How to create a main layout template in XAML

Question

I'm new to windows development. I'm making a simple windows app which has a few pages and each page has a similar layout in XAML. Like this:

Each page is separated into 3 sections. A will have a title, B is where the content will be inserted and C is for other stuff. My question is: what is the simplest way to build a general layout template so that I can reuse it for every page? And is it possible?

For example, I have a MainTemplate.xaml file with this layout:

<Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
    <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition/>
        <RowDefinition/>
        <RowDefinition/>
    </Grid.RowDefinitions>
</Grid>

And then my Page1.xaml will load MainTemplate so I don't have to copy and paste the same layout into every page of mine. I've tried looking online but the solutions are going way over my head. I was wondering if there's a simple way to do this like with webpages.Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

One feasible way to do this is using UserControl with ContentPresenter. For example:

Add a UserControl named MainTemplate. In the XAML, set the layout with ContentPresenter and bind it to the DependencyProperty defined in code-behind.

<UserControl x:Class="UWPTest.MainTemplate"
             xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
             xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
             xmlns:local="using:UWPTest"
             xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
             d:DesignHeight="300"
             d:DesignWidth="400"
             mc:Ignorable="d">

    <Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition />
            <RowDefinition />
            <RowDefinition />
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>

        <ContentPresenter Content="{x:Bind Title}" />

        <ContentPresenter Grid.Row="1" Content="{x:Bind Main}" />

        <ContentPresenter Grid.Row="2" Content="{x:Bind Stuff}" />
    </Grid>
</UserControl>

In the code-behind, set the DependencyProperty so that we can use them to set the content in other pages.

public sealed partial class MainTemplate : UserControl
{
    public MainTemplate()
    {
        this.InitializeComponent();
    }

    public static readonly DependencyProperty TitleProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Title", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));

    public object Title
    {
        get { return GetValue(TitleProperty); }
        set { SetValue(TitleProperty, value); }
    }

    public static readonly DependencyProperty MainProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Main", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));

    public object Main
    {
        get { return GetValue(MainProperty); }
        set { SetValue(MainProperty, value); }
    }

    public static readonly DependencyProperty StuffProperty = DependencyProperty.Register("Stuff", typeof(object), typeof(MainTemplate), new PropertyMetadata(null));

    public object Stuff
    {
        get { return GetValue(StuffProperty); }
        set { SetValue(StuffProperty, value); }
    }
}

After this, we can use the UserControl in other pages to reuse the general layout. For example, using it in "MainPage.xaml":

<Page x:Class="UWPTest.MainPage"
      xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
      xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
      xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
      xmlns:local="using:UWPTest"
      xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
      mc:Ignorable="d">

    <local:MainTemplate>
        <local:MainTemplate.Title>
            <Grid Background="Red">
                <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">A</TextBlock>
            </Grid>
        </local:MainTemplate.Title>
        <local:MainTemplate.Main>
            <Grid Background="Green">
                <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">B</TextBlock>
            </Grid>
        </local:MainTemplate.Main>
        <local:MainTemplate.Stuff>
            <Grid Background="Yellow">
                <TextBlock HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="60">C</TextBlock>
            </Grid>
        </local:MainTemplate.Stuff>
    </local:MainTemplate>
</Page>

Then the "MainPage" will look like follwoing: