu measurements. Can someone please give the corresponding XAML markup that generates this dialog box?
(Image Link)
Now admittedly i know almost nothing about WPF XAML. Every time i start, i get stymied because i cannot figure out how to place any control. It seems that everything in WPF must be contained on a panel of some kind. There's StackPanels, FlowPanels, DockPanel, Grid, etc. If you don't have one of these then it won't compile.
The only XAML i've been able to come up with (uing XAMLPad) so far:
<DockPanel xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Image Width="23" />
<Label>Are you sure you want to move this file to the Recycle Bin?</Label>
<Image Width="60" />
<Label>117__6.jpg</Label>
<Label>Type: ACDSee JPG Image</Label>
<Label>Rating: Unrated</Label>
<Label>Dimensions: 1072 × 712</Label>
<Button Content="Yes" Width="50" Height="14"/>
<Button Content="Cancel" Width="50" Height="14"/>
</DockPanel>
Which renders as a gaudy monstrosity. None of the controls are placed or sized right. i cannot figure out how to position controls in a window, nor size them properly.
Can someone turn that screenshot into XAML?
Note: You're not allowed to measure the screenshot. All the Dialog Unit (dlu) widths and heights are specified.
Note: 1 horizontal DLU != 1 vertical DLU. Horizontal and vertical DLUs are different sizes.
Links
Microsoft User Experience Guidelines: Recommended sizing and spacing
Microsoft User Experience Guidelines: Layout Metrics
Bump: 2011/05/14 (15 months later)
