Develop Reference

How can I improve the layout for this Input Screen?

Right now I have this XAML layout for my WPF application:
<Window x:Class="Cabrillo_Editor.MainWindow"
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:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Cabrillo_Editor"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="MainWindow" Height="450" Width="800">
<DockPanel>
<Menu DockPanel.Dock="Top">
<MenuItem Header="_Exit" Click="ExitApplication"/>
<MenuItem Header="_New"/>
<MenuItem Header="_Save" Click="SaveCabrilloFile"/>
</Menu>
<StackPanel>
<GroupBox Height="Auto" Header="General">
<Grid>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="185"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="10"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="10"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="5"/>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<DockPanel Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="0" Margin="0,0,0,5">
<Label>My Call:</Label>
<TextBox Width="120" Name="CallsignTextBox" HorizontalAlignment="Right" CharacterCasing="Upper"/>
</DockPanel>
<DockPanel Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="0">
<Label>My Grid:</Label>
<TextBox Width="120" Name="GridTextBox" HorizontalAlignment="Right"/>
</DockPanel>
<DockPanel Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="2">
<Label>Contest:</Label>
<ComboBox Width="150" Name="ContestComboBox" Margin="5,0,0,0"/>
</DockPanel>
<DockPanel Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="2">
<Label>Assisted:</Label>
<CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" Name="AssistedCheckBox" Margin="5,0,0,0"/>
</DockPanel>
<DockPanel Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="4">
<Label>Band:</Label>
<ComboBox Width="150" Name="BandComboBox" Margin="5,0,0,0"/>
</DockPanel>
</Grid>
</GroupBox>
</StackPanel>
</DockPanel>
</Window>
And it looks like this:
Why, for example, is are the ComboBoxes so streched if I set the row height to "Auto" (same for the TextBoxes)?
Is there a better way to make consistent horizontal space between the columns?

This is occurring because those controls will stretch to fill their parent container by default. To override this, simply set the VeriticalAlignment property and Height property (if needed).
<ComboBox Width="150" Name="ContestComboBox" Margin="5,0,0,0" VerticalAlignment=Top/>

Resize Scrollviewer and StackPanel WPF C#

how can I make the scrollviewer resize to the bottom edge of the screen, so as to maximize to resize with the mouse ? The way the code is, when the screen is maximized the scroll bar does not appear and it is not possible to scroll the contents.
My xaml File
<Window x:Class="AppSearch.MainWindow" x:Name="mainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="AppSearch" Height="600" Width="820"
WindowStartupLocation="CenterScreen"
Loaded="Window_Loaded"
StateChanged="mainWindow_StateChanged"
ResizeMode="CanResize"
PreviewKeyDown="mainWindow_PreviewKeyDown">
<Grid ShowGridLines="False">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<StackPanel x:Name="stkContentLeft"
MinWidth="510"
MinHeight="560"
ScrollViewer.VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Hidden"
LoadCompleted="stkContentLeft_LoadCompleted"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
Margin="0,0,05,0" Grid.Column="0"/>
<StackPanel Grid.Column="1" x:Name="stckContentRight" Width="276"
Height="{Binding Parent.ActualHeight, Mode=OneWay, RelativeSource={RelativeSource Self}}"
Orientation="Vertical"
HorizontalAlignment="Right">
<Grid VerticalAlignment="Top">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<StackPanel Height="auto" Grid.Row="0">
<StackPanel x:Name="help" Width="20" Height="20" HorizontalAlignment="Right" Margin="0,5,10,0">
<Image Source="Imagens/help_icon.png"/>
</StackPanel>
<StackPanel x:Name="stkUcSupervisor" Height="50" Width="276" Margin="0,5,0,0" HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
<TextBox x:Name="txtSearch"
ToolTip="put your key..."
FontSize="13"
Foreground="Black"
BorderThickness="1"
TextWrapping="Wrap"
Margin="0,5,0,05" Width="270" HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
</StackPanel>
<ScrollViewer x:Name="scroll"
CanContentScroll="True"
IsDeferredScrollingEnabled="False"
UseLayoutRounding="False"
VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Visible"
VerticalAlignment="Top"
BorderThickness="1"
BorderBrush="Gray"
Margin="0,05,0,0"
Grid.Row="1"
Height="455">
<StackPanel x:Name="stkListOfUserControls"
CanVerticallyScroll="True"
Height="455"
OverridesDefaultStyle="False">
<StackPanel.ScrollOwner>
<ScrollViewer AllowDrop="True" />
</StackPanel.ScrollOwner>
</StackPanel>
</ScrollViewer>
</Grid>
</StackPanel>
<StackPanel x:Name="stkPopUp"
Canvas.Bottom="0"
Canvas.Left="0"
Height="285"
Width="280"
VerticalAlignment="Bottom"/>
</Grid>

