Develop Reference

How can I vertically stretch a WPF user control and its components while stretching its parent window

I have a user control with a text box and 2 buttons below it. I want the text box to stretch vertically when the parent window stretches vertically but nothing happens. Another problem is that the buttons appear bunched up under the text box when the user control is put into a window. But when I view the user control while not in a window the buttons are separated by 1 grid row. How can I get this to work properly so the text box increases in size when the parent window is stretched vertically and also have the buttons at the bottom stay away from the text box?
Here is the xaml code for the window that uses the user control:
<Window x:Class="SerialNumTool.Views.test2View"
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:SerialNumTool.UserControls"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="test2View" Height="300" Width="300"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
<Grid Margin="0,0,0,0" Background="Cyan" >
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<StackPanel Name="MainContentAreaStackPanel" Margin="0" VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
Grid.Row="1" Grid.RowSpan="3" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2">
<local:UserControl2 VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch">
</local:UserControl2>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</Window>
Here is the user control code:
<UserControl x:Class="SerialNumTool.UserControls.UserControl2"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:SerialNumTool.UserControls"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="150" d:DesignWidth="200"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
<Grid Margin="0,0,0,0" Background="Beige" >
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<StackPanel Background="Green" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="1" Grid.Row="1" Grid.RowSpan="2">
<TextBox x:Name="TextOutputAreaTextBox"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="5"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch" AcceptsReturn="True"
VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto"
TextWrapping="Wrap" />
</StackPanel>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Background="Green" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2"
Margin="0,0,0,0" Grid.Row="4" Grid.RowSpan="1" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" >
<Button Content="Operation 2" Margin="5"></Button>
<Button Content="Operation 3" Margin="5"></Button>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</UserControl>
Thanks in advance.

You can greatly simplify your markup by using just grids.
You seem to have misunderstood the way the * gridmeasure works.
I think the markup below does what you're trying to achieve.
When you put most controls in a grid(cell) they will expand to take up all the space available. That's what you want here so all you want is grids and cells.
The * is not an abstracted measure of the actual height in the way you are using it.
You had a control spanning two rows.
I simplified that by making one of the rows 2* height.
If you wanted two controls in the right column next to it then you would of course probably want 5 rows. But you don't have that.
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:wpf_99"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525"
>
<Grid Background="Cyan" >
<local:UserControl2/>
</Grid>
</Window>
and
d:DesignHeight="450" d:DesignWidth="800">
<Grid Background="Beige" >
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="2*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<TextBox x:Name="TextOutputAreaTextBox"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
Margin="5"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
AcceptsReturn="True"
VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto"
TextWrapping="Wrap" />
<Button Content="Operation 2" Margin="5" Grid.Row="4"></Button>
<Button Content="Operation 3" Margin="5" Grid.Row="4" Grid.Column="1"></Button>
</Grid>
</UserControl>

Henk Holterman's comment to remove the StackPanel around the text solves the problem. The textbox would not vertically stretch in or outside a user control while inside a StackPanel. I had to remove the StackPanel around the textbox in the user control as well as in the window that used the user control. Below are the code updates for a working sample:
The User Control with StackPanel removed:
<UserControl x:Class="SerialNumTool.UserControls.UserControl2"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:SerialNumTool.UserControls"
mc:Ignorable="d"
d:DesignHeight="150" d:DesignWidth="200"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
<Grid Margin="0,0,0,0" Background="Beige" >
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="2*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
<RowDefinition Height="2*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<TextBox x:Name="TextOutputAreaTextBox" Grid.Column="0" Grid.Row="1"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="5"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch" VerticalContentAlignment="Stretch"
AcceptsReturn="True"
VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto"
TextWrapping="Wrap" />
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Background="Green" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2"
Margin="0,0,0,0" Grid.Row="4" Grid.RowSpan="1" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" >
<Button Content="Operation 2" Margin="5"></Button>
<Button Content="Operation 3" Margin="5"></Button>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</UserControl>
Here is the window that used the user control:
<Window x:Class="SerialNumTool.Views.test2View"
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:SerialNumTool.UserControls"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="test2View" Height="300" Width="300"
VerticalAlignment="Stretch">
<Grid Margin="0,0,0,0" Background="Cyan" >
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
<ColumnDefinition Width=".5*"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
<RowDefinition Height=".20*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<local:UserControl2 VerticalAlignment="Stretch"
HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
Grid.Row="1" Grid.RowSpan="3" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2">
</local:UserControl2>
</Grid>
</Window>

