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How to: Build a Standard UI Dialog Box by Using Grid

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This example shows how to create a standard user interface (UI) dialog box by using the Grid element.

Example

The following example creates a dialog box like the Run dialog box in the Windows operating system.

The example creates a Grid and uses the ColumnDefinition and RowDefinition classes to define five columns and four rows.

The example then adds and positions an Image, RunIcon.png, to represent the image that is found in the dialog box. The image is placed in the first column and row of the Grid (the upper-left corner).

Next, the example adds a TextBlock element to the first column, which spans the remaining columns of the first row. It adds another TextBlock element to the second row in the first column, to represent the Open text box. A TextBlock follows, which represents the data entry area.

Finally, the example adds three Button elements to the final row, which represent the OK, Cancel, and Browse events.


// Create the Grid.
grid1 = new Grid ();
grid1.Background = Brushes.Gainsboro;
grid1.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left;
grid1.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top;
grid1.ShowGridLines = true;
grid1.Width = 425;
grid1.Height = 165;

// Define the Columns.
colDef1 = new ColumnDefinition();
colDef1.Width = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto);
colDef2 = new ColumnDefinition();
colDef2.Width = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star);
colDef3 = new ColumnDefinition();
colDef3.Width = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star);
colDef4 = new ColumnDefinition();
colDef4.Width = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star);
colDef5 = new ColumnDefinition();
colDef5.Width = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star);
grid1.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef1);
grid1.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef2);
grid1.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef3);
grid1.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef4);
grid1.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef5);

// Define the Rows.
rowDef1 = new RowDefinition();
rowDef1.Height = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto);
rowDef2 = new RowDefinition();
rowDef2.Height = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto);
rowDef3 = new RowDefinition();
rowDef3.Height = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star);
rowDef4 = new RowDefinition();
rowDef4.Height = new GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto);
grid1.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef1);
grid1.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef2);
grid1.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef3);
grid1.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef4);

// Add the Image.
img1 = new Image();
img1.Source = new System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapImage(new Uri("runicon.png", UriKind.Relative));
Grid.SetRow(img1, 0);
Grid.SetColumn(img1, 0);

// Add the main application dialog.
txt1 = new TextBlock();
txt1.Text = "Type the name of a program, folder, document, or Internet resource, and Windows will open it for you.";
txt1.TextWrapping = TextWrapping.Wrap;
Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt1, 4);
Grid.SetRow(txt1, 0);
Grid.SetColumn(txt1, 1);

// Add the second text cell to the Grid.
txt2 = new TextBlock();
txt2.Text = "Open:";
Grid.SetRow(txt2, 1);
Grid.SetColumn(txt2, 0);

// Add the TextBox control.
tb1 = new TextBox();
Grid.SetRow(tb1, 1);
Grid.SetColumn(tb1, 1);
Grid.SetColumnSpan(tb1, 5);

// Add the buttons.
button1 = new Button();
button2 = new Button();
button3 = new Button();
button1.Content = "OK";
button2.Content = "Cancel";
button3.Content = "Browse ...";
Grid.SetRow(button1, 3);
Grid.SetColumn(button1, 2);
button1.Margin = new Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15);
button2.Margin = new Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15);
button3.Margin = new Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15);
Grid.SetRow(button2, 3);
Grid.SetColumn(button2, 3);
Grid.SetRow(button3, 3);
Grid.SetColumn(button3, 4);

grid1.Children.Add(img1);
grid1.Children.Add(txt1);
grid1.Children.Add(txt2);
grid1.Children.Add(tb1);
grid1.Children.Add(button1);
grid1.Children.Add(button2);
grid1.Children.Add(button3);

mainWindow.Content = grid1;


'Create a Grid as the root Panel element.
Dim myGrid As New Grid()
myGrid.Height = 165
myGrid.Width = 425
myGrid.Background = Brushes.Gainsboro
myGrid.ShowGridLines = True
myGrid.HorizontalAlignment = Windows.HorizontalAlignment.Left
myGrid.VerticalAlignment = Windows.VerticalAlignment.Top

' Define and Add the Rows and Columns.
Dim colDef1 As New ColumnDefinition
colDef1.Width = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto)
Dim colDef2 As New ColumnDefinition
colDef2.Width = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star)
Dim colDef3 As New ColumnDefinition
colDef3.Width = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star)
Dim colDef4 As New ColumnDefinition
colDef4.Width = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star)
Dim colDef5 As New ColumnDefinition
colDef5.Width = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star)
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef1)
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef2)
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef3)
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef4)
myGrid.ColumnDefinitions.Add(colDef5)

Dim rowDef1 As New RowDefinition
rowDef1.Height = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto)
Dim rowDef2 As New RowDefinition
rowDef2.Height = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto)
Dim rowDef3 As New Controls.RowDefinition
rowDef3.Height = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Star)
Dim rowDef4 As New RowDefinition
rowDef4.Height = New GridLength(1, GridUnitType.Auto)
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef1)
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef2)
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef3)
myGrid.RowDefinitions.Add(rowDef4)

' Add the Image.
Dim img1 As New Image
img1.Source = New System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapImage(New Uri("runicon.png", UriKind.Relative))
Grid.SetRow(img1, 0)
Grid.SetColumn(img1, 0)
myGrid.Children.Add(img1)

' Add the main application dialog.
Dim txt1 As New TextBlock
txt1.Text = "Type the name of a program, document, or Internet resource, and Windows will open it for you."
txt1.TextWrapping = TextWrapping.Wrap
Grid.SetColumnSpan(txt1, 4)
Grid.SetRow(txt1, 0)
Grid.SetColumn(txt1, 1)
myGrid.Children.Add(txt1)

' Add the second TextBlock Cell to the Grid.
Dim txt2 As New TextBlock
txt2.Text = "Open:"
Grid.SetRow(txt2, 1)
Grid.SetColumn(txt2, 0)
myGrid.Children.Add(txt2)

' Add the TextBox control.
Dim tb1 As New TextBox
Grid.SetRow(tb1, 1)
Grid.SetColumn(tb1, 1)
Grid.SetColumnSpan(tb1, 5)
myGrid.Children.Add(tb1)

' Add the Button controls.
Dim button1 As New Button
Dim button2 As New Button
Dim button3 As New Button
button1.Content = "OK"
button1.Margin = New Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15)
button2.Content = "Cancel"
button2.Margin = New Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15)
button3.Content = "Browse ..."
button3.Margin = New Thickness(10, 0, 10, 15)

Grid.SetRow(button1, 3)
Grid.SetColumn(button1, 2)
Grid.SetRow(button2, 3)
Grid.SetColumn(button2, 3)
Grid.SetRow(button3, 3)
Grid.SetColumn(button3, 4)
myGrid.Children.Add(button1)
myGrid.Children.Add(button2)
myGrid.Children.Add(button3)

Me.Content = myGrid

See also