Change Images on Custom CheckBox in WPF

Question

All I have created the following custom CheckBox which uses images instead of a CheckBox. This works well however, I want to be able to change the images as required. Ideally I would like to use application resources Properties.Resources.SomeImage16 (a .png file). The XAML is

<Style x:Key="styleCustomCheckBox" 
       TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
                <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                    <Image x:Name="imageCheckBox" 
                           Width="16" 
                           Height="16" 
                           Source="F:\Camus\ResourceStudio\Graphics\Images\UnPinned16.png"/>
                    <ContentPresenter VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                </StackPanel>
                <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                    <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="False">
                        <Setter TargetName="imageCheckBox" 
                                Property="Source" 
                                Value="F:\Camus\ResourceStudio\Graphics\Images\Pinned16.png"/>
                    </Trigger>
                    <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="True">
                        <Setter TargetName="imageCheckBox" 
                                Property="Source"
                                Value="F:\Camus\ResourceStudio\Graphics\Images\UnPinned16.png"/>
                    </Trigger>
                </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>

With implementation

<ListBox SelectionMode="Single" >
    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
        <CheckBox Style="{StaticResource styleCustomCheckBox}" 
                  HorizontalAlignment="Left" 
                  VerticalAlignment="Center"
                  Margin="4,0,4,0"/>
        <TextBlock VerticalAlignment="Top" 
                   Text="SomeRecentDocument.resx"/>
    </StackPanel>
</ListBox>

How can I change the images used for the custom CheckBox (i.e. change the pinned/un-pinned to tick/cross etc.) without having to create a new style/template?

Thanks for your time.

Answer 1

As already mentioned @HighCore the need for the ability to use vector graphics. In this case, to use the Path, where in Data to the specified coordinates on which the object is drawn (MSDN).

Advantages:

• Do not store it in the files, smaller size

• Dynamically changing color, size and the whole shape

Minuses (in my opinion):

• You can not always find the right Data for the Path

About minus: There are special sites (www.modernuiicons.com) and utilities for converting the image to Data.

Change the style of CheckBox using the Path:

Style

<Style x:Key="styleCustomCheckBox" TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
        <Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="Verdana" />
        <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="14" />

        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                        <Path x:Name="MyPin" Width="18" Height="18" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF000000"
                              Data="F1 M 56.1355,32.5475L 43.4466,19.8526C 42.7886,20.4988 42.298,21.2123 41.9749,21.9932C 41.6519,22.7741 41.4903,23.5729 41.4903,24.3895C 41.4903,25.1942 41.6529,25.987 41.9779,26.7679L 34.0577,34.6821C 33.3918,34.3372 32.6991,34.0776 31.9796,33.9032C 31.2601,33.7288 30.5298,33.6415 29.7885,33.6415C 28.623,33.6415 27.4953,33.8526 26.4052,34.2748C 25.315,34.697 24.3419,35.3342 23.4856,36.1865L 30.2344,42.9174L 25.9027,47.9032L 22.6532,51.8425L 20.5988,54.5836C 20.1212,55.2892 19.8823,55.753 19.8823,55.975L 19.8645,56.0701L 19.9002,56.088L 19.9002,56.1474L 19.9358,56.1058L 20.0131,56.1236C 20.2351,56.1236 20.6989,55.8888 21.4045,55.419L 24.1457,53.3765L 28.0849,50.1151L 33.0945,45.7775L 39.8016,52.5025C 40.6579,51.6462 41.2961,50.6731 41.7163,49.5829C 42.1365,48.4928 42.3466,47.367 42.3466,46.2056C 42.3466,45.4603 42.2603,44.729 42.0879,44.0115C 41.9155,43.294 41.6548,42.6003 41.3069,41.9304L 49.2202,34.0161C 50.0011,34.3372 50.7939,34.4978 51.5986,34.4978C 52.4192,34.4978 53.2189,34.3362 53.9979,34.0132C 54.7768,33.6901 55.4894,33.2015 56.1355,32.5475 Z "/>

                        <ContentPresenter VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="10,0,0,0" />
                    </StackPanel>

