WPF TextBox ugly borders problem

Question

I want to override the default TextBox borders in WPF. I have this style that applies on all TextBoxes.

<!-- StyleTextBox-->
<Style x:Key="StyleTextBox" TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}">
    <Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="20" />
    <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left"/>
    <Setter Property="Margin" Value="3"/>
    <Setter Property="IsEnabled" Value="{DynamicResource WriteAble}"/>
    <Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels" Value="True" />
    <Setter Property="VerticalContentAlignment" Value="Top" />
    <Setter Property="BorderThickness" Value="1" />
    <Setter Property="BorderBrush" Value="{StaticResource ButtonFont_DarkGray}" />
    <Style.Triggers>
        <!--Resolves multiline textbox vertical alignment problem-->
        <Trigger Property="TextWrapping" Value="NoWrap">
            <Setter Property="VerticalContentAlignment" Value="Center" />
        </Trigger>
    </Style.Triggers>
</Style> 

I added SnapsToDevicePixels="True" to display borders correctly on LCD monitors.

But, every TextBox seems to be different. Some borders are missing, or gray.. Does anyone know why?

Answer 1

You could try editing the template for the textboxes and changing the border name Bd to a "real" border instead of the chrome one. Like this:

<ControlTemplate x:Key="TextBoxBaseControlTemplate1" 
          TargetType="{x:Type TextBoxBase}">
  <Border x:Name="Bd" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" 
          Background="{TemplateBinding Background}" 
          BorderBrush="{TemplateBinding BorderBrush}"
          BorderThickness="{TemplateBinding BorderThickness}" >
    <ScrollViewer x:Name="PART_ContentHost" 
              SnapsToDevicePixels="{TemplateBinding SnapsToDevicePixels}"/>
  </Border>
  <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
    <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
      <Setter Property="Background" TargetName="Bd" 
            Value="{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.ControlBrushKey}}"/>
      <Setter Property="Foreground" 
           Value="{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.GrayTextBrushKey}}"/>
    </Trigger>
  </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>

add this setter to your style to enable the template:

<Setter Property="Template" 
        Value="{DynamicResource TextBoxBaseControlTemplate1}"/>  

Answer 2

WPF tries to be device independent when rendering UI to the monitor, and won't draw things "pixel perfect" unless you tell it to. Try adding this to your style:

<Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels" Value="True" />

That should tell WPF to render each 1-pixel-thick border along a single pixel line.