VisualStateManager Class (System.Windows)

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Microsoft Silverlight 3

Other versions are also available for the following:

Microsoft Visual Studio 2010/.NET Framework 4.0

.NET Framework Class Library for Silverlight

VisualStateManager Class

Manages states and the logic for transitioning between states for controls.

Namespace: System.Windows
Assembly: System.Windows (in System.Windows.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Class VisualStateManager _
    Inherits DependencyObject

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As VisualStateManager

public class VisualStateManager : DependencyObject

XAML Object Element Usage

<templateRoot>
  <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
    oneOrMoreVisualStateGroups
  </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
</templateRoot>

XAML Values

templateRoot: The root UIElement of content for a template applied to a control.
oneOrMoreVisualStateGroups: One or more object elements that are of type VisualStateGroup.

Remarks

Template authors add VisualStateGroup objects the VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups attached property to represent states of a control and Control authors transition between states by calling the GoToState method.

If you want to implement your own logic for transitioning between states, you must inherit from VisualStateManager, override the GoToStateCore method, and set the VisualStateManager..::.CustomVisualStateManager attached property on the control that uses the custom logic.

The VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups Attached Property

The VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups attached property contains VisualStateGroup objects. Each VisualStateGroup contains a collection of mutually exclusive VisualState objects. You set VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups on the root element of a ControlTemplate. Setting VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups is the usage shown as the XAML usage for this class.

The vsm Prefix

vsm is aprefix that maps to the System.Windows namespace and assembly. The vsm prefix is assigned by some tools and designer scenarios when producing the XAML for visual states in a template. For the prefix vsm, the mapping is declared as xmlns:vsm="clr-namespace:System.Windows;assembly=System.Windows".

Examples

The following example creates a simple ControlTemplate for a Button that contains one Grid. The example sets the VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups property on the Grid. The VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups contains one VisualStateGroup, called CommonStates, which defines the MouseOver and Normal VisualState objects. When the user puts the mouse over the Button, the Grid changes from green to red over one half second. When the user moves the mouse away from the button, the Grid immediately changes back to green.

Run this sample

XAML

<ControlTemplate TargetType="Button"
                 xmlns:vsm="clr-namespace:System.Windows;assembly=System.Windows">
  <Grid >
    <vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
      <vsm:VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">

        <vsm:VisualStateGroup.Transitions>

          <!--Take one half second to trasition to the MouseOver state.-->
          <vsm:VisualTransition To="MouseOver" 
                              GeneratedDuration="0:0:0.5"/>
        </vsm:VisualStateGroup.Transitions>

        <vsm:VisualState x:Name="Normal" />

        <!--Change the SolidColorBrush, ButtonBrush, to red when the
            mouse is over the button.-->
        <vsm:VisualState x:Name="MouseOver">
          <Storyboard>
            <ColorAnimation Storyboard.TargetName="ButtonBrush" 
                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="Color" To="Red" />
          </Storyboard>
        </vsm:VisualState>
      </vsm:VisualStateGroup>
    </vsm:VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
    <Grid.Background>
      <SolidColorBrush x:Name="ButtonBrush" Color="Green"/>
    </Grid.Background>
  </Grid>
</ControlTemplate>

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
System.Windows..::.DependencyObject
System.Windows..::.VisualStateManager

Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Platforms

For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.

Reference

VisualStateManager Members

System.Windows Namespace

Other Resources

Creating a New Control by Creating a ControlTemplate