                    <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                        <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="False">
                            <Setter TargetName="MyPin" Property="Data" Value="F1 M 32.3691,30.2225L 33.2253,29.3901L 15.361,11.5258C 13.9814,12.7067 12.6951,13.9936 11.5148,15.3738L 26.6252,30.4842C 27.743,30.1631 28.8767,30.0025 30.0263,30.0025C 30.8191,30.0025 31.6,30.0759 32.3691,30.2225 Z M 45.5039,49.3629L 60.6292,64.4826C 62.0123,63.2996 63.3017,62.0101 64.4846,60.6268L 46.6218,42.7866L 45.7834,43.619L 45.9439,44.7726L 45.9915,45.9261L 45.8785,47.6713L 45.5039,49.3629 Z M 56.1355,32.5475L 43.4466,19.8526C 42.7886,20.4987 42.298,21.2123 41.9749,21.9932C 41.6519,22.7741 41.4903,23.5729 41.4903,24.3895C 41.4903,25.1942 41.6529,25.987 41.9779,26.7679L 34.0577,34.6821C 33.3918,34.3372 32.6991,34.0776 31.9796,33.9032C 31.2601,33.7288 30.5298,33.6415 29.7885,33.6415C 28.623,33.6415 27.4953,33.8526 26.4052,34.2748C 25.315,34.697 24.3419,35.3342 23.4856,36.1865L 30.2344,42.9174L 25.9027,47.9032L 22.6532,51.8425L 20.5988,54.5836C 20.1212,55.2892 19.8823,55.753 19.8823,55.975L 19.8645,56.0701L 19.9002,56.0879L 19.9002,56.1474L 19.9358,56.1058L 20.0131,56.1236C 20.2351,56.1236 20.6989,55.8888 21.4045,55.419L 24.1457,53.3765L 28.0849,50.1151L 33.0945,45.7775L 39.8016,52.5025C 40.6579,51.6462 41.2961,50.6731 41.7163,49.5829C 42.1365,48.4928 42.3466,47.367 42.3466,46.2056C 42.3466,45.4603 42.2603,44.729 42.0879,44.0115C 41.9155,43.294 41.6548,42.6003 41.306,41.9304L 49.2202,34.0161C 50.0011,34.3372 50.7939,34.4978 51.5986,34.4978C 52.4192,34.4978 53.219,34.3362 53.9979,34.0132C 54.7768,33.6901 55.4894,33.2015 56.1355,32.5475 Z " />                                
                            <Setter TargetName="MyPin" Property="Fill" Value="Gray" />
                        </Trigger>
                    </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
</Style>

Using

<StackPanel Orientation="Vertical" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
    <CheckBox Height="35"
              Style="{StaticResource styleCustomCheckBox}" 
              Content="MySolution1" />

    <CheckBox Height="35"
              Style="{StaticResource styleCustomCheckBox}" 
              Content="MySolution2" />
</StackPanel>

Output

We can also store the Path's in resources, and refer to them as like this:

<Path x:Key="MyPath" Data="F1 M 38,19C 48.4934,19 57,27.5066 ... />

...

<Setter TargetName="MainPath" Property="Data"
        Value="{Binding Source={StaticResource MyPath}, Path=Data}" />

Edit

To specify arbitrary icons, I created two attached dependency properties (string type):

• IsCheckedOnData

• IsCheckedOffData

IsCheckedOnData contains Data value by IsChecked = "True", IsCheckedOffData value by IsChecked = "False".

Now you need only to determine the strings of icons and define such a resource (for example).