How to remove the extra vertical blank space from a WPF window

How can I remove the blank space?
<Window x:Class="AnnoCopyDialog.RebarPasteWindow"
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:AnnoCopyDialog"
mc:Ignorable="d"
ResizeMode="NoResize"
Background="#f0f0f0"
FontSize="11"
Title="Paste Window" Width="420" Height="Auto">
<Grid Margin="10">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid Grid.Row="0" Margin="0 15 0 0" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
<Button Content="OK" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Width="70"/>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</Grid>
</Window>

Use SizeToContent="Height"
<Window x:Class="AnnoCopyDialog.RebarPasteWindow"
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:AnnoCopyDialog"
mc:Ignorable="d"
ResizeMode="NoResize"
Background="#f0f0f0"
FontSize="11"
Title="Paste Window" Width="420" Height="Auto" SizeToContent="Height">
<Grid Margin="10">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid Grid.Row="0" Margin="0 15 0 0" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
<Button Content="OK" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Width="70"/>
</StackPanel>
</Grid>
</Grid>
</Window>

MainWindow height\width will be set according current view WPF

I have a question related WPF MVVM- I want that MainWindow height and width will be set according current view height\width.
How can I define it?
MainWindow.xaml
<Window x:Class="Project.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:Project"
xmlns:views ="clr-namespace:Project.Views"
mc:Ignorable="d"
Title="MainWindow"
Height="{Binding Source = {x:Static SystemParameters.PrimaryScreenHeight}, Converter={local:RatioConverter}, ConverterParameter='0.6'}"
Width="{Binding Source={x:Static SystemParameters.PrimaryScreenWidth}, Converter={local:RatioConverter}, ConverterParameter='0.5'}"
>
<Grid>
<ContentControl Name="placeholder"></ContentControl>
</Grid>
</Window>
In One of the views
<UserControl x:Class="Project.Views.MsgBox"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:local="clr-namespace:Project.Views"
mc:Ignorable="d"
>
<UserControl.Background>
<SolidColorBrush Color="#000000" Opacity="0.5" />
</UserControl.Background>
<Grid Opacity="1" >
<Grid Width="360" Background="White" Opacity="1" Margin="0,0,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="*" />
<RowDefinition MinHeight="90" Height="auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*" />
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
... any code...
</Grid>
</UserControl>

If you want Window to have the same size as its content, set SizeToContent property to WidthAndHeight:
<Window ... SizeToContent="WidthAndHeight">
<Grid>
<ContentControl Name="placeholder"></ContentControl>
</Grid>
</Window>

How do I make the entire text visible or increase the visible area while using RichTextBox in WP8 SDK to develop an app?

