Add or modify an object

You can add an object to the artboard by selecting a tool in the Toolbox or in the Asset Library, and then drawing the object on the artboard by using your mouse. When you work on a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) or Silverlight 2 project, you can also select a styled or custom control from the Asset Library, drag a styled control from the Resources panel, or drag resources from the Resources panel onto an existing object on the artboard to apply the resource to one of the object's properties.

Note

The following procedures assume that you have a project open in Design view in Microsoft Expression Blend.

To add an object by using the Toolbox

• You can add an object to the artboard by doing one of the following:

  • Double-click the icon for a control (such as a Rectangle , Grid , Button , or TextBlock ) in the Toolbox. The object is inserted into the top-left corner of the artboard at a default width and size.

  • Select the control's icon in the Toolbox and use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

  Note

  If you cannot see a tool or control in the Toolbox, you might have to right-click one of the tools, select the tool or control that you want from the list that appears, and then double-click the icon.

  

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To add an object by using the Asset Library

1. Open the Asset Library by clicking the Asset Library  button in the Toolbox.

2. In the Asset Library, select the Show All check box to view all the available assets.

3. Do one of the following (some options apply to WPF only, as indicated):

   • To add a system control   Under Controls, select the System Controls resource dictionary, select a control from the list, and then use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

   • To add a styled control that occurs in a resource dictionary (WPF only)   Under Controls, select the resource dictionary (for example, Simple Styles), select a styled control from the list, and then use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

     Note

     You can create your own resource dictionaries by using the New Dictionary button in the Resources panel. For more information, see Resources.

   • To add a styled control that is defined in your project (WPF and Silverlight 2 only)   Under Local Styles, select a styled control from the list, and then use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

     Note

     Styles are created by selecting an existing control and then modifying its style or template. You can also convert any property value in the Properties panel to a resource. For more information, see Resources.

   • To add a media item   Under Media, select a media item from the list (such as an image or video file), and then use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

     Note

     The media file must already be listed under Files in the Project panel. To add a file to your project, use Add Existing Item on the Project menu. For more information about how to use media files in Expression Blend, see Media.

   • To add a custom or user control (WPF and Silverlight 2 only)   Under Custom Controls, select a custom control from the list, and then use your mouse to draw the control on the artboard.

     Note

     If you have added a custom control or user control to your project and you do not see it listed under Custom Controls, build your project (CTRL+SHIFT+B), and then open the Asset Library again. For more information, see Try it: Create a custom WPF control and Try it: Create a WPF user control.

Note

You can type into the Search text box to filter the list of assets that appears in any tab of the Asset Library.

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To add an object by using the Resources panel (WPF and Silverlight 2 only)

1. From the Resources panel, expand the nodes, and then select a resource.

2. Drag the resource onto the artboard.

   • If the resource is a style or a template, an instance of the control that the resource was created from is added to the artboard, with the style or template already applied.

   • If the resource is a property value, a pop-up menu appears that gives you the option to create a new object and then apply the style to one of its properties, or apply the style to one of the existing objects on the artboard.

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To modify an object

• Do one of the following:

  • Modify the object by using the on-object handles that appear on the artboard when you move the pointer over the corners of the object's blue bounding box. These handles enable you to rotate , resize or flip , move , or add a corner radius  to the object. If you do not see the on-object handles, click the Selection  or Direct Selection  tool, and then select the object.

    Note

    You can change the behavior of the on-object handles in the following ways: To constrain the aspect ratio, hold the SHIFT key when you resize or scale. To maintain the position of the center point (instead of maintaining the position of the opposite corner or edge), hold the ALT key when you resize, scale, or skew. To snap every 15 degrees, hold the SHIFT key when you rotate.

  • Modify the object by selecting it under Objects and Timeline and then changing the properties in the Properties panel. You can use this method to change the appearance of the object, change its location, or bind data to specific properties on the object. For more information, see Appearance overview, Layout overview, and Data handling overview.

  • Animate the object. For more information, see Animation overview.

  • Create a template for the object (WPF and Silverlight 2 only) by selecting the object under Objects and Timeline, and then selecting Edit Style or Edit Control Parts (Template) under the Object menu. You should do this only on simple control objects. For more information, see Controls overview, Style and template overview, and Working with simple styles.

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See also

Concepts

Reposition or translate an object

Rename an object

Select or cancel the selection of objects

Move an object

Copy, cut, paste, or delete an object

Align objects

Group or ungroup objects