Full example:

XAML

<Window x:Class="CustomCheckBoxHelp.MainWindow"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="clr-namespace:CustomCheckBoxHelp"
    xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=mscorlib"
    WindowStartupLocation="CenterScreen"
    Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">

<Window.Resources>
    <sys:String x:Key="Up">
        F1 M 37.8516,35.625L 34.6849,38.7917L 23.6016,50.2708L 
        23.6016,39.9792L 37.8516,24.9375L 52.1016,39.9792L 52.1016,
        50.2708L 41.0182,38.7917L 37.8516,35.625 Z
    </sys:String>

    <sys:String x:Key="Down">
        F1 M 37.8516,39.5833L 52.1016,24.9375L 52.1016,35.2292L 
        37.8516,50.2708L 23.6016,35.2292L 23.6016,24.9375L 37.8516,39.5833 Z
    </sys:String>

    <Style x:Key="styleCustomCheckBox" TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
        <Setter Property="FontFamily" Value="Verdana" />
        <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="14" />

        <Setter Property="Template">
            <Setter.Value>
                <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
                    <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
                        <Path x:Name="MyPin" Width="18" Height="18" Stretch="Fill" Fill="#FF000000" 
                              Data="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}, Path=(local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOnData)}" />
                        <ContentPresenter VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="10,0,0,0" />
                    </StackPanel>

                    <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                        <Trigger Property="IsChecked" Value="False">
                            <Setter TargetName="MyPin" Property="Data"
                                    Value="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}, Path=(local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOffData)}" />
                            <Setter TargetName="MyPin" Property="Fill" Value="Gray" />
                        </Trigger>
                    </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                </ControlTemplate>
            </Setter.Value>
        </Setter>
    </Style>
</Window.Resources>

<Grid>
    <StackPanel Orientation="Vertical" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Background="Beige">
        <CheckBox Height="35" 
                  local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOnData="{StaticResource Up}"
                  local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOffData="{StaticResource Down}"
                  Style="{StaticResource styleCustomCheckBox}" 
                  Content="MySolution1" />

        <CheckBox Height="35" 
                  local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOnData="{StaticResource Up}"
                  local:CustomCheckBoxClass.IsCheckedOffData="{StaticResource Down}"
                  Style="{StaticResource styleCustomCheckBox}" 
                  Content="MySolution2" />
    </StackPanel>
</Grid>
</Window>

Code behind

public partial class MainWindow : Window
{
    public MainWindow()
    {
        InitializeComponent();            
    }
}

public class CustomCheckBoxClass : DependencyObject
{
    #region IsCheckedOnDataProperty

    public static readonly DependencyProperty IsCheckedOnDataProperty;

    public static void SetIsCheckedOnData(DependencyObject DepObject, string value)
    {
        DepObject.SetValue(IsCheckedOnDataProperty, value);
    }

    public static string GetIsCheckedOnData(DependencyObject DepObject)
    {
        return (string)DepObject.GetValue(IsCheckedOnDataProperty);
    }

    #endregion

    #region IsCheckedOffDataProperty

    public static readonly DependencyProperty IsCheckedOffDataProperty;

    public static void SetIsCheckedOffData(DependencyObject DepObject, string value)
    {
        DepObject.SetValue(IsCheckedOffDataProperty, value);
    }

    public static string GetIsCheckedOffData(DependencyObject DepObject)
    {
        return (string)DepObject.GetValue(IsCheckedOffDataProperty);
    }

    #endregion

    static CustomCheckBoxClass()
    {
        PropertyMetadata MyPropertyMetadata = new PropertyMetadata(string.Empty);

        IsCheckedOnDataProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("IsCheckedOnData",
                                                            typeof(string),
                                                            typeof(CustomCheckBoxClass),
                                                            MyPropertyMetadata);

        IsCheckedOffDataProperty = DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("IsCheckedOffData",
                                                            typeof(string),
                                                            typeof(CustomCheckBoxClass),
                                                            MyPropertyMetadata);
    }        
}

Note: In the style I have not used TemplateBinding because TemplateBinding doesn’t work outside a template or outside its VisualTree property, so you can’t even use TemplateBinding inside a template’s trigger. Therefore, we must use the construction {RelativeSource TemplatedParent} and a Path equal to the dependency property whose value you want to retrieve.

Answer 2

Sorry, I don't yet know how to reference an image in those resources, but if you can add the images into a folder named Images in your application root directory, then you will be able to reference the images simply like this:

<Image Source="/ApplicationName;component/Images/SomeImage16.png" />