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DockPanel Splitter Control for WPF

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10 Aug 2009 5  
A splitter control for the WPF DockPanel
Sample Image

Introduction

This control adds size adjustment functionality to elements of a DockPanel in the same way a GridSplitter can adjust the size of columns and rows in a Grid. When resizing the parent container, the elements will be resized proportionally unless the ProportionalResize property is set to False.

Using the Code

Add the OpenSourceControls namespace and add a DockPanelSplitter control after each panel you want to adjust. The DockPanel.Dock attribute controls which edge of the panel the splitter works on.

<Window x:Class="DockPanelSplitterDemo.Window1"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:osc="clr-namespace:OpenSourceControls"
    Title="DockPanelSplitter demo" Height="400" Width="600">
    <DockPanel>
        <Grid Name="LeftPane" DockPanel.Dock="Left" 
                      Width="200" MinWidth="40">
            <Rectangle Fill="LightBlue"/>
        </Grid>
        <osc:DockPanelSplitter DockPanel.Dock="Left" Width="4"/>
 
        <Grid Name="RightPane" DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="80">
            <Rectangle Fill="Yellow"/>
        </Grid>
        <osc:DockPanelSplitter DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="4"/>
        
        <Grid Name="TopPane" DockPanel.Dock="Top" 
                     Height="80" MinHeight="20">
            <Rectangle Fill="LightGreen"/>
        </Grid>
        <osc:DockPanelSplitter DockPanel.Dock="Top" Height="4"/>
        
        <Grid Name="BottomPane" DockPanel.Dock="Bottom" Height="70">
            <Rectangle Fill="LightPink"/>
        </Grid>
        <osc:DockPanelSplitter DockPanel.Dock="Bottom" Height="4"/>
        
        <Grid Name="MainPane" Background="Coral" >
            <Rectangle Fill="Coral"/>
        </Grid>
    </DockPanel>
</Window>

The proportional sizing mode can be turned off by setting the ProprtionalResize dependency property to False.

<osc:DockPanelSplitter DockPanel.Dock="Right" Width="4" ProportionalResize="False"/>

Links to Related Projects

  • WpfContrib DockSplitter (cannot find the control in ProportionalResize dependency property to False. Creating resizable panels with splitter bars (links don't work??)
  • Thumb example

Future Enhancements

  • Use the Thumb control instead of capturing mouse events

History

  • March 21, 2009 - First post
  • May 25, 2009 - Added proportional resizing
  • August 09, 2009 - Changed to custom control, added template demo, constrained size on client area

License

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