WPF DockPanel Layout

I want to change the alignment of my dockPanel, and I'm having some trouble. I'm relatively new to WPF, so that may explain it.
Anyways, here is the current layout:
<theme:bottomPanel DockPanel.Dock="Bottom" x:Name="bottomPanel" ClipToBounds="False" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Height="145" />
<theme:rightPanel DockPanel.Dock="Right" x:Name="rightPanel" ClipToBounds="False" SnapsToDevicePixels="False"/>
<theme:leftPanel DockPanel.Dock="Left" x:Name="leftPanel" ClipToBounds="False" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" />
<theme:MapPanel DockPanel.Dock="Top" x:Name="mapPanel" ClipToBounds="False" SnapsToDevicePixels="False" />
Visualized in Paint (lol) :
I would like to change the layout to something like the following:
Is this possible? If so, what approach would you recommend? Any guidance would be helpful! Thank you.
As an aside: is there any application that allows me to see my application layout as the app runs (i.e. add gridlines to each panel or something)?
Anyways, thanks!

<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition/>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition/>
<ColumnDefinition/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Border Background="Gray" Grid.ColumnSpan="3">
<TextBlock Text="Top Area"/>
</Border>
<Border Background="Magenta" Grid.Row="1" Height="200">
<TextBlock Text="Left Area"/>
</Border>
<Border Background="Red" Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1" Height="200">
<TextBlock Text="Bottom Area"/>
</Border>
<Border Background="Cyan" Grid.Column="2" Grid.RowSpan="2" Margin="0,200,0,0" Width="200">
<TextBlock Text="Right Area"/>
</Border>
</Grid>

WPF - Expander in Grid - eating space

I have very simple xaml.
<Grid Margin="0,50,0,0">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="30*" />
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<!--<RowDefinition Height="50"/>-->
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Expander Header=""
HorizontalAlignment="Left"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
ExpandDirection="Right"
IsExpanded="True"
Grid.Column="0"
Grid.Row="0"
Height="Auto"
>
<!-- My List control -->
</Expander>
<TabControl Name="ExecutionTab" Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="0" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch">
<!-- soem tabs here -->
</TabControl>
</Grid>
Now after collasping expander the left part [row=0,col=0] being shown as empty with space.
What we want is right part [row=0,col=1] should take whole space.
What should be done in this case ?
I have tried HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" to Tab control but not working.
Do I need to add event handler like on collapse and change width of grid.. but it does not seems to good way ?
Can anyone suggest better way ?
Thanks

Using a Grid is not the best way to achieve what you want. You should use a DockPanel instead with LastChildFill = "true". I can't try it now but I would imagine it like this:
<DockPanel LastChildFill="true">
<Expander Header=""
HorizontalAlignment="Left"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
ExpandDirection="Right"
IsExpanded="True"
DockPanel.Dock="Left"
Height="Auto"
>
<!-- My List control -->
</Expander>
<TabControl Name="ExecutionTab" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch">
<!-- soem tabs here -->
</TabControl>
</DockPanel>
This should make the tab control always take the entire remaining space.

You can make this work by setting your column definitions to:
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
<ColumnDefinition/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
The complete code to show this working is below:
<Grid>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
<ColumnDefinition/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Expander ExpandDirection="Right" IsExpanded="True">
<TextBlock FontSize="50">Text For Expander</TextBlock>
</Expander>
<TabControl Name="ExecutionTab" Grid.Column="1">
<TabItem Header="Tab 1">
<TextBox FontSize="50" TextWrapping="Wrap">Text for Tab 1</TextBox>
</TabItem>
<TabItem Header="Tab 2">
<TextBox FontSize="50" TextWrapping="Wrap">Text for Tab 1</TextBox>
</TabItem>
</TabControl>
</Grid>
If you add the xaml above to a window, you should see the following

You will have to make you ColumnDefinition.Width to Auto and if you want fixed width for your TabControl you should give Width to TabControl.
<Grid Margin="0,50,0,0">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

how to add window to usercontrol in wpf?

How to add Window border to usercontrol in WPF?

Use a relative source binding:
BorderBrush="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource FindAncestor, AncestorType={x:Type Window}}, Path=BorderBrush}"

You can use a Border tag to get window border to your usercontrol, like this:
<UserControl x:Class="WpfApplication1.UserControl1" ------->
<Border Width="310" CornerRadius="5" BorderBrush="LightBlue" BorderThickness="1">
<Grid VerticalAlignment="Center">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="30"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="40"></ColumnDefinition>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"></ColumnDefinition>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Label Content="File" Grid.Column="0" Height="22" Grid.Row="0" ></Label>
<Button Content="Browse..." Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="0" Height="25" Width="70" HorizontalAlignment="Right" Margin="1,1,5,1" SnapsToDevicePixels="True"></Button>
</Grid>
</Border>
</UserControl>

You can use user control as content of a window .
you can set more property of window if you like
Window w = new Window() {Content=new **YourUserControlHere**,Width=400,Height =400,... };
w.ShowDialog();
CheckHere