How to change DynamicResource in WPF

Question

I have a UserControl with that XAML:

<StackPanel>
    <Label HorizontalContentAlignment="Center">
        <Rectangle Name="iconContainer" Height="120" Width="120" Fill="#FF045189">
            <Rectangle.OpacityMask>
                <VisualBrush Visual="{DynamicResource appbar_disconnect}"/>
            </Rectangle.OpacityMask>
        </Rectangle>
    </Label>
    <TextBlock Name="tBlockPortStatus" Foreground="#FF7C7676" FontWeight="Bold" FontSize="15" Margin="3" TextAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center" TextWrapping="Wrap">PORT STATUS (Testing wrapping text abilities for this control)</TextBlock>
</StackPanel>

I need to change the icon(named appbar_disconnect) and use another DynamicResource (ex. appbar_connect) using Code Behind or MVVM. How can I achieve this? Regards

Answer 1

Your case looks like it would be better handled using a Trigger than a DynamicResource, but if you insisted on using DynamicResource, you basically need to define your states' icons/images as resources in the App.xaml file:

 <Application.Resources>
    <Image Source="Icons/disconnect.png" x:Key="AppbarDisconnect"/>
    <Image Source="Icons/connect.png" x:Key="AppbarConnect"/>
    <Image Source="Icons/undefined.png" x:Key="AppbarStatus"/>
</Application.Resources>

Assuming your UserControl looks like that:

<StackPanel>
    <Label HorizontalContentAlignment="Center">
        <Rectangle Name="IconContainer" Height="120" Width="120" Fill="#FF045189">
            <Rectangle.OpacityMask>
                <VisualBrush Visual="{DynamicResource AppbarStatus}"/>
            </Rectangle.OpacityMask>
        </Rectangle>
    </Label>
    <TextBlock Name="TBlockPortStatus" Foreground="#FF7C7676" FontWeight="Bold" FontSize="15" Margin="3" TextAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center" TextWrapping="Wrap">PORT STATUS (Testing wrapping text abilities for this control)</TextBlock>
</StackPanel>

You could update the AppbarStatus resource on a specific event (from the code behind or from the viewmodel) like so:

Application.Current.Resources["AppbarStatus"] = Application.Current.Resources["AppbarDisconnect"];

Update

In case you want to use a DataTrigger, just add a property to hold the connection-status to your user control:

private bool _connetionStatus;
    public bool ConnectionStatus
    {
        get { return _connetionStatus; }
        set
        {
            if (value == _connetionStatus) return;
            _connetionStatus = value;
            OnPropertyChanged();
        }
    }

The DataTrigger should be self explanatory:

 <StackPanel>
        <Label HorizontalContentAlignment="Center">
            <Rectangle Name="IconContainer" Height="120" Width="120" Fill="#FF045189">
                <Rectangle.Style>
                    <Style TargetType="Rectangle">
                        <Setter Property="OpacityMask">
                            <Setter.Value>
                                <VisualBrush Visual="{DynamicResource AppbarDisconnect}"/>
                            </Setter.Value>
                        </Setter>
                        <Style.Triggers>
                            <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding ConnectionStatus}" Value="true">
                                <Setter Property="OpacityMask">
                                    <Setter.Value>
                                        <VisualBrush Visual="{DynamicResource AppbarConnect}"/>
                                    </Setter.Value>
                                </Setter>
                            </DataTrigger>
                        </Style.Triggers>
                    </Style>
                </Rectangle.Style>

            </Rectangle>
        </Label>
        <TextBlock Name="TBlockPortStatus" Foreground="#FF7C7676" FontWeight="Bold" FontSize="15" Margin="3" TextAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center" TextWrapping="Wrap">PORT STATUS (Testing wrapping text abilities for this control)</TextBlock>
    </StackPanel>