How do I make the entire text visible or increase the visible area while using RichTextBox in WP8 SDK to develop an app?
Xaml code:
<RichTextBox x:Name="richText" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" VerticalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="0,0,0,0" TextWrapping="Wrap">
<Paragraph Name="contentPara">
</Paragraph>
</RichTextBox>
</ScrollViewer>
c#:
Run myRun = new Run();
myRun.Text = App.ViewModel.Items[index].LineThree;
contentPara.Inlines.Add(myRun);
edit:
Entire Xaml:
<phone:PhoneApplicationPage
x:Class="horoscope.hdetail"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:phone="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Phone.Controls;assembly=Microsoft.Phone"
xmlns:shell="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Phone.Shell;assembly=Microsoft.Phone"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
FontFamily="{StaticResource PhoneFontFamilyNormal}"
FontSize="{StaticResource PhoneFontSizeNormal}"
Foreground="{StaticResource PhoneForegroundBrush}"
SupportedOrientations="Portrait" Orientation="Portrait"
mc:Ignorable="d"
shell:SystemTray.IsVisible="True">
<!--LayoutRoot is the root grid where all page content is placed-->
<Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot">
<Grid.Background>
<ImageBrush ImageSource="/Assets/background.png" Opacity="0.8" />
</Grid.Background>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<!--TitlePanel contains the name of the application and page title-->
<StackPanel Grid.Row="0" Margin="12,17,0,0">
<TextBlock Text="Bhagawad Gita" Style="{StaticResource PhoneTextNormalStyle}"/>
</StackPanel>
<!--ContentPanel - place additional content here-->
<Grid x:Name="ContentPanel" Grid.Row="1" Margin="12,0,12,0" Height="auto">
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="*"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Grid.Row="0">
<!--<Image x:Name="t2" Width="100" Height="100" Margin="20,0,50,0" />-->
<TextBlock x:Name="t1" Text="Aries" FontSize="60" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="12,0,20,0" />
</StackPanel>
<ScrollViewer Name="scrlvw" Grid.Row="1" Height="auto" Visibility="Visible">
<RichTextBox x:Name="richText" HorizontalAlignment="Stretch" VerticalAlignment="Stretch" Margin="0,0,0,0" TextWrapping="Wrap">
<Paragraph Name="contentPara">
</Paragraph>
</RichTextBox>
</ScrollViewer>
</Grid>
</Grid>
<phone:PhoneApplicationPage.ApplicationBar>
<shell:ApplicationBar IsVisible="True" IsMenuEnabled="True" Mode="Minimized">
<shell:ApplicationBarIconButton IconUri="/Assets/questionmark.png" Text="about" Click="ApplicationBarIconButton_Click"/>
</shell:ApplicationBar>
</phone:PhoneApplicationPage.ApplicationBar>
Please help. I am stuck at this for hours and I cant seem to figure out what is the problem.
Here the problem screenshot:

Remove the ScrollViewer.
The Default RichTextBox Template already has one.
Simply set the VerticalScrollBarVisibility property to the RichTextBox, like so:
<RichTextBox VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto">
<!-- ... -->
</RichTextBox>

Stretch height of nested ItemsControl

On MainWindow, I have an ItemsControl that I'm adding UserControls to, and said UserControl also contains an ItemsControl containing other UserControls.
The problem is that a lot of items in the second ItemsControl aren't showing because they go past the height of the UserControl as it appears on MainWindow.
How can I make sure the UserControls in the first ItemsControl always stretch enough to show all UserControls in their ItemsControl? For trial and error I tried stretching via a ItemTemplate but that didn't change a thing.
<Window x:Class="X.MainWindow"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
Title="MainWindow" Height="350" Width="525">
<Window.Resources>
<DataTemplate x:Key="DataTemplate1">
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ItemsPresenter Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="0" DataContext="{Binding}"/>
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
</Window.Resources>
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<ItemsControl Grid.Row="0" x:Name="ic" ItemTemplate="{DynamicResource DataTemplate1}"/>
</Grid>
</Window>
--
<UserControl x:Class="X.UserControl1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
mc:Ignorable="d" Height="113" Width="209">
<UserControl.Resources>
<DataTemplate x:Key="DataTemplate1">
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
<ItemsPresenter DataContext="{Binding}"/>
</Grid>
</DataTemplate>
</UserControl.Resources>
<Grid>
<Grid.RowDefinitions>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
<RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
</Grid.RowDefinitions>
<Label Grid.Row="0" Content="Label" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="10,10,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
<ItemsControl Grid.Row="1" x:Name="ic" Margin="0,36,0,0" ItemTemplate="{DynamicResource DataTemplate1}"/>
</Grid>
</UserControl>
--
<UserControl x:Class="X.UserControl2"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
mc:Ignorable="d" Height="40" Width="64">
<Grid>
<Label Content="Label2" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Margin="10,10,0,0" VerticalAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>
</UserControl>

Added from my above comment, which turned out to be the problem.
Your UserControls have Height and Width explicitly set, which means they won't automatically resize/stretch to accommodate the child controls as you desire.
Removing the Height (and ideally Width), should do the trick:
<UserControl x:Class="X.UserControl1"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
mc:Ignorable="d" />
<!-- Your Code -->
</UserControl>