How can I set a WPF control's color to a system color programmatically, so that it updates on color scheme changes?

Question

How can I do this in WPF\'s code-behind?

Answer 1

.NET Framework Supported in: 3.0

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.systemcolors.highlightbrush(v=vs.85).aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en_us/library/system.windows.systemcolors.highlightbrushkey(v=vs.85).aspx

this.background=SystemColors.HighlightBrush;

Answer 2

Extension methods might help:

public static class FrameworkElementExtensions
{
    // usage xPanel.SetBackground(SystemColors.DesktopBrushKey);
    public static void SetBackground(this Panel panel, ResourceKey key)
    {
        panel.SetResourceReference(Panel.BackgroundProperty, key);
    }

    // usage xControl.SetBackground(SystemColors.DesktopBrushKey);
    public static void SetBackground(this Control control, ResourceKey key)
    {
        control.SetResourceReference(Control.BackgroundProperty, key);
    }
}

Answer 3

I just found an ugly solution:

grid1.SetResourceReference(
    Control.BackgroundProperty,
    SystemColors.DesktopBrushKey);

I hope someone will post a better one (I'd like to see something like grid1.Background = BackgroundBrush, because the syntax of SetResourceReference is a step backwards from Windows Forms).

Answer 4

This must have been added to a later version of WPF since this was originally posted because your original code works fine for me (I'm using WPF 4.5)

<Grid Background="{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.DesktopBrushKey}}"/>